Lucy Pico Blanco 2025
(Monterey County, California) - [DM 90] [VM 90]

Notes from the Winemaker:

THE PLACE: Pico Blanco is Monterey. Fruit is sourced from two viticultural areas within the county: the Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco. The result is a wine with great representation of Monterey climate and geology. Climate for the county is predominately influenced by the famous Monterey Bay. The Monterey Bay is a large funnel, sending prevailing ocean breezes into the regions. This brings cool fog and air throughout the growing season. The Santa Lucia Highlands get the brunt of this wind, and also provide beautiful east-sloping hillsides for the vines. The soils of the Santa Lucia Highlands are decomposed granite—a rare find in coastal California that was brought here when part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range was sheared off and then sent northward by the San Andreas Fault activity. Arroyo Seco sits almost dead center between the parallel Santa Lucia and Gabilan mountain ranges that funnel wind through the Salinas Valley, thus bringing intense winds and fog. The geology represents an ancient riverbed with layers of deposited boulders and gravelly loam soil, which Pico Blanco conveys.

WINEMAKING: Pico Blanco represents an early time of Monterey County grapegrowing when the region was originally recognized as a place for cool-climate grape varieties. With the historical significance and traditional style of winemaking that the Pisoni Family prefers, purity and complexity continues to be the focus. Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are hand-sorted and carefully pressed to moderate the extraction and phenolics derived from the grape skins. 100% neutral barrels are used for fermentation to obtain purity of fruit and gain texture. Fermentation is carried out only by native yeast to uphold our philosophy of winemaking and also strive for the most complex flavors and fermentation. This wine was bottled without any fining. 

TASTING NOTES: Pale straw in the glass, the 2025 Lucy Pico Blanco is a vibrant and elegant blend of Pinot Gris (70%) and Pinot Blanc (30%). On first swirl, notes of white peach, Meyer lemon, and honeysuckle burst to life with remarkable intensity. Subsequent layers of wet stone and white flowers mingle with a chalky minerality that nods to the wine’s varied origins in the Santa Lucia Highlands (granite) and Chalone (limestone). The wine zips across the palate with flavors of lychee, lemon blossom, and near-ripe pear, all carried by crisp, bright acidity. The cooler 2025 vintage allowed for exceptional phenolic development at lower sugars, creating a wine that is light on its feet yet deeply textured. Bright and refreshing, this wine pairs beautifully with many seafood dishes inspired by the coastal Monterey region.

Cases Produced 1140

Alcohol 13.5%

Blend 70% Pinot Gris and 30% Pinot Blanc

pH 3.35

Fining None

Cooperage 100% Neutral Barrels

Fermentation 100% Native Yeast

Filtration Yes, prior to bottling

Ratings & Reviews

90 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"It’s based on Pinot Gris; there’s a history of Pinot Gris in Monterey County. It has juicy nectarine fruits and fleshy yellow fruits. They work closely with the growers, but everything is hand-harvested. Juicy and fruity on the palate, tropical." - Clive Pursehouse (Feb 2026)

90 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2025 Pico Blanco (70% Pinot Gris and 30% Pinot Blanc) opens with crushed rock minerality and a heady floral perfume. Green apple fruit, fresh mint and sweet tropical overtones lead to a slightly grippy, linear finish. Tasty stuff." - Billy Norris (May 2026)