Tagged: Luli Wines

Let’s Have a Big Party to Celebrate Arroyo Seco Winegrowers!   

THE STORY

On August 12th, the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers celebrated their 40th Anniversary at the Joyce Winery in Soledad. This was mostly the vineyard owners and the wineries celebrating their great partnership in making terrific wines, putting the Arroyo Seco AVA on the map. I asked my friends at Chesebro Wines if they could get us in – thank you, Alex Lallos! This post is Part 1 – be sure to read next week’s post for Part 2!

For us coastal dwellers, it was a pretty long drive to get down to Soledad, but well worth it!  It was a beautiful, warm day.  The event was relatively small, with about 20 wineries offering tastes along with gourmet appetizers by Michael Jones and others. We had to be very careful with our tastes due to the drive home.  We stuck to our practice of sharing tastes and dumping the rest. 

The setting was a wine lover’s dream.  Joyce has a beautiful facility nestled in the heart of the Arroyo Seco AVA, surrounded by vineyards.  The event took place inside its barrel room, keeping us cool from the sun and heat outside.  It was a casual, low-key event with happy vintners and farmers celebrating what they together have created.  During the event, I met some wineries I had never heard of like Scott Family Estate, OCNAUTIC and Martin Ranch Winery, and got to talk to vineyard growers like Luis Zabala and vintners including Mark Chesebro (finally!)! I am looking forward to visiting Zabala Vineyards sometime after harvest, when things calm way back down.

ABOUT THE ARROYO SECO AVA

The Arroyo Seco AVA was established in 1983.  That was fairly early in Monterey County’s AVA development.  (Read about all of Monterey County’s AVA’s on the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association website.) We became fans of the Arroyo Seco AVA many years ago through the wines of Chesebro and Mercy, the latter, sadly, no longer in operation.  Now, when I see a winery offering wines from Arroyo Seco, I jump at the opportunity to try them – from delicate and flavorful whites from vineyards including Cedar Lane, Griva and Zabala to the big reds found at Shale Canyon.

A wine I really miss from the region is Mercy’s Syrah from Zabala Vineyards.  I have yet to figure out who is making Syrah out of those grapes today (in addition to Luis Zabala himself!) 

The Arroyo Seco Winegrowers carries this description of the AVA:

“The Arroyo Seco AVA encompasses portions of two towns; Soledad and Greenfield in California’s Monterey County. In the rural, western extremes of these townships the Santa Lucia Mountains rise dramatically, creating the western boundary of the Salinas Valley, and provide the unique setting for one of California’s earliest recognized viticultural area. It is in this landscape that a transverse waterway from the mountains carved the distinct geography and geology, and ultimately converges with the maritime influences of the deep, cold waters of the Pacific Ocean found 40 miles north at Monterey Bay. Ultimately, the confluences of so many distinct geographic factors unite to form this small, finite growing region.

“Granted federal AVA status on April 15, 1983, the Arroyo Seco appellation is steeped in winegrowing history and rooted in the geographic features of a waterway named “Arroyo Seco”. This seasonal creek brings rain water and snowmelt from the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Los Padres National Forrest to the Salinas Valley. Over the millenniums the pressure of this natural water-release created a diverse geography; carving landscape, dumping rocks and filling a deep subteranian aquifer with clean, pure water. Ultimately, the esteemed authors of the appellation cited the unique terrain formed by the Arroyo Seco as the foundation of AVA’s boundaries. Within the AVA’s boundaries the first commercial vineyard, Mission Ranch, was propogated by the Mirassou family in 1961, over two decades before the region received its AVA status.

“Consisting of 18,240 acres the Arroyo Seco AVA is one of the smallest AVAs in California (by contrast the largest California AVA is 3,008,000 acres, while other coastal appellations dwarf the Arroyo Seco AVA; the Santa Cruz Mountains is 408,000 acres, the Russian River Valley is 96,000 acres, the Santa Maria Valley is over 80,000 acres, the Sta Rita Hills AVA is 30,720 acres, and the Santa Lucia Highlands is 22,000 acres). It is a finite piece of terrain that has always been considered, by virtue of the definition of an AVA, one of most the “distinguished” places to grow grapes in Califorina. In fact, of the over 100 California AVAs the Arroyo Seco was one of the earliest to be recognized – the 15th AVA (tied for no. 15 with two other AVAs) to be granted such distinction.”

