Winemaker’s Philosophy
Passion in a BottleMy plan when I begin each new vintage is to acknowledge my own ignorance and utilize that as a strength, enlisting the advice of vintaged winemakers, methodically hand crafting every wine. Each vintage brings renewed possibilities in the quest for the ideal and reaching the inner life of the people who drink the wine.
I want to enhance people’s lives for the better because of what I’ve created. My goal is to provide the wine enthusiast with wines that exceed their expectations.
Wine has the ability to put us in touch with a deeper sense of our own identity and a richer understanding of our human nature. Our impulse toward ritual is deeply rooted and the wine package is a powerful evocation of this characteristic. It is a sculpture of the moment, a genuine reflection of its time. The wine, the vineyards, the evenings of laughter and light, are all part of our human heritage; this sense of community imbues what I do with meaning, depth, and joy.
The Ritualized consumption and its ability to alter consciousness is what has made wine such a powerful talisman, and the wine label a cultural artifact.
Transformation
Like the alchemist’s metaphoric transformation of lead into gold, we transform our estate grape’s into the lush velvet, fruity wines of the new world.
We don’t look for customers; we want to build friends, family and life-long loyal wine lovers. We are all individuals in search of meaning in our daily lives – meaning in what we eat, what we drink and what we wear. As a winemaker, my goal is change people’s lives for the better because of what I’ve created.
Standing out on the World’s Stage
The wine package is best understood as an experience of fine art. The wine experience involving all the senses, it is the time spent in the company of friends that makes the wine label unique.
The label’s limited surface is a circumscribed universe, but within that universe the possibilities are infinite. Our package forges a link between the graphic surface and the sculptural foundation, a link between the eyes and the flavors sensed in the mouth.
Release the message in the bottle by unleashing Jason-Stephens from the bottle today. The package is a philosophical expression, a visual narrative of the vintage’s transformation and aging, the pairing of the winegrower and the winemaker.
The identity of our wine is revealed in bold, strong packaging, providing the consumer the sensory clues about what lies within. The wine’s package sharpens the drinking experience and is the only memento left at the end of the last sip.
Winegrower’s Philosophy
As winegrower my goal is provide the winemaker with the best fruit possible. The vineyard is an exercise in harmony and balance. We have to put back into the land what the grapes take each year. The vines have to maintain just the correct level of water and nutrients. The fruit load has to be matched to the soil fertilization, the vines capacity for quality and the microclimate. In essence, the vines are in perfect unity with the surroundings of our beautiful valley.We are stewards of the land, we practice sustainable agriculture to preserve the land for future generations. Each year we renew our cover crop of grasses and wildflower, which adds biomass and nitrogen back into the soil. This creates a home for all of the beneficial bugs; as well as prevents erosion and helps release heat in the event of a frost. The wildflowers in between every other row also provide a beautiful array of colors that accent the beauty of the vineyard.
As farmers and landowners we love the land and are ever mindful of environmental impacts. Exhausted soil and misuse of the land and water contribute to less productive vineyards. Environmental stewardship comes naturally because it makes sense for our business, our family, our community and our environment.
California Sustainable Winegrowing is comprehensive in scope, addressing three interlinked goals of environmental soundness, economic feasibility, social equity, and covering a broad range of elements in the production of grapes and wine – from the earth to the bottle.
