Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Lunaria – “Civitas” Pecorino 2024
Abruzzo – Italy 🇮🇹 | Biodynamic (Demeter), Organic, Vegan-Friendly

Overview
Crafted from 100% Pecorino, an indigenous grape of central Italy, “Civitas” is made by Lunaria under strict biodynamic and organic principles. Certified by Demeter, it represents both sustainability and authenticity, offering a pure expression of this versatile variety. (Educational note: Pecorino grapes, once nearly forgotten, are now celebrated for their high acidity, aromatic lift, and ability to pair with diverse cuisines.)

Aromas & Flavors
Stone fruits (peach, apricot, yellow plum) at the forefront, balanced with citrus zest, green apple, and subtle herbal tones. Secondary hints of almond and white flowers give lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with bright acidity and excellent balance. Crisp, textural, and refreshing, finishing long with a delicious, mineral-driven edge.

Food Pairings
Extremely versatile: pairs with seafood, pasta with clams, grilled chicken, risotto, or fresh cheeses. Also a great choice for vegetarian dishes.

Verdict
A delightful Pecorino — fresh, balanced, and crowd-pleasing. The 2024 Lunaria “Civitas” is not only delicious but also a model of sustainable, biodynamic winemaking. 🍷

Did You Know?
Pecorino means “little sheep” in Italian, as the grape often grew along sheep-grazing paths in Abruzzo and Marche. Once endangered, it’s now one of central Italy’s great white grape revival stories.

Hidden Gem 💎
An indigenous revival grape, made biodynamic, organic, and vegan-friendly — Lunaria’s 2024 “Civitas” is both authentic and progressive, a perfect teaching bottle. — 9 months ago

Severn G

9.2

Nose has wet cedar, dried black cherry, blackberry compote, black currant must, dry earth and (light) cigar box.

Palate has spiced cherry, spicy oak/cedar, blackberry jam, chocolate powder and notable but fine tannins.

My prior notes stated a wait until 2021+ before our next bottle...TBH I never looked at my notes before selecting this bottle tonight, so 🤷🏻‍♂️. Now that we're at 2021, there's noted improvement and I calmly suggest future bottle (there's only one left) should be between 2026-2031, as this is holding just fine.

In following to my prior comment on this bottle; We have a love/hate relationship with Wine Spectator whom tasted this at 80 pts in 2005. I fully disagree (FU), but do agree there have been 'better' vintages on this vineyard site. (We also have the better vintages 😁 in waiting.)

Decanted 4H, notes at ~5H.

Paired to 'vintage' ribeye's and local grilled corn. Our favorite beef 'dealer' aka farmer, Kinderhook Farm (Valatie, NY) has an interesting program of holding some of their cattle for more than a year, our cuts tonight are from a 5 YO steer. A brief 6m grill and wonderfully medium-rare cuts at ~135°F after resting. Great depth of flavor, less of the grass fed notes we get with the regular (youthful) cuts, just delicious. — 5 years ago

Michele greene

9.0

From @Joshua Sigler “Recently I’ve paid €79 for a wine I liked a lot less.”

Perfect for a rainy Irish evening overlooking the rolling hills of County Clare in the Burren with Sheep grazing in the distance. — 6 years ago

with Joshua

Friar Tuck

9.3

“Brought” this to the Crew Classé virtual tasting with Antinori’s Renzo Cotarella. So enjoyable to drink this with the wine maker and see inside his thoughts.. in 2020 this is a vibrant gold bombshell from the heavier oaked era. The fullness , density and kind persistence allow it to pare with a wide range of snacks and meals but especially good with brunch grazing — 6 years ago

Angela Klein

9.1

A Jk picked wine: leggy and buttery — 7 years ago

with Linda

Loren Loftesnes

10

Expertly chosen by the sommelier to go with kimchi dishes. It’s a 10 when it’s in Calgary! Korean food and sake aren’t supposed to be this good in cattle country! — 7 years ago

with Rosita

Chris England

9.4

Yummy top vintage Pauillac @ £85 now c£110 from Rothschild that’s evolved nicely since last try but will still improve much more as still changing 😉

📍 Chateau Duhart Milon 2009

🏵 94 points w/ 96-98 potential

🍇 63% Cabernet Sauvignon & 37% Merlot

🍷 Deep dark opaque ruby

👃 A plummy blackcurrant punch in the nose w/ a smokey oak follow through, mineral wallop, gravel grazing & pencil poke coupled with a herby tickle, cocoa crunch & liquorice lashing

👄 Med+ body of creamy ripe silky dark berry & plummy fruits bathed in slight dry minerals, cocoa cream & melted liquorice

🎯 Long touch dry mineral driven bursting dark plummy berry fruit 💋 w/ a cocoa liquorice mineral linger
— 8 years ago

David Koenen

8.9

Sturdy and tannic. Not dark nor brooding. Still enough fruit to keep things balanced. I actually kinda missed the usual barn, poop and cattle smell. — a year ago

Richard Dansereau

9.6

I’m a virgin cattle baron customer — 3 years ago

with Angela

Hadley Lyman

9.1

Like a fawn grazing in a field of chamomile. Or some pretty shit like that! While I munch on a ficelle and some salty butter on a red checkered blanket under a tree. — 6 years ago

with Jared

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This blend is named in honor of the butcher shop that David’s father started in San Francisco. His butcher shop(s) launched them into a 1956 Pritchard Hill land spending spree with the thought of starting a cattle ranch. When they were done buying parcels, they had amassed 984 acres in Pritchard Hill. The third most expensive fruit today at $28,000 a ton. If you sold all of that land today, it would be worth over a billion dollars. I bet they didn’t pay anything close to that in 1956.

