We have previously had the handiwork of the owner and winemaker of Luna Hart, Gretchen Voelcker, in the form of the stellar Piazza Vineyards Grenache in the June 2023 case. In researching that wine we discovered that Gretchen had her own project nested within the Piazza Winery using fruit from other local biodynamic, organic and/or sustainable growers which incorporates even more natural winemaking as well as less new oak. It all sounded very promising and once we tried the wines we were even more impressed. Gretchen’s family moved to Belgium when she was in high school, where the family developed a love for wine, so when Gretchen graduated with degrees in both plant science and business she thought that wine could give creative satisfaction alongside the math and science aspects of her degrees. That immediately proved true and she now has more than 10 years under her belt with this being her fourth working with Hinnrichs Vineyard Syrah. Immediately east of the Santa Rita Hills, where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate, the Ballard Canyon AVA is the only one in California where Syrah is the most planted grape, calling to mind Burgundy and the Northern Rhone Valley where the subtly different climate of neighboring regions dictate Pinot Noir versus Syrah. Ballard Canyon also has the distinction of being one of the few regions of California that has limestone soils. Flavors of white pepper, dusty blackberries, thyme and fruity olives combine with quite moderate tannins, low alcohol and medium acid to make a versatile pairing wine (grilled rack of lamb is the classic pairing) that is lovely on its own.