I like to use the description of the AVA from Mercy’s former website in my classes:

“Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco AVA is many things: windblown, numbingly cold, fog laden, semi-arid, rock strewn, austerely beautiful. In essence, the perfect grape source for Mercy wines…the wines are sourced from three contiguous vineyards, all located in a specific part of the appellation – The Ancient River Channel…Found along the banks of a now seasonal creek, this unique riverbed corridor features ideal maritime climate with rocky, meager surface soil and hardpan just feet below ground. Low yields, unique soil attributes and meticulous farming combine to produce flavorful and distinct grapes. Grown in such a dramatic setting, the wines truly are at the Mercy of Mother Nature.”

THE WINES

Today I am presenting wines we tasted at that event from four wineries:  Scott Family Estate, OCNAUTIC, Muirwood, and Luli Wines.  I’ll write up the rest of the wineries next week.  Despite the small nature of the event, there are always more wines than we can possibly taste and my own note taking was minimal.  I am relying on the wineries’ websites for their notes, unless otherwise stated.  Any errors are mine and mine alone.

SCOTT FAMILY ESTATE

“The gems of Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco”

Scott Family Estate is part of the Rutherford Wine Company focused on Arroyo Seco wines.  It produces high volumes of wine (on Monterey standards) and distributed nationally. This was the first time I had seen Scott Family Estate wines at our local wine events. I’m always excited to “discover” wineries right in our own backyard. According to its webpage:

“Witness the exquisite harmony achieved through the meticulous fusion of cool-climate varietals and the pristine terroir they call home. This union is a symphony orchestrated by the interplay of specific soil compositions, judicious clonal choices, elevated vineyard sites, and the microclimate’s gentle caress.

“The outcome is a tapestry of flavors that pay homage to their origins. Our Burgundian style Chardonnays and Pinot Noir showcase this enchanting connection, inviting you to savor the fruit of unparalleled quality, each sips an eloquent ode to its unique growing enclave.”

2021 Scott Family Estate Chardonnay, Dijon Clone, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $36 (#1129)

Winery Notes: “The 2021 harvest in Monterey County was condensed following a long, cool growing season. The extended cool conditions and lack of hot summer days resulted in high acids and low sugars. The season’s long hang times resulted in refined development, as well as wines with great depth and exceptionally concentrated fruit flavors and density.”

My Notes: My only note was that I liked this Chardonnay. Well balanced and tasty.

2021 Scott Family Estate Pinot Noir, Dijon Clone, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $45 (#1130)

Winery Notes: “A soft and decadent 100% Pinot Noir with aromas and flavors of cherry, sage, ripe raspberries and earthy notes. Richly textured and medium-bodied with balanced acidity creating a smooth, lingering finish. Enjoy this elegant Pinot Noir now or save for up to seven years.”

My Notes: My only note on this wine was that it was typical for the region.

OCNAUTIC:

“Embark on Your Next Wine Adventure with Ocnautic”

OCNAUTIC is part of the ASV family of wines with vineyards in Arroyo Seco and Paso Robles. Muirwood is also part of this group.  OCNAUTIC is located in Paso Robles and focus on Paso Robles and Monterey wines.

From their website: “If you believe the legend, a three-masted schooner named the Ocnautic sailed the seas in the early 1800s. It was renowned for many wonderous voyages and inspired many to take to the seas in the spirit of discovery.

“Thus, we named our adventurous, boldly styled wines from the California Central Coast OCNAUTIC. Great wine takes you on an enchanting journey of discovery. We invite you to join us.”

2022 OCNAUTIC Grenache Blanc, Wiley Vineyard, Monterey County (#1131)

Winery Notes from ASVwines.com: “Soft aromas of white flower, honeysuckle, and citrus peel are followed by flavors of rich pineapple, stone fruit, and refreshing acidity on the finish.” 96% Grenache Blanc, 4% Viognier.

My Notes: This wine has a very cool, octagonal and nautical label.  I detected some grass on the nose and otherwise have no tasting notes.

