Winemaker Notes
The 2023 Luli Sauvignon Blanc hails from the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County, a region known for the high concentration of river rock and cold winds that rush over the vineyards. These conditions bring a vibrant citrus zest and crisp acidity to the wines. The aroma is an explosive array of gooseberry, passionfruit and slight herbal freshness. The palate of the Luli Sauvignon Blanc begins with bright tension and slowly unfolds into a graceful and refreshing finish.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
Hailing from the Griva Vineyard, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (Arroyo Seco) tastes like lemon juice squeezed on liquified rocks. Tropical-inflected notes of papaya, mango, grapefruit and peach meet a taut, steely, minerality-laden core buffered by grippy, tingly acids. There’s plenty of energy to burn—I want to drink this super-cold in my backyard on the hottest summer day.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.