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29 Jul

Posted at 22:36h in Events, News, Uncategorized, Vineyards
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Every bottle of our Martini Clone "Old Girls" Pinot Noir represents years of persistence, a little luck, and one very special block of vines. When I decided to start Joseph Jewell Wines in 2007 and 2008, I had one simple goal: make exceptional Pinot Noir. There was just one problem—no one wanted to sell grapes to a brand-new winery. The financial recession had the wine industry on edge, and growers weren’t eager to take a chance on an unknown winemaker. Ironically, that same recession eventually created the opportunities that helped shape Joseph Jewell Wines. In 2009, I began working with Floodgate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. At the time, there wasn’t much fruit available, and the vineyard manager, Warren, offered me a small corner of the vineyard. It sat in what I...

16 Jun

Posted at 17:39h in Events, News, Uncategorized, Vineyards
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Some wines are born from tradition. Others are born from curiosity. Our Sparkling Vermentino is a little bit of both. Vermentino has always been a favorite grape of mine because it naturally carries a freshness that reminds me of an ocean sea breeze. Even grown here in Sonoma County, it retains a bright, coastal character with citrus, floral notes, and an energy that makes it incredibly refreshing. The fruit comes from Raymond Burr Vineyard, a property I know well. In addition to making the wines, I help farm the vineyard, which gives me a unique connection to every vintage. When you spend time in the vines throughout the growing season, you develop a deeper understanding of the fruit and the possibilities it offers. One year, that possibility looked like bubbles. We produce traditional sparkling wines...

06 May

Posted at 19:54h in Events, News, Uncategorized, Vineyards
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A Hidden Humboldt Gem One of the things I like about growing and making wines from Humboldt is the “undiscovered” aspect. Humboldt County remains a small and largely unexplored wine region. There are only a handful of vineyards, but the possibilities for making great wines are there if you are willing to look for them. My first sojourn to Phelps Vineyard was in 2019, when the owner of Briceland Vineyards brought me there (it’s not exactly a place you could stumble upon). For me, the trip to Phelps Vineyard started with the three-hour drive from my home in Sebastopol to Garberville, followed by another 45-minute drive on a dirt road that climbs from roughly 300 feet to close to 2,500, getting steeper and narrower as it goes. Technically, it’s about four miles...

29 Dec

Posted at 22:01h in Uncategorized
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Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Challenges, Growth, and Milestones at Joseph Jewell Wines 2025 has been an interesting year for the wine industry. Truthfully, this business has never been easy to navigate, and starting Joseph Jewell Wines during the Great Recession taught me early on how to handle uncertainty and bumpy roads. That experience has proven valuable once again. While there has certainly been turbulence this year — from shifting consumer habits to continued pressure across the industry — the ups have outweighed the downs. Looking back, there’s a lot to be proud of. Here are a few highlights from the past year. National Recognition One of the biggest personal and professional honors this year was being named one of Imbibe Magazine’s “75 People to Watch.” It was incredibly humbling to be recognized...

02 Jan

Posted at 21:29h in Uncategorized
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Greetings from Sonoma County!  ​​As we step into a new chapter and bid adieu to 2023–brimming with rain, surprises, and exceptional grape-growing conditions–we eagerly anticipate the unfolding of a remarkable year ahead. Among the myriad of highlights awaiting us in 2024, one that stands out prominently is the upcoming debut of our highly anticipated Sauvignon Blanc from the esteemed Starscape Vineyard. 2023 Harvest Recap 2023 commenced with an abundance of rain–a blessing considering the dire drought situation we faced in Northern California at the time. Throughout the winter months, nine atmospheric rivers rolled through the area, transforming our landscape and filling reservoirs to historic highs. Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino, once at their lowest levels in 2022, now proudly boast their highest water levels on record–ever! Mother Nature has certainly shown her power. As...

05 Jan

Posted at 20:30h in Events, Uncategorized, Vineyards, Wine
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As we begin 2023, we are as equally excited for what is to come as we are for how 2022 went for Joseph Jewell! 2022: Looking Back 2022 was, in many ways, our return to normalcy post-COVID. In February, we were thrilled to reopen our Vineyard Tours after the gloomy winter months and were soon met with glorious Summer-like weather. We hosted an Art & Wine event featuring local artist Michelle Carnes in April, which was well-attended and thoroughly enjoyed by many of you! As we rounded the corner to Summer, Master Somm Evan Goldstein held a panel of 20 winemakers at the annual Russian River Valley Pinot Forum featuring our winemaker, Adrian Manspeaker, as one of the vintners who spoke. Later, in August, we hosted our first Vineyard Dinner in three years...

12 Dec

Posted at 17:51h in Uncategorized
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'Tis the season to shower yourself, friends, and family with holiday cheer. A great way to elevate your celebrations is to consider how to select your holiday wines, pairings, and more.  How To Select Holiday Wines Whether you plan to pair wines with food or simply swirl and enjoy during the festivities, wine selections are a great way to make the time with your holidays even more special. Here are our favorite tips...

09 Jul

Posted at 04:57h in Uncategorized
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"Raising our Glass to Starscape Vineyard!"   If you’re familiar with our journey here at Joseph Jewell Wines, you know we have quite the history with our “home” vineyard, Starscape Vineyard, formerly known as Floodgate Vineyard. Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen the name and ownership, as well as our relationship with the vineyard change and thrive.   From the multiple blocks and different clones we use for our Pinot and Chardonnay, to the way we process the fruit, the terroir of the vineyard is truly highlighted in the wines we produce from Starscape. Usually we highlight this vineyard with our summer vineyard dinner, but this year we will instead be featuring a special Starscape tasting menu of library wines ranging from the 2012 to 2016 vintages, available for our Seated Tasting and our...

27 Aug

Posted at 20:30h in Uncategorized
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[caption id="attachment_1802" align="alignright" width="326"] Adrian with Chef John Ash[/caption] For Adrian, becoming a winemaker and creating Joseph Jewell was not an overnight decision. It was a series of unforgettable moments that led him to his passion. One of those aha moments happened over 15 years ago, at his birthday dinner. The location was John Ash’s restaurant. The dinner was for Adrian’s 25th birthday. The bottle was a 1978 Iron Horse Cabernet Sauvignon. At first sight the bottle was special because the vintage was Adrian’s birth year, but on closer inspection, Adrian discovered himself pondering the time and effort that really goes into harvest and the wine making process. “I turned the bottle around to see the back label, I was already excited because of the vintage, but then I saw the grapes...

16 Jul

Posted at 21:13h in Uncategorized
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As we look forward to our Dinner in Starscape, I think it’s important to look back and reflect on the history of this great vineyard and how our relationship and wine portfolio have grown with the vineyard. Starscape Vineyard, previously known as Floodgate Vineyard, is in the Middle Reach area of the Russian River Valley AVA.  It is in a highly sought-after part of the Russian River Valley with vineyards like Richie Vineyard to the North, and Kistler's Vineyard to the North East. The vineyard is 70 acres planted, with about 50 acres planted to Pinot Noir with 7 different clonal selections:  Calera, Pommard, Martini, and Dijon clones 828, 115, 777 and 667. There are also 15 acres of Chardonnay and 5 acres of Sauvignon Blanc. One of the things that...