MUIRWOOD

“WINES CRAFTED WITH CARE FROM MONTEREY COUNTY’S RENOWNED ARROYO SECO VINEYARDS”

I have presented a Muirwood wine before from a tasting I did at A Taste of Monterey in Cannery Row. Muirwood is located in the Greenfield area. I found this description on their website:

“Our approach is grounded in the belief that the best wines come from the best grapes. This translates into attention to detail at every step of the grape growing and winemaking process; from the inspection of soil profiles and climate conditions, to determining which root stocks and clonal varieties are best suited to the growing site, to the selection and blending of individual lots.”

2022 Muirwood Unoaked Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County (#1132)

Winery Notes: “Citrus bouquet, mango and guava on palate, elegant and complex.”

My Notes: This Chardonnay was quite heavy, rich and flavorful on the palate. August 2023

2021 Muirwood Cabernet Sauvignon Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County (#1133)

Winery Notes: “Black currant and cassis, toasty notes, complex finish.”

 My Notes: Very dark ruby. Oak on the nose, followed by a nice palate of dark fruit. August 2023

LULI WINES

I first wrote about Luli Wines here. A snippet from their website tells their story:

“Wine offers expression of people-in-relation rather than selves apart. Luli, the result of a partnership between a master sommelier, a distinguished vineyard manager and an expert winemaker, provides a particularly happy example of the way in which wine creates community, because Luli is itself a collective enterprise. Sommelier, grape-grower, and winemaker, we three approach wine from different angles, but work synergistically to craft exceptional hand-crafted vintages at comfortable prices. We thrive together—and have fun doing so. And why not? The pleasure of wine supplies us with a way to enjoy life. So open a bottle, pour the swirling liquid into a glass, and celebrate, as we do, the bonds between family and friends…” This is a joint effort by sommelier Sara Floyd and Mark and Jeff Pisoni.

2022 Luli Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $24 (#1134)

Winery Notes: “Fresh, vibrant, and lifted in all regards, the 2022 Luli Sauvignon Blanc packs a youthful punch from start to finish. A pale straw hue intermixes with tinges of green as this wine shimmers in the glass. Notes of lime zest, lemongrass, and juicy grapefruit are more pronounced, as wet stone and a hint of fresh herbs offer unexpected complexity. While the palate may first show the crisp acidity, citrus driven flavors soon dominate before giving way to additional layers of volume and texture earned with three months of aging on the lees in all neutral French oak barrels. This delicious Sauvignon Blanc is best enjoyed cold, young, and often.

My Notes: Grassy, crisp, and tasty.

THE TASTING ROOMS

To my knowledge, Scott Family Estate, OCNAUTIC, Muirwood, and Luli Wines do not have tasting rooms. You can taste Muirwood wines at A Taste of Monterey. Check their websites for more information.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Monumental Third Year, Decanting Monterey!

Today marks the third anniversary of Decanting Monterey, A Central Coast Wine Blog! And what a year it has been! With 291 wines presented and reaching over 10,000 views, we have a lot to celebrate. Please read to the end for today’s small ask.

OUR HISTORY

Deep in the unvaccinated period of the pandemic in July 2020, Decanting Monterey was founded on wines from our own collection sampled at home, with or without our neighboring friends and our daughters, who quickly became known as the COVID Wine Pod. It was 2 posts per week and, mostly, one wine at a time. Back then, some wineries had just reopened with their COVID procedures and we still weren’t venturing out much. I also established the @decantingmonterey Facebook page.

During Year 2, as we became fully vaccinated and boosted – and double boosted, we were able to get out to more local wineries at a more deliberate pace. And the COVID Wine Pod was renamed the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod! I also moved to a single post per week and presented a single wine class to my old DC wine group. Most of the posts were based on event-driven or winery tastings and fewer individual, cellar-driven posts.  And I started the @decanting_monterey Instagram feed.

During Year 3, I began to get recognition as an entity with some stature behind it:

OUR STATS

I have some high-level stats to share with you about Year Three of Decanting Monterey!

