Smoking Loon

There's a rule that's become a cliché about not judging a book by it's cover. But it's pretty likely that a lot of who don't know a whole lot about wine (and probably even some people who do) are content to judge a wine by its label, at least as a means of picking from the vast selection of wines they've never tried before arrayed on the store shelf.

Taking that as a given, it's probably also true that more than a few people have picked up a bottle of Smoking Loon based on that smashing red and yellow label that, yes, features a loon smoking a cigar. The fact that the wines routinely rank in the mid-80s on both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast's lists doesn't hurt, either.

Inside those cute bottles are value-priced wines (usually ranging from about $6 to $15) are uncomplicated, highly drinkable wines that may not have you running out a buying a case at a time, but that will give you a good bottle when you need something easy to eat with a pizza or whatever else is hitting your table on Friday night.

Smoking Loon is just one of many wines produced by Don Sebastiani and Sons, a California negociant company (meaning they buy grapes from growers and do not have any vines themselves—though they do now have a winery in Napa).

Don Sebastiani's father Samuele got into the wine business with his winery, Sebasitani Vineyards, in 1904. The Italian immigrant had leaned the craft of wine as a young boy in Italy. For many years the winery only made bulk wine, which was sold to be branded by other companies.

In 1986, Don took over the business and also started a partnership with his brother-in-law, Roy Cecchetti, which was known as Cecchetti Sebastiani Cellar and marked the beginning of the family's negociant wine making.

Don's sons, Don Jr. and August, bought out Roy's interest in 2001 and the family founded Don Sebastiani and Sons. The company grew quickly, producing more than one million cases in 2004, becoming at that time the 16th-largest wine maker in America. In addition to Smoking Loon, the company produces Pepperwood Grove, Aquinas Napa Valley, Used Automobile Parts, Mia's Playground, Fusee and Screw Kappa Napa brands.

In 2005 another division of the company, known as The Other Guys, started up with wines sold under names such as Hey Mambo, Plungerhead and Le Bon Vin de la Napa Valley. The winery as a whole was named Wine Enthusiast's American Winery of the Year in 2005.

Wine maker Richard Bruno spent 12 years in the San Francisco restaurant industry before he started working at wineries, so his emphasis is on wines that are food-friendly.

He previously worked as the distiller at Bonny Doon. The idea is to produce reliable wines that are distinctive from each other but recognizable as coming from Sebastiani.

Smoking Loon produces eight varietals, four reds and four whites. Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect from a bottle of Loon:

• Cabernet Sauvignon: A blend of 94 percent Cab and six percent Syrah gives this wine a dark, fruity look and a spicy flavor. This is the heartiest red of the bunch, so bring it out for your red meat dishes.
• Merlot: This berry-filled bottle is a great go-to wine for folks who like an easy-drinking red that's fine with food but just as agreeable drunk on its own.
• Pinot Noir: Another fruity wine, this mostly Monterrey pinot is perfect for drinking with chicken, if you prefer a red with your white meat.
• Syrah: This is a tough wine that stands up to spicy foods and even sweets with relative ease. The caramel and mocha notes would blend well with chocolate cake, or how about chocolate-covered strawberries?
• Pinot Grigio: The key word for this wine is light. It's filled with fruity grapefruit and orange aromas and a slightly lemony finish. Perfect for a summer evening with a salad, or a picnic lunch on the beach.
• Chardonnay: This straw-colored, springy wine is great with foods prepared with fruit or citrus.
• Viognier: The folks at Smoking Loon call this a "most fashionable" wine, great as an aperitif and filled with floral aromas, apricot flavors and a hint of clove in the finish. Sounds good to me.
• Sauvignon Blanc: This bright wine has a taste of apple and lemon, making it great for light seafood dishes or drinking on a summer's day.

If you can't get enough of wine, the Don and Sons website shouldn't be missed. Check out the podcasts and new videos about the wine. Click on "Speakerbox" for all the goods.

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