Luli 2024 Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands 750ml

Luli is a partnership between Sara Floyd, a Master Sommelier with many years of food and wine experience, and the Pisoni family, known for the Pisoni Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and for the Pisoni Estate and Lucia wines. The two noticed “the shortage of handcrafted wines at reasonable prices,” and set out to create a line of wines for that niche, made by purchasing grapes from multiple vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the greater Monterey County, California coastal regions that are excellent for growing cool-climate grapes. Jeff Pisoni makes the wines, and the family’s decades of work in the region’s vineyards are behind the fruit.

The 2024 Syrah was sourced entirely from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, where the vines are well-trained, carry low yields, and are planted to a variety of clones, on well-drained soils that are primarily granite. The cool fog and winds of the region give Syrah the freshness and peppery intensity that critics love. The vintage was a return to a more normal trajectory after an extremely late 2023 and an early 2022: winter brought a refreshing 13 inches of rain, budbreak came in the last week of March, and cooler temperatures slowed vine growth. Grapes from higher elevations were ready as early as September, but a cold snap in the second week of September stopped the harvest, and additional passes through the vineyards followed to drop unwanted fruit and wait for the right moment. The result “brought great freshness, acidity and concentration.”

The winemaking is classic: hand-sorted fruit, native yeast fermentation in small lots, whole-cluster fermentation for layered complexity, and aging in neutral French oak barrels, unfined and unfiltered. It’s 14.1% ABV, and only 250 cases were made. The flyer’s tasting note: “The 2024 Luli Syrah is a compelling expression of Syrah in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Aromas of crushed blackberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant leap from the glass. Notes of cracked pepper and graphite are interlaced with dried herbs that reflect the rugged hillsides of Monterey County... On the palate, this Syrah is dense and layered, with waves of dark berry and cocoa nibs. Whole cluster fermentation contributes to the layered complexity, while bright acidity brings a mineral edge that keeps the wine lifted and focused. This Syrah will continue to gain complexity for many years in the cellar.”

Critics haven’t published scores for the 2024 yet, but the previous vintages are strong for a $25-range wine. Wine Enthusiast scored the 2023 Luli Syrah 94 (October 2025): “Snappy and crisp aromas of black raspberry and acai pick up energized white pepper spices on the nose of this appellation blend. The vivid palate is rich with cassis, lilac and lavender flavors, leading into a peppery finish. This will be fun to track in the shorter term, so drink now–2033.” James Suckling scored the 2023 90 (tasted July 2025): “Thyme, cracked peppercorns, cherries, plums and a subtle hint of rare meat make for an intricate yet approachable wine. Drink or hold, but the fruit is delicious right now.” Wine Enthusiast scored the 2021 93, and Wine-Searcher’s critic average for the label’s Syrah across vintages is 90.

It’s a peppery, mineral, dark-fruited, cool-climate Syrah from one of California’s best Syrah regions, a great value for customers who like Northern Rhône wines and want something fresher and more savory than a typical California Syrah. Serve it at 62-65°F, with grilled lamb, sausages, roast duck, mushroom dishes, and aged cheeses.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Luli 2024 Syrah is produced by Luli Wines (Sara Floyd and the Pisoni family; winemaker Jeff Pisoni) from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, California (low-yielding vines, multiple clones, granite soils). Hand-sorted, native yeast fermentation in small lots with whole clusters, aged in neutral French oak, unfined and unfiltered. 14.1% ABV. 250 cases. 750ml.

Critics Reviews

No scores are published yet for the 2024. House-style context from the 2023 and 2021 vintages:

Wine Enthusiast — 2023 Syrah — 94 Points (October 2025):
“Snappy and crisp aromas of black raspberry and acai pick up energized white pepper spices on the nose of this appellation blend. The vivid palate is rich with cassis, lilac and lavender flavors, leading into a peppery finish. This will be fun to track in the shorter term, so drink now–2033.”

James Suckling — 2023 Syrah — 90 Points (tasted July 2025):
“Thyme, cracked peppercorns, cherries, plums and a subtle hint of rare meat make for an intricate yet approachable wine. Drink or hold, but the fruit is delicious right now.”

Wine Enthusiast — 2021 Syrah — 93 Points:
“Blackberry and more purple-flower flavors pop on the palate, which will only grow more cohesive, gamy and interesting with patience.”

Luli (2024 tasting notes, from the producer’s flyer):
“Aromas of crushed blackberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant leap from the glass. Notes of cracked pepper and graphite are interlaced with dried herbs that reflect the rugged hillsides of Monterey County.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Crushed blackberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant, with cracked pepper, graphite, and dried herbs.

Palate
Dense and layered, with waves of dark berry and cocoa nibs, ripe tannin, and bright, mineral acidity.

Finish
Lifted and focused, with pepper and graphite, and the potential to gain complexity for years.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Grilled lamb and sausages
• Roast duck and mushroom dishes
• Charcuterie and barbecue
• Aged cheeses

Serving Note

Serve at about 62-65°F; decant briefly if opened young.