  • www.decantingmonterey.com hit the 10,000 “views” mark! This statistic is very important to me.  If you are seeing my blog on social media or via email, please be sure to click the link and open it!
  • 291 wines were presented on Decanting Monterey for the first time.
  • 207 red wines were presented, as well as 62 whites, 20 rosés, and a couple of oranges – including 6 sparkling and 2 fortified wines.

  • Over 39 distinct varietals were presented with Pinot Noir topping the list thanks to the SLH festival I attended, followed closeky by Red Blends, and Syrah – no surprise if you know me!
  • 8 Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society events and 2 private tastings conducted at home were presented.
  • Wines from 12 California counties are represented, with 181 from Monterey, 30 from Santa Barbara, 20 from San Benito, 15 from Santa Cruz, 11 from San Luis Obispo, 9 from San Benito – and more! Plus 12 wines from Italy!

  • Wines from 6 of the 9 Monterey American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) were covered, capturing 39 varietals!

  • I Brand was the most represented family of wines, followed by Parsonage. I attribute that to the steady and wonderful release events offered by I Brand & Family wines. Parsonage was one of the first local wineries to put Monterey wines squarely on our consumption radar way back when. Their wines match my palate perfectly – what else can I say?

While I have some posts already queued up for Year 3, let me ask my mighty readers:  Where should I visit next?  Please leave me a comment on this post and let me know what some of your favorite, local places are to wine taste that I should not miss in Year 3! I have a list of not-yet-covered wine tasting rooms and other wine venues to check out – happy to add to it.  I don’t know what I don’t know. 

SUBSCRIBE

And, if you have not signed up for my free, weekly blog email, I encourage you to do so – the subscription button is on the right-hand side of each page of the Decanting Monterey website. I judge how well I am doing by how many views, subscribers, and comments I receive.  Please help me spread the word and please feel free to comment on my posts! And follow my Facebook (@decantingmonterey) and Instagram (@decanting_monterey) sites.

OUR SUPPORTERS

I am grateful to Chesebro, Bernardus, Bunter Spring, Idle Hour, Pierce Ranch and Rombi for their generosity this year in donated wines or discounts. Grateful to Kim Stemler and the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association for their support – what a great resource! And to Erin O’Reilly of tèr·ra·ve·nos for her partnership and advice as we navigate this world of wine.  I remain grateful to those vintners who have comped me wine tastings, given me discounts, and especially those who have comped me bottles of wine! And, of course, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod!

DONATE

Now, to my ask:

As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a self-funded labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines.  The only “compensation” I receive is free tastings (most places), discounted purchases, an occasional comped bottle, and, most importantly, the appreciation of our vintners. While I do this, I protect your data from being sold or used by anyone other than for my own website statistics.  Here is my Privacy Policy.

As I come up on my 3-year renewal of my website, I am asking my readers to consider making a small donation to keep this effort going. I donate my time, energy, knowledge, and to date personally have funded this website and my wine education travel expenses. 

Here is what it takes to make Decanting Monterey run:

  • $13/month for website expenses
  • $20/year for domain registration
  • $40/year for CellarTracker
  • $42/month for Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association membership (an aspiration!)
  • $50/year for codeguard
  • $1200-2400/year in travel expenses (airfare, car rental only)

While this blog is open and free, donations to this not-for-profit effort are always welcome in any amount!  You can donate here: Donate to Decanting Monterey. All donations go toward the operation of this website and to offset travel expenses for out of area wine classes.  Even the smallest amount would be greatly appreciated.

So, here we go – Year 4!  This should be an even better one! Thanks for your support to me on this crazy journey.

Central Coast Sharon

Sun, Wind & Wine: Great Wine and Food in the Prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands AVA!

Part 1: Luli Wines and Mansfield-Dunne

Last year, I was offered a media ticket by Chef’s Palette Spice Rubs to go to the Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival, but I was unable to go.  This year, I decided to ask the festival directly!  I was generously offered early access tickets to this year’s event on May 13th.  Thank you so much!

As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a self-funded labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines.  The only “compensation” I receive is free tastings (most places), discounted purchases, an occasional comped bottle, and, most importantly, the appreciation of our vintners.  I was grateful for this opportunity.

