Tarrica Wine Cellars is a small, family owned winery started in 2000 in the Paso Robles Wine Country. The focus of Tarrica winery is to produce value priced wines that are a clear expression of viticultural origin and varietal flavor.

Bella Luna Estate Winery, founded in 1998 by lifelong friends Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot, has a charming story that traces back to their childhood on the Central Coast of California. The duo first bonded while playing t-ball and later became the quarterback and center of their high school football team in Atascadero. After serving their country in the Vietnam War, their paths diverged, but fate brought them back together years later.

The idea for Bella Luna Winery sprouted during a nostalgic night of reminiscing about their shared past. When morning came, the dream of starting a winery still felt enticing, and at the youthful age of 50, they planted dry-farmed Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Ruby Cabernet grapes on their estate.

Both friends are proud fathers. Sherman has a daughter, Carly, and a son, Jimmy. Interestingly, Carly was the only 8-year-old who didn’t dream of having a pony, so Sherman decided to name the vineyard after her. Kevin’s daughter, Nichole, had her own unique experiences in the family business. Often grounded during her high school years, she was assigned to work with her dad in the vineyard or winery as a form of punishment. However, what started as a chore turned into a passion; Nichole loved the vineyard life and eventually pursued a degree in Enology and Viticulture at Fresno State.

After completing her studies, Nichole took her talents to Australia, where a three-month internship in Margaret River turned into a remarkable 7.5-year adventure. There, she fell in love with both the local wine scene and Lukas, a fellow wine industry professional.

For visitors exploring California’s wineries, Bella Luna Estate Winery offers a delightful glimpse into the intertwined lives of friendship, family, and winemaking. Each bottle reflects the dedication and passion of its founders, making it a must-visit destination for anyone eager to savor exceptional wines and enjoy the warm camaraderie that defines this unique winery.

It was back in 1987 that Ray and Nancy Coursen crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine. While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food. Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

“In the mid-1970’s, due to a normal teenage interest in alcoholic beverages, my family allowed me to make some wine from the family vineyard and beer at home (under adult supervision, of course).
This led to a UC Davis degree as well as concurrent work at a local winery doing the dirtiest and most menial jobs imaginable. In the mid-1980’s good friends at Duxoup Wine Works (think Marx Brothers for the pronunciation) inspired me to try my hand at my own label so I negotiated cellar space in lieu of a raise by my then-current employer, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (I got a raise anyway). Greenwood Ridge was supportive of my project and decided to have some Scherrer Zinfandel produced for their label as well. Unfortunately, I had a poor business plan and during the first year I realized I was not yet ready for this project. Greenwood Ridge continued to make a small amount of Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel for many years.

Enter Dehlinger Winery in the late 1980’s. Tom Dehlinger was very supportive of my long-term plans and challenged me to develop a solid business plan, facilitating an important entry into my own project. In return, his winery received my heart and soul for a decade. The final key element in our getting started was from my parents. They allowed me to delay paying them for their fine grapes until we began getting cash flow from our wine sales. By 1997, we were ready to make the move to a facility of our own. In anticipation of this, we were able to add Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to supplement the Zinfandel we were producing, all from my father’s vineyard in Alexander Valley. Tom Dehlinger supported this transition of my focus, allowing me to produce these additional wines in his facility and we parted very amicably after that vintage.