We Imagined
what could be
The story started in our imagination
Our family journey began more than two decades ago with the desire to produce an experience that would stimulate the imaginations of those who taste our wine vintage after vintage. The grapes for Lunar Ridge are grown on our small family-owned estate, where we have lived since 2003. Our home and vineyard are located in the Coombsville American Viticultural Area (AVA). This sleepy region is just a few minutes east of the town of Napa and has long been a popular, if unspoken, source of grapes for some of the most famous winemakers in the Napa Valley. The cooler temperatures of our growing season allow our grapes to remain on the vine longer, making for a slower ripening period that enhances the flavors in each vintage. We spent three years cultivating our vines to ensure that the fruit we produce is some of the finest in Napa Valley, we released our first vintage of Lunar Ridge Syrah in 2006.
...and became a dream come true
Owned by Ray and Theresa Joske, Lunar Ridge has been and continues to be a family affair where everyone contributes, even in the midst of their busy lives. For instance, our label, which features the view from our deck on a moon-lit Napa Valley night, was created by our daughters. We take great pride in the fact that our small-production wine provides anyone who tries it the ability to imagine what a full moon rising over the Napa Valley would be like. Lunar Ridge is well-balanced, highlighting the characteristics of our cool climate and the rich soil of the Coombsville appellation. But most importantly, it's a culmination of our dream of producing quality wine in the Napa Valley for all to enjoy.
About the Coombsville AVA
As you can read in the Lunar Ridge 2023 tasting notes, being in the Coombsville AVA (American Viticultural Area) provides our wine with a longer cooler maturing climate allowing the fruit to remain on the vine longer which normally leads to a later harvest. Additionally, we are in a unique terroir which is described in some detail in this blog we drafted with our neighbor vineyard Farang and Jim Pennella. At Farang Wine, their Harmony School Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the southern slope of the same hillside as Lunar Ridge, where slightly deeper soils and different sun exposure create a distinctive expression of Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon. At Lunar Ridge we produce a distinguishing Coombsville Syrah which is approachable, complex, and layered and is recognized by soft, but significant tannins providing excellent structure and mouthfeel.
We hope you enjoy reading more about the how this area produces such special wines in this article from Farang. Although the vineyards are neighbors, each produces wines with its own personality while remaining unmistakably rooted in the character of this remarkable site.