We were surprised to find that the event was indoors – inside the large barrel room of Mer Soleil. We ditched our hats and sunglasses and went inside.  The event reminded us a bit of the California red barrel tastings that Addy Bassin’s MacArthur Beverages in DC used to hold.  I miss those events and am sad they are no longer happening.

The Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans said this about this event: “Sun, Wind & Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.” The number of wineries present was staggering! Here’s the list from the event website:

Belle Glos | Bernardus Winery | Bruliam Wines | Caraccioli Cellars | Cattleya Wines | Clarice Wine Company | CRU Winery | Folktale Winery & Vineyards | Hahn Family Wines | Integrity Wines | J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines | Joyce Wine Company | Kori Wines | Landmark Vineyards | Luli Wines | Mansfield-Dunne Wines | McIntyre Vineyards | Mer Soleil | Miner Family Winery | Mooney Family Vineyards | Morgan Winery | Odonata | Pessagno | Pisoni Vineyards | Puma Road Winery | Rexford Winery | ROAR Wines | Rombauer Vineyards | Sarah’s Vineyard | Scheid Family Wines | Siduri | Testarossa | Three Furies Wines | Tolosa | Tondre Wines | Windy Oaks | Wrath 

We had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries we did not know, to share pours, and to dump the rest.  We stuck to that approach – but stopped for a bite to eat before we started tasting wine.  There were so many delicious food options – and the portions were not exactly “finger food” but more of a mini meal!  Here’s who was there (from the event website):

Ardent Culinaire | Carmel’s Hidden Gem | Carmel Valley Ranch | Cheesecake Dreamations | Chef’s Palate Spice Rubs | Chef Jacques Zagouri | Dollycakes | H Jackson Events | Lula’s Chocolates | Luigi’s | Rancho Cielo Drummond Culinary Academy | Real Good Fish | Schoch Family Farmstead Cheeses | Star Market | Woody’s at the Airport | Yafa Carmel | Zio Brand Meats, and more.

The pork sandwich provided by Chef’s Palette Spice Rubs, a delicious schnitzel, Schoch Dairy cheeses (which makes the only Monterey Jack cheese produced in Monterey), and Lula’s Chocolates were a few delicious. Yes, Lula’s Chocolates…yum.

If you like good food – and love Pinot Noir – this is the event for you!

Our strategy worked pretty well.  For the most part, we did not have to stand in line and tried many wines from wineries we had not experienced before, as well as catching up with a few well-known-to-us wineries.  I tried to take notes and pictures, but the whole thing was a bit overwhelming. We did have some good conversations with the new-to-us wineries. 

One of my biggest takeaways was how many out of area wineries were present, banking on the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA name on their bottles.  After all, according to the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (my go-to resource on Monterey wine), Monterey County is the largest producer of Chardonnay in the United States and the largest producer of Pinot Noir in California and roughly 50% of Monterey County grapes are purchased outside the county. 

I’ve broken the coverage of this event into several posts, beginning with our true Monterey County wineries.  To make it even more special, I am starting today with 2 local wineries we had not heard of before this event. They deserve it! Any winery notes are from their websites or from the pourers at this event. Any errors are mine and mine alone. Instead of detailed tasting notes, I’ll talk about some of the wineries we met through this event and impressions of the wines we tasted. 

I will present the rest of the Monterey wineries the following week, then the other Central Coast wineries, wrapping with the out of area wineries. And, consistent with our tasting strategy, I have only included wineries we have not presented before. 

As a reminder:  Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, so I can only go by impressions. That said, I would gladly attend this event again – and take even more pictures!

Let’s go!

LULI WINES

We had never heard of Luli Wines.  This was our very last stop on this day and was a great discovery.  Yes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – but also a very nice Syrah, a varietal I seek out wherever we taste. We had no idea in the moment that this was a very special Sara Floyd-Pisoni Family project!

About Luli Wines:

“Wine offers expression of people-in-relation rather than selves apart. Luli, the result of a partnership between a master sommelier, a distinguished vineyard manager and an expert winemaker, provides a particularly happy example of the way in which wine creates community, because Luli is itself a collective enterprise. Sommelier, grape-grower, and winemaker, we three approach wine from different angles, but work synergistically to craft exceptional hand-crafted vintages at comfortable prices. We thrive together—and have fun doing so. And why not? The pleasure of wine supplies us with a way to enjoy life. So open a bottle, pour the swirling liquid into a glass, and celebrate, as we do, the bonds between family and friends.

