I feel like we’ve been back on the wine trail more than normal. Thank 8lb baby Jesus for babysitters. I must say though, I hate saying “babysitter” because the people that watch Sammy are our friends. Okay, now back to the wine drinking at hand. Bella Luna Winery…we haven’t been there for several years, at least so it was time to go back.
It’s a small production spot located on the east side of Hwy 101 in the scenic town of Templeton. The story behind Bella Luna and its founders, Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot, is really quite cool…you can check that out here. This is another one of those wineries that really does, in my opinion, define what this wine region is all about. Interesting people with great stories as well as a passion for the area and the wine being produced.
Cammy poured for us and she was awesome. Annie and I were being a bit ‘Hoot n Annie-ish’ but she jumped right in and we had some good laughs. Nothing better than that on a rainy Saturday in wine country.
Here’s what we tasted:
2009 “Tempestuous” Tempranillo $35.00
2011 “Estate Riserva” Super-Tuscan Blend $45.00
2011 Sangiovese “Grosso” $45.00
2011 “Lot One” Barbera $38.00
2012 “Bailey Ranch Riserva” 100% Zinfandel $40.00
Just to reiterate, we are not wine critics and you may notice that I often say that I enjoyed the wines from a winery. To me this means that, even though I may not personally want to buy a specific wine off the list, the wines were solid and I could absolutely see others enjoying them. I drink what I like and that’s that. That being said, I DID enjoy the list but especially enjoyed the Super-Tuscan Blend and the Sangiovese “Grosso”.
Bella Luna is a great stop if you are in the area. Small, quaint, great wines, and fun people. Also not far from downtown Templeton so you can grab some lunch, which is what we did and you’ll hear about that next time.
Cheers!
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