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SKU 970727
$21.60/bottle
Out of stock
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Smashed lemon and herb make for a nose that is both rustic and pure on this bottling. The palate is salty and crisp, showing flavors of Meyer lemon peel and sliced apple that enliven the mouth.
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Country
United States
Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
Region
California
California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Appellation
Monterey County
Monterey County is located within the state of California, and whilst it may not be the most renowned wine producing region in the state, recent decades have proven that the wineries situated there are dedicated to raising their profile, and producing wines of singular quality and distinction. The warm, sunny summers which Monterey County enjoys help the wine-makers of the region cultivate an impressive array of grape varietals, mostly of French and Italian origin, including fine varietals such as Barbera, Cabernet Franc and Dolcetto, amongst many others. It is a center of viticultural experimentation, and also features many sustainable, organic and biodynamic wineries which are producing superb wines, packed with distinctive local flavors and characteristics.
WE93pts
Wine Enthusiast
Smashed lemon and herb make for a nose that is both rustic and pure on this bottling. The palate is salty and crisp, showing flavors of Meyer lemon peel and sliced apple that enliven the mouth.
VM92pts
Vinous Media
The 2023 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) is notable for its juxtaposition of inner sweetness, lemon-like sourness and tongue-tingling minerality. It's all Wente clone from 40-year-old vines, so there's a mass of complexity and expressiveness afoot. Native-fermented in neutral barrel, the 2023 is cool-toned, with toasted almond, peppermint and apricot nuances coursing through its veins. A dusting of sweet spice seasons the finish. Nicely proportioned through and through, the 2023 delivers quite a lot for wine the price.
JD91pts
Jeb Dunnuck
From the Santa Lucia Highlands and raised in neutral oak, the 2023 Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands is light gold-hued and bright, clean, classy, and medium-bodied, perfect for drinking over the coming 2-4 years. Ripe citrus, dried herbs, a kiss of blanched almonds, and even a hint of minerality all emerge from the glass. It's balanced, has bright, integrated acidity, plenty of richness, and a great finish. It's more than worth its going rate.
Winery Notes
The Luli Chardonnay exudes freshness. This wine is made with 100% native fermentation in neutral barrels to best capture the complexity of site and character from the vineyard. The inviting bouquet consists of freshly-peeled Meyer lemon, ripe pear and crushed stone. Subtle notes of peach and flint are expressed as the wine swirls. The old Chardonnay vines that are farmed for Luli yield tiny berries that deliver great voluminous texture. These low yields combine with the cold and foggy days of the Santa Lucia Highlands to retain the brilliant acidity.