“Sara Floyd, our sommelier, owns Swirl Wine Brokers and has a long history finding and distributing delectable wines for restaurants. Mark Pisoni, our grape grower, coaxes the vines to produce top-notch fruit with which Jeff, his brother, crafts outstanding vintages. With Luli, we set out as a team to create a new line of wines from high-quality fruit that is both affordable and top-notch.

“Luli wines are sourced from vineyards in or near the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Pisoni family’s home base. Together with Sara, the goal of Jeff and Mark is to illustrate the very best this beautiful wine region has to offer. Accordingly, we purchase grapes from old friends in the area and in this way stay close to the process of farming.

“We live wine. We are a master sommelier, grapegrowers and winemakers. Our partnership—Sara Floyd and the Pisoni Family—came together from different aspects of the wine business. Sara is a Master Sommelier, the owner of Swirl Wine Brokers and has a long history in wine and restaurants. The Pisoni Family is known for its eponymous vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and for Pisoni Estate and Lucia wines. Deciding that we would make a great team and noting the shortage of handcrafted wines at reasonable prices, we set out to create a new line of wines that you would love, at prices you can afford. We seek high quality fruit and craft exceptional wines.”

2022 Luli Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $22 (#993)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet: “…The 2022 Luli Chardonnay presents itself with a bold lemon-hued core that stretches to the edge of glass, where tinges of youthful green brilliance become perceptible. Ripe notes of red apple, fresh pear, and subtle hints of stone fruit act as a veritable aromatic orchard, while undertones of flint and baking spice add complexity. Seamlessly traveling from nose to palate, this Chardonnay continues with flavors of crisp apple, toasted vanilla bean, and a hint of lemon oil. Aging in 100% neutral oak and without any malolactic fermentation allows the truest expression of this variety to shine. Chalky texture from sur lie aging and fresh acidity from the influences of the Pacific Ocean create a dazzling and lengthy finish.” 1,129 cases produced

2021 Luli Lemoravo Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#994)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

THE VINEYARD: “The Lemoravo Vineyard is set 400 feet in elevation in the southern hills of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The vineyard is planted among the decomposed granite alluvial fans that make up a series of isolated islands among the bench lands. This site places the vineyard in rugged soils and heavy fog. As a tribute to this land’s history, the name is a three-word portmanteau as a tribute to the region’s former crops: Lemons, Oranges, and Avocados…”

TASTING NOTES: “The 2021 Luli Lemoravo Vineyard Pinot Noir is a refreshing example of the dynamic terroir and climate within the Santa Lucia Highlands. Deep ruby to its core, this wine slowlyunfolds with layered aromas of strawberry crème, fresh-cut sage, red cherry, and sandalwood. Staying true to its aromatic profile, flavors of candied Bing cherry, kirsch, black tea, and fresh earth immerse the palate completely. This is a deliciously complex Pinot Noir that finishes with noticeable texture, youthful acidity, and soft, silky tannin.” 142 cases produced

2021 Luli Monte Linda Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#995)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

THE VINEYARD: “Residing high above the Salinas Valley at almost 715 feet in elevation, Monte Linda Vineyard is in the southern portion of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. This vineyard sits above the morning fog line, allowing for greater sun exposure, while at the same time seeing cooler nighttime temperatures, allowing the vines to rest and achieve a longer growing season. These conditions, along with the vineyard’s rocky soils, create deeply textured wines with notable structure…”

TASTING NOTES: “Sporting a youthful, purple-tinged hue, this Pinot Noir packs a bouquet of vibrant aromas of black cherry, plum, and a spicy undertone of vanilla, clove, and cinnamon. On the palate,

soft tannin envelops juicy flavors of dark berry compote, while savory notes of baking spice and earthy hints of forest floor create added complexity. The coastal influences of the Santa Lucia Highlands permit long hang-time for each pristine cluster, resulting in optimum berry development and ripeness as well as preservation of age-worthy acidity.” 94 cases produced.

