04 May Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Luna Hart Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Grimm’s Bluff, Happy Canyon AVA

Sauvignon Blanc is often described as having notes of lime, grapefruit, pineapple, gooseberry, and passion fruit, as well as with herbal notes such as lemongrass, bell pepper, and freshly cut grass, and intense acidity. But this is just one style of Sauvignon Blanc as produced in New Zealand. Sauvignon Blanc is grown around the world and while popular for its aromatic character and fresh flavors, styles of Sauvignon Blanc range from lean to abundant. I was reminded of the diversity of Sauvignon Blanc as I sipped the beautifully textured Luna Hart Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Grimm’s Bluff, Happy Canyon AVA, the Please The Palate wine of the week. Luna Hart owner and winemaker Gretchen Voelcker specializes in small batch, handcrafted wines from vineyards practicing sustainable, organic or biodynamic farming throughout Santa Barbara County. Her 2020 Sauvignon Blanc was her first release from Grimm’s Bluff, a biodynamically farmed vineyard in Happy Canyon AVA in the Santa Ynez Valley. For this wine, Gretchen fermented 1/3 of the grapes on the skins to add more complex aromatics and dry tannins. The wine was aged in neutral French oak for 6 months and bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc is a lovely deep lemon color. The nose is rich and ripe with a distinct aroma of fleshy, sweet part of the honeydew melon. There are also notes of white peach, grapefruit, and orange blossom. On the palate, thanks to the skin contact, the wine is beautifully textured with vibrant acidity and has a lovely mineral finish.

The Luna Hart Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Grimm’s Bluff, Happy Canyon AVA retailed for $35 and is unfortunately sold out. But stay tuned for the 2021 as this is a Sauvignon Blanc that is about mouthfeel and will definitely please the palate.