Joel Gott

Because a grape like Sauvignon Blanc can be so influenced by its terroir, Joel Gott crafts this complex wine by sourcing fruit from a variety of regions. In 2019, Napa and Sonoma fruit accounted for the body and viscosity in the blend, while Lake County provided the citrus and marine-influenced Monterrey added the tropical aromatics. Vineyards in the Santa Barbara region contributed minerality and structure from the diverse and rocky soils of Santa Ynez and Happy Canyon. The growing season started a bit later in 2019, leading to a later-than-usual harvest of fresh and well-balanced fruit in September. This Sauvignon Blanc is both rich and crisp and will accompany a wide range of salads and casual dishes with chicken, fish or pork.

Joel Gott’s California Sauvignon Blanc is a perennial favorite that excites the palate without pressure on the wallet. The juicy deliciousness and complexity in this wine come from blending fruit from a range of vineyards in Sonoma, Lake County, Lodi, Monterey, and Santa Barbara. After pressing, the juice underwent a long, cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks, with careful blending being the key to expressing the particular characteristics of each vineyard. This Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and flavorful and will accompany a wide range of salads and casual dishes with chicken, fish, or pork.

This is Chardonnay made in a Chablis style; that is, fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel to make a fruit-forward, refreshing wine you can enjoy now. By sourcing grapes from Mendocino, Sonoma, Monterrey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara, Gott can assemble a range of flavors, mineral qualities, and acidities. For example, Sonoma fruit brings the stone fruit and minerality, cooler coastal areas contribute refreshing acidity, and warmer Santa Barbara locations add tropical notes. In 2021, spring and summer temperatures were generally moderate, and the dry winter led to lower yields but intense flavors and excellent acidity. Made without oak or malolactic fermentation, this is Chardonnay with backbone, fresh acidity, and pure fruit flavors that help make dining a real pleasure. Shellfish, steamed or grilled fish, risotto, or pasta with fresh vegetables all spring to mind as pairings with this wine.

The California Chardonnay is a limited-release bottling that was fermented and aged in 50% new French oak and 50% one and two-year-old barrels. In 2020, wildfires in Napa and Sonoma made the practice of ripening and harvesting grapes extremely difficult. For this reason, the fruit was almost entirely sourced from the Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Maria, and Los Olivos AVAs in Santa Barbara County. Cool, foggy mornings in Sta. Rita Hills gave the wine crisp mineral and stone fruit, whereas warmer conditions in the other areas added structure and concentration. The result is an elegant, fruit-forward and balanced wine with aromas of ripe pear and peaches, a round mouthfeel, crisp minerality, and a touch of vanilla on the finish. Try it with summer salads, delicate fish dishes, and sushi.  

Deservedly or not, California Zinfandel has a reputation for bigger-is-better. But Joel Gott’s Zinfandel is well-behaved and restrained, more "claret" than fruit bomb. Food-friendly and affordable, it delights with bright berry flavors and brambly spiciness without excessive alcohol. Old, head-trained vineyards in Amador County and Lodi supplied most of the fruit, with the rest coming from Sonoma County. The stony soils of Lodi’s Borden Ranch AVA give the wine structure and concentration, while the Sonoma terroir brings out the forward dark and red fruit. Most of the wine is aged in older French oak barrels in order to keep the purity of Zin fruit flavors, but 20% new American oak adds depth with notes of spicy vanilla. Joel Gott recommends trying this wine with pulled pork, cheeseburgers, or grilled chicken.

“815” is an impressive, juicy California Cabernet with ripe dark fruit, savory herbs, hints of clove and vanilla — and it’s priced low enough to be that go-to bottle for a weekend meal or barbecue. Joel Gott named the wine “815” to honor the birthday of his daughter. The wine’s complexity and value are achieved by sourcing 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from great appellations in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake County, Lodi and Paso Robles. The particular climate and soils in each appellation add a unique component such as color, tannin, intensity, or sweetness to the blend. As for winemaking, Gott uses American oak barrels, which infuse the wine with the vanilla notes that can so spice up California Cab. The result is a Cabernet that is complex, plush, well-balanced – and ready to drink. Gott recommends decanting to open up the flavors as well as pairing the wine with casual fare like steak tacos or hamburgers.

The Santa Barbara region is gaining a reputation for delicious, food-friendly Pinot Noir. The best wines have excellent structure and earthy notes with modestly sweet fruit and balanced acidity. Joel Gott likes to source his Pinot Noir from vineyards located near the coast as well as inland. The coastal vineyards experience cool, foggy mornings and warm afternoons, producing fruit with acidity and bright flavors. On the other hand, fruit from warmer vineyards inland develop darker cherry flavors as well as spiciness and minerality. Some of the cooler vineyards are windswept and downright cold in summer, yet their fruit adds structure and tannins to the blend. This wine is a bright, easy-to-drink, crowd-pleaser with only a moderate 13.6% alcohol. Grilled fish or chicken or even a summer salad would go well with this wine.

Joel Gott’s Oregon Pinot Noir is a bright and vibrant wine with flavors of raspberries, cherries, pomegranate and cranberry. This is Pinot Noir that’s classic in style but ever so juicy and stimulating to the senses. Gott sources his Pinot entirely from Eola-Amity Hills and Yamhill-Carlton in the Willamette Valley, where conditions are ideal for producing Burgundian-styled Pinot Noir. Winters are famously wet, but summers are dry, and vines on summer days get more daylight than in California. Well-drained, volcanic soils (especially in the hilly Yamhill-Carlton AVA) are yet another factor behind the intense aromas and flavors, texture and minerality. 2021 was moderate but dry, leading to lower yields, smaller berries, and fruit with great concentration and acidity. Grilled salmon, roast duck, or even a holiday turkey or chicken would taste delicious when accompanied by Gott’s Oregon Pinot.

Unlike most Joel Gott wines, “Gott,” is sourced from just one locale, a promising area for Napa Cabernet known as Sugarloaf. While the location in southeast Napa is not far from Carneros, the hillside vineyards escape the Carneros fog, providing the grapes ample sunshine in moderate temperatures. Rocky soils provide excellent drainage and radiate warmth during the foggy nights. Cabernet grown under these conditions yields glorious black fruit flavors but also power, tannic structure, and acidity. In 2017, cool autumn temperatures allowed for hangtime into early October. Made from 98% Cabernet (plus 1% each of Merlot and Malbec), the 2017 GOTT is a rich and elegant wine with blue fruit flavors followed by soft, velvety tannins and a hint of chocolate. Enjoy now or years from now.