2021 Luli Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $23   (#996)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

THE VINEYARD: “The 2021 Syrah 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.”

TASTING NOTES: “Sporting richly hued shades of dark ruby and near purple, the 2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah is a hidden gem crafted from a notoriously difficult vintage in this prestigious Californiaappellation. Each swirl in the glass brings new life to this savory and spicy offering, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, new leather, and spiced plum filling setting the stage. As this deliciously pure Syrah coats the palate, waves of blackberry crumble, red cherry, and black pepper pair with hints of dried herbs de Provence and subtle meaty undertones to create a complex mélange of flavors. Approachable to its core, this wine still possesses structured tannin and remarkable acidity which suggests it will continue to age for years to come.” 475 cases produced

My Review: This Syrah was inky in the glass with rich, smooth dark fruit flavors.  It is a lovely Syrah – and without what I call the Central Coast Syrah funk!  I would like to try this wine again and again. May 2023

MANSFIELD-DUNNE

We had never heard of Mansfield-Dunne before and were very excited to learn about this winery.  There wines were impressive. Its vineyards are here in the Santa Lucia Highlands, while its winery and tasting room, interestingly, are in San Francisco!

About Mansfield-Dunne:

“Mansfield-Dunne is a grower-producer of Santa Lucia Highlands wines. Only by owning our vineyards and meticulous organic farming, are we able to represent the true essence of the Santa Lucia Highlands — for us it truly starts in the vineyard…

“Our two estate vineyards show the breadth of possibilities in the Santa Lucia Highlands.

“Since 2011, we have been producing estate Pinot Noir from Peterson Vineyard and have added additional wines from Peterson and Cortada Alta as nature and vineyard development have allowed. Our Single Vineyard wines provide age-worthy expressions of what the Santa Lucia Highlands are capable of, while our Appellation wines show how our two single vineyards compliment each other. The full range of wines is driven by a desire to showcase what grows best in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the range of the appellation.”

VISIT Mansfield-Dunne: “Mansfield-Dunne is a grower-producer of Santa Lucia Highlands wines. Only by owning our vineyards and meticulous organic farming, are we able to represent the true essence of the Santa Lucia Highlands — for us it truly starts in the vineyard.

“Mansfield-Dunne Wines sources fruit only from our estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands and produces wine at our winery located in San Francisco. Winery visits are available to our members by appointment. Reach out to us and we will respond as soon as possible.”

All winery notes come from this link: https://www.mansfield-dunne.com/Wines

2022 Mansfield-Dunne Peterson Vineyard Rosé, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14% ABV, $29 (#997)

Winery Notes: “This complex, ruby pink Rosé of Pinot Noir is a perfect year-round refreshment.  The nose greets you with notes of candied strawberry, fresh cut roses, and grapefruit zest.  Juicy acid is framed by notes of strawberry shortcake, maraschino cherry, rose water and a subtle minerality.  This wine finishes soft and creamy with pleasant bursts of toasty spice.”

2020 Mansfield-Dunne  Peterson Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $45 (#998)

Winery Notes: “Tropical and rich to its core, this vintage of Peterson Chardonnay expresses intense fruit, beautiful spice, and complex minerality. The nose opens with notes of guava, toasted coconut, and savory pineapple balanced by perfumed vanilla bean. On the palate, soft acidity frames notes of fresh melon and lemon zest. Rich baking spice, subtle pepper, and smooth vanilla peak on a long textured and creamy finish that goes on and on. Enjoy now through 2026.”

2019 Mansfield-Dunne Cortada Alta Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $58 (#999)

Winery Notes: “This dark purple, elegant Pinot Noir is a true expression of the long, cool growing season at Cortada Alta. Its intriguing nose of wild sage, black cherries, raspberry, applewood, ground coffee, and toasty oak draws you into the glass. Vibrant acidity enlivens notes of Bing cherry and raspberry pepper jelly on the fruity palate. Hints of cocoa and baking spices accent the bright, structured mid palate and transcend to a long, seamless finish.”

My Notes: We found this wine to be an excellent expression of Pinot Noir – very tasty.

© Decanting Monterey 2023


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