Bella Luna Winery

Bella Luna Winery is a family-owned estate winery located in the Templeton Gap District on California's Central Coast. It was founded by lifelong friends Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot, who in 1998 planted dry-farmed Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Ruby Cabernet in the Paso Robles American Viticulture Area. The winery's premium estate vineyard, Carly's Vineyard, was established in 1998 and is named after Sherman Smoot's daughter. Bella Luna describes itself as crafting small-lot wines using dry-farmed viticulture and a hands-on, minimalistic approach to winemaking, and states it has been crafting wines for over 25 years. It has been honored as "Small Producer of the Year."

Bella Luna Estate Winery began as a dream between two lifelong friends, Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot, who grew up together on the California Central Coast. After serving in the Vietnam War, their lives took separate paths but eventually brought them back together. In 1998, over a night of reminiscing with fine wine, the idea of starting a family winery was born. At 50 years old, they planted dry-farmed Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Ruby Cabernet, marking the start of Bella Luna Estate Winery located in the Paso Robles American Viticulture Area. The winery's premium estate vineyard, Carly's Vineyard, was established in 1998 and named in honor of Sherman's daughter. Family plays a significant role in Bella Luna's story: Sherman's children Carly and Jimmy grew up amidst the vineyards, and Kevin's daughter Nichole worked in the winery as a teenager, later pursuing a degree in Enology and Viticulture from Fresno State and gaining international winemaking experience in Australia. In 2018, she returned to California with her husband Lukas and their two children to help expand Bella Luna Estate Winery and carry on the family legacy.

Award-winning dry-farmed, small-lot estate wines from the Templeton Gap District, emphasizing quality over quantity and a personal tasting experience.

• Sangiovese

• Cabernet Sauvignon

• Ruby Cabernet

1. 1Winery | Bella Luna Estate Winery located in Templeton, CAbellalunawine.com
2. 2Estate Winery | About Us | Bella Luna Estate Winerybellalunawine.com
3. 3Bella Luna Winerywikidata.org