Almost by coincidence, the former Dutch racing driver Ben Pon (you know from the Pon family which is an importer of VW, Audi and Porsche, among others) in 1989 acquired a piece of land on the Californian slopes behind Carmel Valley Village. Here he started his Bernardus Winery with the aim of producing wines that rival the largest Bordeaux and Grand Cru's.

The vineyards in the Carmel Valley have been carefully planted with various grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc. While the Bordeaux style varieties grow in the Carmel Valley vineyards, the Chardonnay is cultivated in cool maritime climates, namely in the Monterey Bay. Grapes from other California appellations are used to add nuances to the Bernardus blends.

The Pinot Noir grapes from the Bernardus Pisoni Vineyard come from a single vineyard, namely the Pisoni Vineyard, which is a vineyard which, due to the terroir and climate, the Pinot Noir grape can turn into top grapes.

In the glass, the Pisoni Pinot Noir shows a pale to medium ruby purple color. The scent contains very intense aromas of many ripe fruits such as black cherries with a little spice, liquorice and hints of earth. After a little rolling in the glass, the fresh acids of red currant and cranberry oon come to the fore. On the palate many fruits taste wonderfully dense with great focus and length. The finish is very long with a smooth velvety texture. This wine will become even more beautiful as it ages in a well-conditioned cellar or wine fridge

Fact: only around 48 bottles of this wine come to the Netherlands every year.