Home Industry News Releases 2018 Pinot Noirs from Lula Cellars of Anderson Valley Garner Multiple Awards,...

2018 Pinot Noirs from Lula Cellars of Anderson Valley Garner Multiple Awards, Builds Off Vintage 2017’s Tremendous Success

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2018 Pinots released June1 and Have Already Taken Top Honors in San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; Prior vintage of these wines received 93+ points from Wine Enthusiast

Lula CellarsANDERSON VALLEY, CA – (June 3, 2020) – Three years ago Lula Cellars, an independent ultra-premium Pinot Noir-focused winery located in Northern California’s Anderson Valley, made a big bet that a new winemaker — Matt Parish — and his stellar US and International reputation could raise the profile of their wines. Utilizing his more than 25 vintages of experience, he worked with proprietor Ken Avery to develop a Pinot Noir portfolio that interprets the vineyard and region in Matt’s unique style, producing world-class wines that are complex in character, yet approachable. “I’ve always loved Pinot Noir as a varietal, and the Anderson Valley is one of a few places in the world where I feel it truly expresses itself,” says Parish. 

Matt is particularly well-suited to direct the winemaking at Lula, having previously worked across the industry and now with his own personal brand. At Lula Cellars, he began in the field by upgrading the vineyards and underlying management practices to address quality and consistency. Then came the task of moving the production to the modern facilities at Sugarloaf Custom Crush, instituting a new French oak barrel program and working with the Lula team to upgrade the branding and packaging. Adds Parish, “I am guided by one true constant:  make, blend and bottle only absolute pleasure”.

And it is clear the bet has begun to pay off. Vintage 2017, which were Matt’s inaugural Pinot Noir’s at Lula Cellars, has been a huge hit, with Wine Enthusiast rating all five of his Pinot Noir’s in the range of 93-96 points (the 2017 Rescue Block Pinot Noir led the pack with a 96 point rating and Cellar Selection designation). The 2018 Pinot Noirs are getting early recognition as well.  Five of the 2018 Pinot Noirs received a Double Gold or Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, with the Founder’s Cuvee receiving a Double Gold medal.

On June 1, 2020, Lula Cellars officially released the 2018 Pinot Noirs to the general public, in both their tasting room and on their website, www.lulacellars.com.

“We credit much of our recent success to our winemaker Matt Parish,” says Ken Avery, proprietor of Lula Cellars. “It was always our intention to take well-thought-out steps to make changes to the wines under his direction, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”

Here’s an overview of the portfolio of 2018 Lula Cellars Pinot Noirs:

  • The 2018 Founder’s Cuvée Pinot Noir ($50) The Founders Cuvée is a special blend dedicated to Lula’s founding winemaker and crafted from many of the vineyards he discovered.  Blended in his signature style, this Pinot Noir exhibits sweet ripe berry fruit, delicate oak overtones, and a rich rewarding palate. This wine won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle 2020 Wine Competition.  The prior vintage garnered 95 points and Cellar Selection from Wine Enthusiast.
  • The 2018 Rescue Block Pinot Noir ($60) When planting the Lula Vineyard in 2013 they discovered 1,000 vines overgrown by blackberries.  Believed to have been planted 10 years ago and then abandoned, they spent years rescuing this block and bringing it back to life.  This single block wine is rich purple in color with aromas and flavors of dark cherry, plum, earth, and spice.  The palate is long and seamless with layers of silky tannins and toasty French oak.  This wine won Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle 2020 Wine Competition.   The prior vintage was rated 96 points and Cellar Selection from Wine Enthusiast.
  • The 2018 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($45) Blended in their classic Anderson Valley style from various blocks and clones, the wine is bright scarlet in color with floral plum, cherry, and toasty French oak aromas and flavors.  The palate is generous with ripe savory tannins giving way to a long seamless finish.  This is a delightful Pinot Noir for every occasion. This wine won Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle 2020 Wine Competition.  The prior vintage received a 95 point rating and Cellar Selection designation from Wine Enthusiast.
  • The 2018 Peterson Pinot Noir ($45) Lula has been producing this award-winning single vineyard Pinot Noir wine for many years. Created from three different clones, the wine exhibits a bright purple color, vibrant aromas, and flavors of violets, cherries and wild berries. The palate is focused with lovely intensity and persistence from start to finish. This wine won Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle 2020 Wine Competition.  The 2017 vintage was rated 94 points by Wine Enthusiast.
  • The 2018 Costa Pinot Noir ($45) A mainstay of the winery for many years, this 2018 is a very typical expression of the Costa Vineyard located in Comptche. Medium red in color, aromas, and flavors of red currants and cherries mixed with oak spice that gives way to a palate that is soft, vibrant, and delicate. This wine won Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle 2020 Wine Competition.  The prior vintage was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast.
  • The 2018 Lula Vineyard Pinot Noir ($60) A rich and complex blend of Pinot clones Pommard, 777, 667 and 115, all of which were meticulously grown and crafted to show off what Lula loves about their stunning Estate vineyard. The Lula Vineyard is the perfect setting for producing elegant Pinot Noirs—the nearby Pacific Ocean plays an important role in moderating daytime temperatures and cooling the nights, ensuring vibrant aromas, intense flavors, balanced acidity, and restrained alcohol.  This is the inaugural release of this wine.
  • “I’m so happy with the reception of our 2017 wines, especially from our loyal customer base,” states Parish. “I’m excited to share with them the continued development of the Lula Estate’s potential with the release of the 2018 wines.”

About Lula Cellars

Lula Cellars is a boutique winery located in the revered “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley, whose handcrafted wines attract the highest awards and devoted fans alike. Driven by a passion for the Anderson Valley and the Lula vineyard, Matt Parish assumed winemaking direction with the 2017 harvest.  A highly regarded International winemaker, Matt leverages more than two decades of experience to create the perfect portfolio for Lula. While focused on deliciously complex Pinot Noirs, the portfolio includes beautifully balanced Whites, delicate Rosés and elegant full-bodied Reds. The Lula Cellars Tasting Room is open for retail sales only Friday through Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. When we are allowed to resume wine tasting, reservations will be required. 2800 Guntly Rd, Philo, CA 95466, 707.895.3737,www.lulacellars.com

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