A power couple who blend a storied family legacy with smarts, grit and determination? Meet Jeff Pisoni of Pisoni Vineyards and Bibiana González Rave of Alma de Cattleya. It’s not a surprise that they’re on everyone’s radar… and have been for some time. Thanks to their award-winning wines, deeply rooted philosophy towards winemaking and constant pursuit of excellence, this husband-wife team, married since 2011, are a force. I was fortunate to be invited to a virtual tasting with Jeff and Bibiana who sent (as samples) a few of their new releases, delicious examples of what Pisoni Vineyards and Alma de Cattleya wines offer.
Jeff Pisoni and Bibiana Gonzalez Rave – Photo Credit: www.sharednoteswines.com
Jeff Pisoni and Pisoni Vineyards
Termed “California’s Best Single Vineyards” by Steve Heimoff in Wine Enthusiast, “one of California’s true ‘cult’ vineyards” by Jeff Morgan in Drinks Magazine, and “some of the top wines from California” by Jeff Dunnuck, the Pisoni family is exactly where it wants to be. Their legendary wines, cultivated in premium vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, are hand-crafted with consistency and exceptional quality. The state of the art winemaking facility at Pisoni Vineyards uses gravity flow as part of the custom design developed to integrate the estate vineyards and winery. There are three labels: Pisoni Estate, Lucia and Lucy. For more, refer to the wealth of information on their website here.
The Pisoni Family handcrafts Lucia wines from the Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes Vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Jeff shared that 2018 was an exceptional year for grape growers and winemakers due to optimal amount of rain in the winter, moderate temperatures in spring and summer and a magnificent harvest season.
Lucia 2018 Pinot Noir ($45) can age six to ten years. Pure, clean and magnificent on the nose were notes of dark cherries, red currants and juicy raspberries. The concentrated palate, boasting bright acidity and structured tannins, offered flavors of spicy plums, baking spices and a dash of pepper. The wine was aged for 11 months in new French oak; only 1460 cases have been produced.
The Lucy label is the “charismatic younger sister of Lucia wines” and represents a group of vineyards run by the Pisoni family. It debuted in 2003 and this limited production is truly exquisite. If Jeff Pisoni and his brother pay homage to their family’s legacy each day, the purchase of Lucy 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($19) supports a cause just as meaningful. With each bottle sold of Lucy, one dollar is donated to support breast cancer research – already $125,000 have been contributed.
Bibiana González Rave and Alma Cattleya Wines
At the age of 14, Bibiana González Rave knew that she wanted to be a winemaker. Although she had little to no exposure to the wine world in her home country of Columbia, she knew that wine, considered by her family as a luxury, revealed an incredible amount of history and tradition. Bibiana was hooked. In Columbia, she studied chemical engineering and business after which she excelled in her studies of viticulture and oenology in Cognac, France. Her resume is extensive and lauded. She worked with some of the most highly regarded wineries in France and learned that “what you give to the land and your day-to-day dedication will always be present in the wines you craft.”
Bibiana’s first California vintage was 2004 and since then, she has worked harvest in South Africa and at a plethora of wineries in California. After a stint as winemaker at Lynmar Estate from 2009-2012, she started her own label Cattleya Wines along with Shared Notes venture with husband Jeff Pisoni. She’s also Consultant Winemaker for wineries in Sonoma and Napa Valley where her philosophy towards crafting outstanding wines is firmly in place.
Cattleya wines is named after the national flower of Columbia, a fitting homage to Bibiana’s native home. Alma de Cattleya, her newest venture, signifies the “soul of the land that gives life to her wines as well as her own soul put into each drop of wine that makes it to the bottle.” (Alma is the Spanish word for “soul.”)
Bibiana González Rave wants her wines to be accessible, affordable and, of utmost importance, to be shared and enjoyed with friends and family. With each sip, these wines embrace the soul of her California home with its vineyards, orchards and farms and the love for her homeland and those important to her there. For more inspiration, check out her website here.
Alma de Cattleya 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($20) is a cool climate Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, mainly the Sonoma Coast and Carneros AVAs. Intense and complex Alma de Cattleya 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($20) is of fruit hand-picked at night and taken to the winery at very low temperatures in order to maintain acidity. Wafting from the glass were refreshing aromas of beautiful raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, citrus and sense of minerality. The palate exuded mouthwatering acidity, intense red fruit flavors and hint of brioche. Aged in neutral French oak barrels for six months before bottling, the wines of Alma de Cattleya use the DIAM cork to avoid cork taint.
The wines from Jeff Pisoni and Bibiana González Rave are magnificent examples of how exceptional wines are pure reflections of those who make them.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
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