Bella Luna Estate Winery
The Story of Our Family Estate Winery
The Bella Luna Estate Winery began as a dream between two lifelong friends, Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot. Growing up together on the beautiful California Central Coast, they played t-ball and became the quarterback and center of their high school football team in Atascadero. After serving in the Vietnam War, their lives took separate paths but eventually brought them back together.
In 1998, over a night of reminiscing with the help of fine wine, the idea of starting a family winery was born. The next morning, the plan still sounded like a good one. At 50 years old, they planted dry-farmed Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Ruby Cabernet, marking the start of Bella Luna Estate Winery located in the American Viticulture Area (AVA) of Paso Robles.
Family plays a significant role in Bella Luna’s story. Sherman’s children, Carly and Jimmy, grew up amidst the vineyards. Carly even had the vineyard named after her. Kevin’s daughter, Nichole, often found herself working in the winery as a teenager, then considered a “punishment” that ultimately sparked her passion for winemaking.
Nichole pursued a degree in Enology and Viticulture from Fresno State and gained international winemaking experience in Australia. In 2018, she returned to California with her husband Lukas and their two children, Stevie and Zephyr, to help expand Bella Luna Estate Winery and carry on the family legacy.
Our Estate Winery Vineyard
At Bella Luna Estate Winery, our premium estate vineyard, Carly’s Vineyard, was established in 1998 and named in honor of Sherman’s daughter. Located just east of the Salinas River, it’s one of the few dry-farmed, head-trained Sangiovese vineyards in California, featuring the noble Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties.
In 2020, we expanded with Kevin’s Vineyard, named after Kevin Healey. Staying true to our roots, this vineyard is also dry-farmed but vertically trained, showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Dolcetto.
Our ten-acre estate winery benefits from the cool central coast evening breezes that sweep through the renowned Templeton Gap, creating optimal growing conditions for our handcrafted wines.
Kevin Healey
Owner
In 1970, after serving in the Army during the Vietnam war, Kevin returned home. He decided he needed a “sabbatical from civilization,” so he took up residence on a large vineyard in Adelaida’s hills to reflect, as he puts it. There, he learned all the aspects of viticulture from a seasoned dry farmer—Mel Casteel.
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Kevin developed a love and respect for how Mel nurtured his dry-farmed vineyard. He spent roughly twenty years as the assistant winemaker at Pesenti Winery alongside Frank Nerelli. When he started in the Paso Robles wine industry, there were only three wineries!
Today, Kevin can be seen in our estate vineyard, enjoying his tractor time and off-day fishing and playing with his grandchildren.
Sherman Smoot
Owner
After serving in the Navy with distinction, piloting F-4Js from aircraft carriers, Sherman decided to go into commercial aviation. He has spent more than 30 years traveling the world and has had the amazing chance to experience wine from almost every nation. Sherman consequently acquired a taste for unusual wines from around the world.
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Sherman’s degree in biological sciences from Washington State University has aided him in his convictions that while the artisan method and the scientific method occasionally spark heated arguments at the vineyard, in the end, it is how he does what he genuinely enjoys.
Nichole Healey-Finn
General Manager
Running around the Pesenti vineyards during her childhood days in the late 1980s is where Nichole’s career in wine began. She didn’t learn practical experience from her dad till she was in her teenage years.
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Working in the vines served as her way of establishing a solid foundation in her family. It might involve pruning, suckering, thinning, or bird netting, depending on the season.
Kevin finally asked her what she wanted to do with her life as her senior year approached. This—standing in Carly’s Vineyard at Bella Luna—was the response.
Lukas Finn
Winemaker / Viticulturist
Sherm and Kevin approached Lukas and Nichole in 2016 while they were on vacation in California celebrating the first birthday of their daughters to let them know that they needed all hands on deck as the label was about to expand. They started the immigration process right away without pausing. They arrived in America after a very trying two years.
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Lukas began working as an associate winemaker at Eberle Winery in August 2018. Three harvests in a single year set a new record for him that year!
Bella Luna was prepared for Lukas to join the club in January 2020, and he is keen to inject some Australian flavor into Bella Luna. The final component of the puzzle for the following generation is now complete!