Luli Pinot Noir

Luli Pinot Noir is a 100% Pinot Noir from California's Santa Lucia Highlands, bottled at 14.1% ABV in a standard 750ml format. A collaboration between Master Sommelier Sara Floyd and the acclaimed Pisoni Family, this appellation cuvée earned 93 points from Wine Enthusiast on both its 2021 and 2022 vintages — a consistent track record that speaks to the reliability of the project.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.1%  |  Origin: Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California  |  100% Pinot Noir  |  Producer: Luli (Pisoni Family / Sara Floyd)

Production & Heritage

Luli was born from the partnership between Sara Floyd, one of a small number of female Master Sommeliers in the world, and the Pisoni Family, whose vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands have helped define the appellation since the 1980s. Winemaking is handled under Jeff Pisoni's supervision, with all fruit hand-sorted and fermented using native yeasts in small lots. The wine is aged in neutral French oak barrels, undergoes gentle gravity-flow operations, and is bottled without fining or filtration — an approach designed to preserve the vineyard's character with minimal intervention.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with dark pomegranate and raspberry before revealing layers of hibiscus, crushed flowers, and lavender. Beneath the fruit, herbal notes of tea leaf, dark sage, and sandalwood add complexity and a distinctly savory edge.

Taste: The entry is juicy and generous, with sweet red cherry and black raspberry flooding the mid-palate. As the wine develops, savory flavors of thyme, oregano, and bay leaf emerge, balanced by a subtle toast quality. The texture is plush and coating, with the fruit remaining focused and bright throughout.

Finish: Medium-to-long, with silky, well-integrated tannins and lingering floral top notes. Pomegranate and raspberry crumble flavors echo alongside traces of baking spice and cedar.

How to Drink Luli Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir is at its best with a slight chill — around 58–62°F — in a large-bowled Burgundy glass that allows its aromatic complexity to unfold. For a red wine cocktail, it works well in a Pinot Noir Sangria with stone fruit and fresh herbs that echo the wine's own herbal character, a Burgundy Spritz with sparkling water and a rosemary sprig for a lighter warm-weather serve, or a classic Kalimotxo riff where the wine's bright acidity and berry core hold up against cola's sweetness.

Best For

• Impressing a wine-savvy dinner guest without opening a $100 bottle
• Pairing with a Thanksgiving or holiday roast where bright acidity cuts through rich dishes
• Gifting to someone who appreciates the Pisoni family's reputation
• Exploring Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir at an accessible entry point

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Luli Pinot Noir taste like? Luli Pinot Noir leads with ripe raspberry and black cherry fruit, layered with savory herbs like thyme, sage, and bay leaf. The texture is silky with well-integrated tannins, finishing with floral and baking spice notes.

How does Luli Pinot Noir compare to Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir? Both wines draw from the Pisoni family's deep expertise in the Santa Lucia Highlands, but Pisoni Estate is a single-vineyard, estate-grown wine at a significantly higher price tier with greater concentration and aging potential. Luli represents a more approachable, appellation-level expression that emphasizes freshness and herbal character over power.

Is Luli Pinot Noir good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the wine's balance of bright fruit, herbal complexity, and silky tannins makes it a rewarding solo pour. Its native yeast fermentation and unfiltered bottling give it enough textural interest to hold attention without food.

Where is Luli Pinot Noir made? Luli Pinot Noir is produced from vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, a cool-climate appellation in Monterey County, California, known for fog-influenced growing conditions and long hang times that develop flavor while preserving acidity.

What foods pair well with Luli Pinot Noir? Roast duck or quail, where the wine's herbal notes mirror classic poultry seasonings; grilled salmon, which matches the wine's weight and berry fruit; mushroom risotto, complementing the earthy undertones; charcuterie boards with aged salami and mild sheep's-milk cheese; and herb-crusted lamb chops, where thyme and rosemary mirror the wine's savory profile.

What sizes does Luli Pinot Noir come in? Luli Pinot Noir is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Luli Pinot Noir worth the price? Luli positions as a mid-range California Pinot Noir, but its pedigree — backed by the Pisoni family's vineyard knowledge and a Master Sommelier's palate — along with consistent 91–93 point critical scores, places it well above many wines at its price tier in terms of complexity and quality.

Why Luli Pinot Noir?

What separates this wine from the crowded field of California Pinot Noir is the rare combination of people behind it: the Pisoni family, whose Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards are among the most respected in the state, and Sara Floyd, whose Master Sommelier credentials bring a consumer-facing understanding of balance and drinkability to the blend. The production choices — native yeast fermentation, neutral oak aging, no fining or filtration, gravity-flow handling — reflect a minimal-intervention philosophy that lets the appellation speak clearly. Consecutive 93-point scores from Wine Enthusiast confirm this isn't a flash in the pan but a consistently well-made bottling that over-delivers on its promise of site-driven, herbaceous, fruit-forward Pinot Noir from one of California's benchmark cool-climate regions.