2022 Joel Gott - Cabernet Sauvignon California HALF BOTTLE (375ml)

Joel Gott is a fourth-generation California vintner who grew up in the Sierra Foothills, where his parents founded Montevina Winery in Amador County. In 1996 he maxed out his credit cards to buy Amador County Zinfandel grapes, making the wine with his then-girlfriend, winemaker Sarah, whom he married the following year. Based in St. Helena, the couple built the label into a value-driven, food-friendly brand, cultivating long-term relationships with growers across California, Oregon, and Washington.

This bottling, known internally as Blend No. 815, is 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon assembled from select vineyard sites spanning Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Lake County, Mendocino, Lodi, and the Central Coast. Each appellation contributes something different, with Napa lending complexity, Sonoma adding spice, Lake County bringing structure and minerality, and Mendocino deepening color and berry character. Fruit from every site is crushed, fermented, and aged separately before extensive blending trials bring the lots together. The finished wine spends up to sixteen months in oak barrels, thirty-five percent of them new American oak, before bottling.

The 2022 vintage is ripe and youthful, with aromas of black cherry and toasted graham cracker layered over sweet cedar. The palate opens with juicy red fruit, moving into velvety tannins and a long, textured finish touched with nutmeg. Pour it with grilled burgers, barbecue ribs, or a peppery aged Asiago.