In 1995, two seasoned wine veterans, George Vare and Mike Moone, launched Luna Vineyards with a shared a vision for a distinctive Napa Valley winery that would produce wines in the artisan fashion of “the Old World Masters”. They selected a prime piece of property at the southernmost end of the Silverado Trail and set about transforming it into a landmark winery.
In 1995 they planted the 22-acre estate vineyard to Pinot Grigio, and bottled the first vintage in 1996. The estate vineyard began as and remains the primary source of high quality fruit for their Pinot Grigio.
The 2005 was barrel fermented in French oak using native yeasts. A portion of the blend was stainless steel fermented. The wine was aged in barrel for 7 months prior to bottling in May of 2006. It has a wonderfully expressive nose of lemon, fig, and apricot. It is a delicate wine on the palate with layers of citrus, almonds, and toasted bread. The barrel fermentation adds a layer of viscosity to the entire mid palate. Mouthwatering acidity keeps the wine together as it unfolds seamlessly on the finish. This really is a Pinot Grigio with a difference.
The grapes for the Sangiovese come from Luna’s three Sangiovese vineyards just north of the winery in the Oakville and Sage Canyon areas. One vineyard lies on the valley floor and offers lush dark fruit and gives deep structure and texture to the wine. The other vineyards are found at an altitude of almost 2000 feet and give tannin and structure to the mid palate. The wine was aged in French oak barrels for almost 2 years. The nose on the 2004 is redolent with cedar, dark fruit and rich earth to match its deep ruby colour. The wine has a long developing entry on the tongue, with a medium body that reveals delicate hints of black cherries. The finish is long and persistent, evoking tobacco, tea-leaves and figs.
Canto is Luna’s signature red wine: this distinctive blend of 47% Sangiovese, 17% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petite Sirah has been sourced from Luna’s best blocks and aged for nearly two years in French oak barrels. The 2002 Canto is the colour of blackberry jam, dark and jewel-like. The nose recalls black cherries on first impression and unfolds to reveal hints of cocoa beans and dense, bittersweet chocolate. The palate reveals more layers of ripe black fruit, with a dense backbone of earth and a lingering suggestion of fine Cuban tobacco.