2016 Chardonnay

Readers searching for real value from the Santa Lucia Highlands will find Luli awfully tough to beat. This joint project of Master Sommelier and industry veteran Sarah Floyd and the Pisoni family, with the wines being made by Mark Pisoni, offers wine lovers the chance to experience the family’s expertise for down-to-earth prices. Originally set up with the plan to make wines that restaurants could easily sell by the glass, the Luli lineup has been steadily expanding and now includes a pair of top-notch, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that, while (logically) priced higher that the regional wines, still deliver outstanding bang for the buck. While these wines are meant for immediate gratification these new releases also possess the concentration and balance to reward patience and serious drinking pleasure over at least the first five years following the vintage.