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| PASSPORT Wine Society
Wine Country Expert James Woodward interviews Owner Bruce Wise
and of Lapis Luna Wines, Green Valley, California. James' conversations
and questions are insightful, thoughtful and compelling. He masterfully
guides you through their backgrounds and winery history while examining
details such as particular soil, climate, types of wines produced and secrets
of producing world class wines.(Listen to the audio file please click here)
I just tried your Lapis Luna Romanza and Loved it! Where can I buy some? I have looked all over the internet with no luck...Please let me know where and how much, your website lists the cost of other ones, but not this one. Thanks...
– Sue Annala
We had a bottle of your 2005 Romanza Zinfindel this weekend and really liked it. We live in the Simi Valley, CA 93063 area and wondered who in this area distributed your wine. Please let us know, as we really liked it. Do you have a wine tasting room in Lodi?
– Mary Humhphries
Joseph Quintela
The Accidental Wine Steward
www.rougeisthenewblack.com
Wine Review: A Declaration of War on the Vines of California
The Wine: 2004 Lapis Luna Petit Verdot (San Luis Obispo)
The Place:
San Luis Obispo, California
The Grape:
Petit Verdot
The Skinny:
For some things to flower they must be ripped from the place that they call home and raised for a few years in quiet anonymity before suddenly sparking into a relentless blaze of glory. Take the Petit Verdot grapes that Lapis Luna transmuted into their fine 2004 offering. Back in the old Bordeaux, Petit Verdot is little more than an after thought...a red headed step child so to speak. Ripening far slower than its more commonly recognized siblings (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec) in a region with a relatively short growing season, Petit Verdot tends to be under-ripe and bitter at harvest which has led to its use in only the minutest quantities to add "color" and "stiffness in the mid-pallate" to the Bordeaux blend. Yeah, that's about as sexy as it sounds. Anyways, enter the United States, its love affair with Cab, the subsequent Mondavi driven forays into Meritage (I.E. Cali wines blended in Bordeaux style) and suddenly vintners were off to the Bordeaux to take some clippings of Petit Verdot to plant in small quantities so we could just like France. Only we're not, and thank god, someone somewhere along the way realized it. In California, the growing season is long enough for Petite Verdot to ripen consistently and in the right hands can make a spellbinding wine all on its very own. And so slowly the relentless blaze of Petite Verdot glory begins and with a little help from Lapis Luna so it seems.
Ok, ok, I'm bored sick from the history lesson too. Let's do some drinking already...
My nose perks us instantly on the first wiff of this enchantingly crimson wine as discernable hints of menthol and cinnamon bob through a mixed berry nose. Now it's the tongues turn. I don't sip delicately as I can already tell that it's not that kind of wine and so instead I go for a big draught. Fireworks! Pockets of leathery spice are explosively nestled in a field of blackberry and gooseberry that synthesize into my favorite array of sweet, sour and spice. Then the finish: the acid melts into a lingering sense of satisfaction that keeps my mouth watering for at least a minute. Oh yes, we have a winner. I'm thinking smoked paprika spiced duck with mushrooms and basil and *bang* - we're on to something here. Or I could just sit and drink the whole bottle with nothing else but the anticipation of a well deserved hangover in the morning. And still I'd be happy.
Half a bottle later, I'm going to say something a little bold here. California, forgive me. But as far as I'm concerned it might be a great service to the Golden State and its oft over rated wine if someone were to go through and pull up half the Cabernet Sauvignon vines and plant some more freakin' Petit Verdot. And then let Lapis Luna make the wine. Oh dear, I can already hear the death threats starting to pile up in my mailbox. Gotta run...
–Joseph Quintela
2005 Lapis Luna Cabernet Reserve
karen g. Jackovich Says:
October 27th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I first fell in love with the 2001, 2002, 2003 Lapis Luna cabernets and when I couldn’t find them anymore, I tracked down the Lapis Luna 2005 Cabernet Reserve at Morry’s in Naples, CA…and it was just as yummy, (my word for the best of wines, I’m not a professional , but I know what I like)…It’s a wonderfully dark, full-bodied Cab with a very mellow finish–not too intense. It tastes of berries, chocolate and maybe a little of this spicy-smelling, cherry tobacco my grandfather used to pack his pipe with. I served it at a dinner party to celebrate an EMMY win and I had so many inquiries asking for “little Cab that could,” that I had to send out a mass e-mail telling them just where they could find it. I must admit that I was almost sorry that I had to reveal what a value it is (so reasonably priced). I mean, in Hollywood, sometimes it’s the illusion that we sell–and I actually weighed whether I should let them in on my secret… In the end, I figured that it would be too selfish not to share the wealth, so to speak, especially in this economy!
Linda Smetzer Says:
October 27th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
A lovely cab to serve throughout the holidays and beyond.