| Producer | Luli |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 16857 |
| Size | 750ml |
Luli represents a partnership formed by Sara Floyd and the Pisoni Family. Sara Floyd is a Master Sommelier with many years of food and wine experience. The Pisoni Family is known for their eponymous vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and for Pisoni Estate and Lucia wines. Deciding they would make a great partnership and noting the shortage of handcrafted wines at reasonable prices, they set out to create a new line of wines for this niche. To achieve this, Floyd and the Pisoni Family focus on purchasing grapes from multiple vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the greater Monterey County—California coastal regions excellent for growing coolclimate grapes.
THE VINEYARD: The 2021 Luli was sourced entirely from various sustainably farmed vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The vines are well-trained, carry low yields and are planted to a variety of different clones. Soils are well-drained and primarily granite in composition. These factors, combined with the fog and cool winds of the Santa Lucia Highlands provide wonderful growing conditions for Pinot Noir.
THE WINEMAKING: The Luli Pinot Noir was made with classic winemaking techniques: Hand-sorting of the fruit, native yeasts for fermentation and production in small lots. The wine was aged in ‘neutral’ French oak barrels and was not fined or filtered. The resulting balanced wine is a tribute to the region’s success with Pinot Noir.
TASTING NOTES: Sumptuous, expressive, and undeniably pure, the 2021 Luli Pinot Noir is a refreshing and delicious expression of this world class California appellation. A vibrant and youthful medium ruby hue splashes into the glass, releasing notes of strawberry compote, fresh rhubarb, sandalwood, and baking spice. Becoming more expressive with each swirl in the glass, this wine awakens the palate with the first sip. Distinctly spicy at first, with subtle hints of sage and dried herbs giving way to generous and focused flavors of black cherry and raspberry crumble. The finish is no less remarkable, as soft, delicate tannin gives way to bright acidity suggesting this wine will only improve with time.
Cranberry and currant aromas are elevated with sagebrush in a charmingly rustic style on the nose of this bottling. There’s a firm tension to the sip. Flavors start on a toast note before growing more tart, with cranberry, raspberry and pomegranate showing most prominently.
The 2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands is a lovely appellation level wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry fruit, cedar and cinnamon are all nicely lifted. Soft, silky tannins grace the long, delineated finish with pretty floral top notes that linger. Delicious.
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