Conversations with Gretchen Voelcker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gretchen Voelcker.

Hi Gretchen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up my parents were always wine drinkers but in Pennsylvania in the 90s, you really had to seek out any good wine, so it wasn’t ever even on my radar. My interest in wine was first peaked while I was living in Europe with my parents in high school. As they started to get more into different wines, we would travel to different winemaking regions and take local classes. I really started to be intrigued by the nuances of the craft! I spent two years of my university life studying business and ended with a degree in plant sciences. When I graduated, I remembered that interest and decided to give winemaking a try. What really captivated me about this career path though after beginning the journey was the mix of creativity and science. I have always had a very scientific mind and was constantly searching for my creative outlet; wine is it!

I have built my experience and career leading up to Luna Hart mostly in Santa Barbara County where I gained the foundation of my knowledge as well as great experience with numerous different varietals and vineyards.

In 2016, I spent a vintage in Central Otago of New Zealand, which was my first experience in intuitional and minimal intervention winemaking from a biodynamic approach. These practices have truly given me the building blocks of my style today. The main focus here was Pinot Noir and I really learned the complexities of different clones of the varietal. This was also where I first fell in love with Grüner Veltliner, a cornerstone of Luna Hart!

Luna Hart Wines started in 2014 as a work trade with Ryan Roark of Roark Wine Company. He has a small Garagiste wine label and first introduced me to this world of very small production, back to the basics of winemaking without all of the fancy machines and tools. I helped him that year on a vineyard he was managing and as part of my payment, he offered me a ton of Sauvignon Blanc from that vineyard. I took this opportunity and ran!

From that initial 25 cases produced in 2014, the brand has now grown to produce 880 cases a year!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have always been very fortunate to have the support of other winemakers in the county which has been crucial to my success, but there have been many challenges of learning to be a small business owner. The biggest challenge that I have had to overcome was a trademark issue. After selling out of my first 25 cases of wine under another name, I received a cease and desist followed by a “maybe we should do business together” letter from someone with the name trademarked under music. At this point, I had consulted a trademark attorney who taught me that I would most likely win a court case of this nature but at what cost! This pushed me to take a year off and go through all the processes of legalizing my business but also gave me the opportunity to go back to the drawling board and really choose a brand name that resonated with me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m the owner and winemaker of Luna Hart Wines, where I make handcrafted, minimal manipulation wines of Santa Barbara county where I get to work with some of my favorite varietals and delve into some further exploration of winemaking.

With my winemaking, I seek to bring a balance of both feminine and masculine energy to my wines. I like to keep the wines more acidic and crisp with delicate handling, but I also like to incorporate some skin contact with whites and pay close attention to fruit manipulation of reds to get good tannin structure from the wines themselves. This is why I choose “Luna Hart” as a representation of this balance. Luna or the moon being the feminine and Hart or the stag being the masculine.

With Luna Hart, I make minimal intervention, unfined and unfiltered wines from grapes organically, biodynamically or sustainably grown. Most people are unaware that a lot of wines have a long list of hidden ingredients used in winemaking and most have at least a few undisclosed ingredients; these include synthetic chemicals, dyes and animal products. The only ingredient used in making my wines is a small amount of sulfur added to keep the wines healthy and tasty.

By using less modern tools, I am aiming to give a more natural and timeless expression of the vineyards that I work with. The grapes are all hand-harvested and when I choose to harvest, I seek to find a balance of good acidity and flavor. As grapes ripen, acid drops and sugar and flavors develop. I want to maintain acidity to make the wines more food friendly and have natural protection against spoilage. This allows me to not add artificial acids and to add less sulfur to my final product. I also allow spontaneous fermentation by allowing the native yeasts on the grapes to carry out this process instead of commercial yeasts.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
That the risk is worth the reward. It is daunting to take the leap to start your own business, especially when you are faced with some difficult lessons along the way, but with perseverance and determination, you can overcome and be successful with your goals!

Pricing:

• 2021 Luna Hart Grüner Veltliner $32 per bottle
• 2020 Luna Hart Reserve Syrah $52 per bottle
• 2021 Luna Hart Rosé of Syrah $28 per bottle
• 2020 Luna Hart Cabernet Franc $41 per bottle
• Private Tastings at our winery in Ballard Canyon $50 per person

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lunahartwines.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luna.hart.wines/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lunahartwines/