This was opened the day before we’d had it. While I enjoyed it, it had leaned out a bit more than I would want it. It was round with softer tannins but may have given a false sense of its ability to cellar.

The fruits are nice, ripe, lush & juicy; blackberries, raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, mid baking spices-nutmeg, cinnamon, light clove, vanillin, light spice, barrel shavings, crushed rocks, savory, grilled meats, dark, red, & purple florals with very nice acidity and a wire to wire finish that was leaner but, clean. The finish was well balanced, elegant, on the leaner side, nicely polished and persisted minutes. — 6 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.8

Parker 99,
Not as much funk as my last one but so smooth — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Pale to mid Ruby. Aromas of rose petals, menthol and liquorice. Low on fruit influences at this age - very savoury. An excellent rendition of a new world Nebbiolo - from Tingha on the New England tableland in northern NSW - most of the neighbours would be sheep and cattle graziers. This winery makes brilliant Gewurztraminer - one of the best in the country IMO. A very boutique winery with a small production. Sadly Toppers suffered from a devastating bushfire earlier this year which will take some recovery time. — 7 years ago

Trevor Fobel

9.6

Light with notes of rose and Rainier cherry, as it warms tart grapefruit comes out — 8 years ago

Tyler Felous

9.2

Nose is huge right off the bat. Tannic on open, really started showing at the 4hr mark. Enjoyed this, but nothing so notable to make me want to buy again. — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded 1973 when Joe Phelps purchased former cattle ranch near St. Helena in Napa, the winery now controls and farms nearly 375 acres of vines on 8 estate vineyards. Blend of 87% Cab Sauv, 5% Merlot, & rest Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cab Franc. Aromas of dried berry fruits and cedar spice. Sat in oak for 18 months 45% new, the palate shows blackberry and cherry flavors, cacao and oaky herb tones. Firm tannins, long finish ending smooth with fruit, tobacco and mineral notes. Still has room to age. — 4 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.3

Celebrating my Mom’s birthday 👏🏻

This is her favorite Chardonnay (or at least one of her top choices) so we pulled the cork on it to pair with a grazing board replete with cheeses, cured meats, nuts, fig spread, and olives. Solid choice. — 6 years ago

with Krystal

Shay A

9.3

These brutal TX summers can make it difficult to crave heavy meals, so some sort of grazing board with lots of options is definitely ideal.

A quick note: Even for me, opening Aubert this young is usually something I don’t even consider (aside from their Hudson). After enjoying some other 2017s that someone opened earlier this week, I was surprised at how open they were. I believe the vintage gives these wines more opulent and early enjoyment than normal.

As always, I believe this to be Aubert’s most acid driven wine. Almost spritz like. Aromatically it is a mix of bright citrus, honeysuckle, honey roasted cashews and lemon confit. On the palate, the entry shows strong acidity before it fades away. Lemon cream, ginger, copious amounts of tropical fruit and a somewhat surprising kiss of mineral/limestone. Aubert’s entire lineup is among the best, but this is normally towards the back of the pack for my taste profile (which means it’s still among the best Cali chards, in my opinion). — 6 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.2

Its no Peter Michael, but not bad. Winery notes, Hunter region their home since 1960. Joss and Anna De Iuliis followed their family passion for wine and chose a property in the Lovedale Road region of the Lower Hunter Valley, converting a grazing property into a 20ha vineyard with the first vines planted in 1990. Australian wine critic James Halliday has been rating De Iuliis Wines a 5 star winery since 2010. The 2011 Aged Release sémillion is kept at the winery and aged in bottle for an additional seven years, allowing it to develop beeswax and honey characteristics while maintaining a fresh citrus palate. This is sémillion the way it is meant to be, without having to invest cellaring space. Only 250 cases produced.
You also might be interested in... click to collapse contents — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has very dark chocolate, roasted coffee bean, blackberry-blueberry mash, rose petals, slight mint, crushed black cherry and wet slate.

Palate has warmed plum, chocolate cake, vanilla tobacco, light cedar and light oak. Surprisingly the tannins are quite mellow, easily approachable in a very, very youthful state.

A very heavy bottle, you could easily knock someone into tomorrow with a well timed swing.

We paired with delightfully thick bone-in ribeye's on the grill, actually a great pair with a nice sear/char from a wicked hot grill (+600°F). Delicious, local grass fed cattle.

Suckling, 99 points...Really? No one should be this drinking this before 2025, at least. I guess I have at least a baseline on what he thinks is the greatest Purple Angel to date. I agree, it is very good, but needs a lot of time, we have several, older vintages in the cellar just waiting for the right time.

I will certainly need to brush my teeth at least 2x after enjoying this wine. I'll have a 24hr check-in tomorrow, we're not finishing this on day one.

24hr Update: Mint has dropped out on the nose, palate is a wonderful blackberry-cedar jam, delicious, still not 99 points. — 7 years ago