Producer
Don’t be fooled by Joel Gott’s casual, easy-going exterior. This fifthgeneration West Coast winemaker and restaurateur has remarkable energy and flair when it comes to sourcing and blending, be it the fruit for his ridiculously good-value, expressive wines or indeed the ingredients in the epic fish tacos served at his Gott’s Roadside restaurants. Regretful though we may be that we cannot import the latter, getting access to his wines is fair compensation. The labels reflect the contents: stylish modern classics, restrained and yet with a typical Californian generosity. Joel’s wife Sarah is his director of winemaking, having previously risen to be head winemaker at Joseph Phelps. With this combined pedigree, the resulting wines punch well above their weight.
Vineyard
Napa fruit comes from highly regarded Howell Mountain as well as South Napa vineyards and is complex with great depth; Lake County fruit is from the Red Hills appellation, planted on obsidian volcanic soil, which lends minerality and rich texture; Central Coast fruit from Paso Robles and Hames Valley in Monterey County adds good flavour maturity and development. Parcels from Happy Canyon and the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County contribute further richness and concentration. Sourcing from these varied regions across California helped to create an elegant, balanced wine.
Winery
The grapes were hand-sorted and destemmed, and the wine fermented at fairly warm temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The various lots were pressed to American oak barriques, with twenty-five percent new wood, for eighteen months’ ageing.
