Patz & Hall "Pisoni" Pinot Noir 2022
(Santa Lucia Highlands, California) - [JD 96] [WE 91] [WS 91] [DM 91] [VM 90]

Winemaker Notes:

Never has the idea of a bad apple spoiling the whole barrel been more true than with Pinot Noir. Or a bad grape in this case. Pinot Noir wears its heart on its sleeve, and anything less than the highest quality cannot be blended away. So we sort in the vineyard, then sort again at the winery. We ferment each lot separately, punch down the cap three times a day, and keep single vineyards as 100% free run to maximize each vineyard's unique expressiveness.

Tasting Notes
With power to spare, this site tends to revel in opulent, large-scale versions of Pinot Noir. The 2022 Pisoni holds the line: big, bold, ripe and full-bodied; it is what enthusiasts have learned to love and come to expect from the site.

Ratings & Reviews

96 points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Complex and voluminous, the 2022 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard has plenty of power and is still developing, not completely ready to conquer the world quite yet. Still, despite its concentration, it feels light on its feet, the acidity buoyant behind the scenes. With savory dark fruit, a dried herb/tarragon note, and plenty of umami, this charismatic wine is rich and ripe and ready for the cellar. Age 10-15 years." - Virginie Boone(Apr 2025)

91 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Quite dark in the glass, this bottling from an iconic vineyard is heavy on the nose with roasted cherry, tarragon, licorice and hickory aromas. The palate shows ample oak influence that gives a toasty backdrop to the dark cherry and dried anise flavors. The finish is slaked with vanilla spice." - Matt Kettmann (Feb 2026)

91 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Singed anise and dried fruitcake notes wrap around a core of boysenberry and mulberry pâte de fruit. The brambly finish adds to the extroverted, flattering feel. Drink now through 2028. 570 cases made." - JM (Jun 2025)

91 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"This is a single clone of Pinot Noir, known as the Pisoni clone, with thick skins, lots of color and plenty of tannin. The fog doesn’t really touch the Pisoni site, and it’s around a bit of a bend, protecting it from some of the wind that drives through the valley. It ripens a little later, and James Hall goes for a riper style. It's dark-fruited, savoury, with dark blackberries, red plum skins, and dark violet tones. There is a natural amaro herbal character, so whole cluster is not necessary, just very little pumping over because extraction on an already big Pinot Noir could make it unwieldy. It spends 16-18 months in barrel 70% new French oak barrels. On the palate, there are cola notes, chicory root spice, and dark berries, without the soaring saline often found in the region." - Clive Pursehouse (Feb 2026)

90 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard is rich, opulent and heady, certainly wearing the heat of the 2022 vintage on its sleeve. Mentholated black cherries and liqueur-like notes meet a wallop of vanilla-laden oak through the full-bodied, exuberant finish. Stylistically, this feels a bit like a wine from a bygone era, but it will surely have its fans." - Billy Norris (Jul 2025)