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 Siduri
Wines
Siduri is named for the Babylonian Goddess of wine, who, in Babylonian mythology, held the wine of eternal life. Siduri is also the realization of a dream
they have shared since they met 15 years ago, in their native Texas, and realized
their mutual love of Pinot Noir.
Buoyed by the belief that they could become winemakers and make their own Pinot Noir,
they left their families and jobs in Texas and moved to California’s Sonoma wine country.
They spent several years working at small, family owned wineries, using any and all free time to learn everything
they could about growing grapes and making wine. In 1994 they launched Siduri wines. One evening, after a few glasses of wine, they heard that famed wine writer Robert Parker was staying at the Meadowood Resort in the Napa Valley. Emboldened by the wine they pulled a sample of their first wine and left it with the concierge for Mr. Parker. This wine ultimately received a 90-point rating in the Wine Advocate. Their winery, Siduri Wines, took off from there.
By focusing solely on Pinot Noir from the most prestigious vineyard sites in California and Oregon, and by vinifying
each barrel separately by lot, clone, yeast and cooper, they champion individuality of place and intensity of flavor in each wine
they produce.
 Gary's
Vineyard
Garys' Vineyard is a joint effort between Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni (of Pisoni Vineyard). Childhood friends, the two Garys decided to work together to create Garys' Vineyard after the success of Pisoni Vineyard.
He and long time friend Gary Pisoni partnered on the Garys' Vineyard in 1997. They took their multi-generation history of growing vegetables and translated that into growing kick ass Pinot Noir. The vineyard is located in Monterey County, near Soledad, Ca. The clone planted is the same as that planted at Pisoni Vineyard - The Pisoni Clone. Gary's roots in the Santa Lucia Highlands are quite deep. His family has farmed here for over 100 years. After graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in agribusiness, Franscioni took over management of the family farm business, which owned and managed more than 200 acres of row crops in the Salinas Valley. Recognizing the region's potential for premium wine grapes, Franscioni
turned his focus to viticulture.
 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard 2004
Their 2004 Garys’ Pinot received outstanding press as it was named one of the Top 100 Wines of the Year by the Wine Spectator. The 2005 Siduri Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir builds on this success and is, in our opinion, a more complex and complete wine that its predecessor. The unique 2005 growing season provided
them with an opportunity to make a better wine by giving them a long hang time, completely ripe fruit, and more moderate sugar levels. Then, thru a fortunate twist of fate, we were able to receive a bit of additional fruit from the vineyard.
They treated this fruit as an “unexpected bonus” and felt a unique freedom to experiment with it. Thus
they carefully sorted this extra fruit, placed the whole clusters (stems and all) in a tank, and jumped up an down on them, “I Love Lucy” style (sure, there is a fancy French winemaking word for the technique, “pigeage,” but the I Love Lucy reference fits us better).
Rated 92 Wine Spectator
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Santa Lucia Highlands
The earliest vinifera plantings, in what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, took place in the 1790s, with the arrival of the first Spanish missionaries and conquistadors. The modern era, however, could be said to begin in the early 1970s, with initial plantings by Rich and Claudia Smith at Paraiso. The vines’ elevated locations take full advantage of the morning sunshine before the afternoon maritime breezes cool the vineyards. This climatic combination results in an especially long growing season, which allows the grapes to fully develop and attain maximum varietal potential. Ancient, glacial alluvial soils pair with ocean fog and breezes to create a true Region I climate. Cool weather-loving Burgundia varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir flourish here; Rhone grape types emulate their French northern districts brethren, thriving in the SLH’s slightly warmer, more wind-protected canyons and slopes.
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