Upon discovering the Lioco wines, I was (and my fellow sommeliers were) instantly taken by their uniqueness to the California wine industry. I am overjoyed to find winemakers in California who respect terroir; meaning sun, soil, and aspect. The Lioco wines display a tremendous amount of respect toward each varietal (and are) balanced in strength, finesse, elegance, and complexity. Every time I have recommended a Lioco wine, the response has been highly enthusiastic.

Rachel Bassignani
Sommelier
Spruce


The Lioco chardonnays are among the finest I have seen in a trend of un-oaked chardonnays from the New World. The Lioco lads love chardonnay for all the right reasons and refuse to hide this glorious grape behind a mask of oak. They maintain ultimate respect of their vineyard contracts and the wines simply speak for themselves. This is wine-making at its purest form: with respect for the vineyard site and respect for the food that the wines will accompany.

Christie Dufault
Wine Director
Quince Restaurant


The guys at Lioco, Kevin O'Connor and Matt Licklider, have three Pinots in their fold right now, all terrific and made with about 10 percent new oak, versus their no-new-oak regime for their Chardonnays. As with the Chards, the goal is to keep the winemaking as neutral as possible and let the site's character pop through. My favorite of the lot…was the 2006 Lioco Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir ($55) from the Sonoma Coast. Leathery, high-toned and almost savory with hints of tamarind and soy, it's weighted by ripe, raw black fruit and earthy nuance, yet its flavors remain completely transparent. Lioco's mission of highlighting vineyard expression finds no better evidence than in the Hirsch bottling -- amazing fruit handled with a leave-no-trace philosophy. Sadly, there's little guarantee of a Lioco Hirsch bottling repeating.

Jon Bonne
Wine Editor
SF Gate (San Francisco Chronicle online)


Few wineries are as passionate as Lioco about the pursuit of purity. The wines are true expressions of place, with the individuality of each site allowed to speak, even accentuated, by little intervention. The un-oaked Chardonnay's are the finest examples produced in California and are reminders that the varietal can produce compelling, multilayered, mineral driven wines of class and elegance outside Burgundy. In barrel tasting the 2007 Pinot Noirs during late spring, I marveled at the brooding fruit, nervy structure and singularity. This was particularly true of the Michaud Vineyard, which reminded me of young Ambroise Corton.

Jason Alexander
Vice President of Wine Acquisitions
VINTRUST


It is so rare to taste limestone--or minerality for that matter--from the new world, and yet it is present in the LIOCO Pinot Noir "Michaud", and is fully allowed to express itself without the mask of oak… (while in Sancerre) I felt the bone-chilling Atlantic winds that give the LIOCO Chardonnay "Stuhlmuller" its nerve…how unusual it is to find a (California) Chardonnay that risks its commercial potential in exchange for friendless with cuisine…the LIOCO wines are unique in their expressiveness. Hopefully we will taste together again soon!

Jesse Becker
Master Sommelier
Boulder, CO


… a Chardonnay with a slender, elegant profile that can more than hold its own at the festive table. (It) has a lilting perfume of lemon blossoms and white pepper. The Alexander Valley fruit sees only stainless steel, no oak, so you get the pure taste of the grape. With its lively acidity and chalky minerality, it's as turkey-friendly as they come.

S. Irene Virbila
Times Staff Writer
November 15, 2006 “Wine of the Week”


The 2005 Lioco Chardonnay "Stuhlmuller" is a path breaking wine. Matt and Kevin seem to be saying, "Here is what California Chardonnay can really taste like." Before they knew what it was, my staff couldn’t decide whether they were tasting great Muscadet or a bright, dynamic Chablis. We all agreed, as have Wilshire guests—this could be the beginning of something.

Matt Straus
Wine Director
Wilshire Restaurant


… an elegant expression of lemony minerality with the sort of acid and finesse you’d expect from (two guys) concerned about a wine for the dinner table. And it offers terrific value as well! That’s the sort of program that we’re always happy to support.

Rhett Gadke
Wine Director
The Bounty Hunter


It's a treat to have finally found a Californian wine that pairs well with our cuisine. Both the Pinot Noir "Michaud" and the Chardonnay "Michaud" work with instead of against the food, and the end result is a bettering of both.

John Mark
Wine Director/GM
Citizen Cake