03 May Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Luna Hart Wines 2021 Sparkling Grüner Veltliner

It is said that “April showers bring May flowers” and nothing says Spring more than a fresh sparkling wine. But not just any sparkling wine. How about one made from Grüner Veltliner? Winemaker Gretchen Voelcker of Luna Hart Wines recently launched her first sparkling Grüner Veltliner, made in the traditional method. This is the first Champagne method sparkling Grüner Veltliner made in the Santa Ynez Valley and it is also the Please The Palate wine of the week.

ABOUT LUNA HART WINES

Gretchen Voelcker created Luna Hart wines with a focus on creating wines that represent the grape variety and vintage, while also reflecting the terroir. At Luna Hart, Gretchen focuses on experimenting with her favorite varieties, including Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. She works with vineyards that practice organic, biodynamic, or sustainable farming throughout Santa Barbara County. With a minimal intervention approach, she makes unfined and unfiltered wines. The name Luna Hart represents that balance between feminine and masculine energies that Gretchen seeks in her wines. “Luna” is the moon which signifies feminine energy and “Hart” is the stag which symbolizes masculine energy. These two energies are reflected in her logo.

TASTING NOTES

Gretchen sources her Grüner Veltliner from the organic Spear Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. She picked the grapes with the vision of producing a wine with the same acid profile as grower Champagne. The base wine was made and spent six months in neutral French oak. Like all of Gretchen’s wines, it was unfined and unfiltered. It was then bottled with the addition of champagne yeast. It was aged in bottle for one year. It was disgorged with zero dosage. The final wine is only 10.7% alcohol.

The wine has fresh aromatic notes of key lime pie, fresh ginger, and citrus. The acidity is vibrant and the wine has a long finish with saline notes.

FOOD PAIRING

This is a crisp, dry wine that can be enjoyed anytime, including in the morning! Enjoy it with brunch, with oysters and shellfish, or on its own.

WHERE TO PURCHASE

The Luna Hart Wines 2021 Sparkling Grüner Veltliner retails for $52 and is available directly from the Luna Hart website.

MEET THE WINEMAKER

Listen to the interview I did with Gretchen Voelcker on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.