Jason-Stephens Winery Santa Clara Valley

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1 GOLD SERIES vol. 25 no. 03 w WINE PRESS Medal Winning Wines from California s Best Family-Owned Wineries. Jason-Stephens Winery Santa Clara Valley GOLD MEDAL WINE CLUB America s Leading Independent Wine Club Since 1992

2009 Zinfandel Santa Clara Valley Jason-Stephens 2009 Zinfandel was produced at the winery s estate vineyard in the Santa Clara Valley, an AVA running south-southeast from the southern end of San

2 2009 Zinfandel Santa Clara Valley Jason-Stephens 2009 Zinfandel was produced at the winery s estate vineyard in the Santa Clara Valley, an AVA running south-southeast from the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Northern California. This 2009 Zinfandel is a break from the norm in today s market - made with a focus on bright fruit flavors rather than the commonly characteristic prune or raisin flavors found in many Zinfandels. To achieve this, Jason- Stephens Winery picks their Zinfandel fruit earlier than most to maintain the fruit aspects of the grape and to ensure a better balance of acidity, fruit flavors and tannins. Any raisined grapes are also removed during a sorting system, to further promote a brightly flavored end result. Dark purple in color, the Jason-Stephens 2009 Zinfandel offers fresh raspberry aromas with rich, fruity flavors, a full body, and smooth texture. Jason- Stephens mission is to handcraft a stand out Zinfandel that is a consistent expression of Santa Clara s distinctive terrior and represents the true character of the grape flavor. Aged 36 months in oak. Enjoy now until Gold Medal SPECIAL SELECTION 2012 Riesling CENTRAL COAST 720 Cases Produced Many people assume that all Rieslings are ultra-sweet, syrupy dessert wines, but in today s market, that belief is entirely inaccurate. Riesling comes in a range of styles, from bone-dry to intensely sweet, with the dry styles creating a certain hype for their incredible distinctiveness among white wines. Jason-Stephens 2012 Riesling is made in a balanced, dry style and the result is a wine that is elegant, complex and balanced, with a soft, light texture. On the nose, tropical notes of guava, pineapple and banana mingle together and complement the light, crisp, and dry palate. The 2012 Riesling is an excellent wine for pairing with food - we recommend the Tuna Ceviche recipe listed on Page 5. Jason-Stephens goal is to craft an interesting Riesling that is balanced with fruit, structure, and a soft texture. They have certainly achieved that! Aged in stainless steel tanks. Enjoy now until Gold Medal Special Selection How we choose our wines... Gold Medal Wine Club showcases two wines each month from only the best small wineries of California. Featured wines include those which have earned medals in the top wine-industry competitions or have been highly rated by a respected national wine publication (see goldmedalwineclub.com/resources/wine-ratings). On occasion, we feature a pair of wines which are newly released by the winery and which medals and reviews are forthcoming. Each and every selection is a superb wine made in small quantities and with very limited distribution. There are over 3,000 wineries in California producing thousands of different wines. Only wines fitting the above criteria are considered in choosing the featured selections each month. 2

JASON-STEPHENS WINERY A grass-roots winery in southern Santa Clara Valley, Jason-Stephens Winery has quickly grown into an up and coming label and one of the best kept secrets in the region.

Anyone who has driven through the Gilroy area on US Highway 101 can also attest to the specific smell that accompanies the area.

Gilroy, and most of the small towns that make up the Santa Clara Valley, also happens to be a particularly good environment for growing grapes (which have been thriving there for over 300 years).

3 JASON-STEPHENS WINERY A grass-roots winery in southern Santa Clara Valley, Jason-Stephens Winery has quickly grown into an up and coming label and one of the best kept secrets in the region. When someone mentions Gilroy, California, the subject isn t usually related to wine. Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world and proudly proclaims the fact on huge highway signs. Anyone who has driven through the Gilroy area on US Highway 101 can also attest to the specific smell that accompanies the area. Jason-Stephens Santa Clara Valley vineyards are managed by Stephen Dorcich who does an outstanding job producing superior grapes year after year. Gilroy, and most of the small towns that make up the Santa Clara Valley, also happens to be a particularly good environment for growing grapes (which have been thriving there for over 300 years). That fact was one of the main reasons that first attracted Jason Goelz (pronounced Gels) to build his new winery on Watsonville Road, between Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Goelz was born in the Midwest, but moved with his family to California for his senior year in high school. He matriculated to nearby Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and began studying marketing. Along the way, he took a wine appreciation course, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Additional wine courses provided the impetus for a long term love affair with the grape and allowed him to have a wine/viticulture minor upon graduation. I guess it was just a case of enjoying wine, and later winemaking. I learned to make wine and produced a couple of barrels each year, mostly for my own enjoyment and for my friends. It s amazing how many friends you have when there is wine involved. But Goelz s attention was diverted to marketing, where he enjoyed success in several businesses and his extensive business background proved invaluable. It was always in my mind to make a career in business, then retire early and enter the wine business, the way many people do today. After several years in the outside business world, I began to realize that my true calling was in the wine business, so I decided to take the necessary steps in that direction. A unique relationship with Santa Clara grower Stephen Dorcich proved instrumental in that process. Dorcich had grown high quality grapes for many years and sold his production to other wineries. Goelz started assisting Dorcich in the selling of grapes and bulk wine and eventually showed an ability to get higher prices for both the grapes and wine. Freshly harvested Zinfandel grapes are sorted and prepped for the crusher/destemmer process that takes place prior to fermentation. Continued on Page 4 3

Jason-Stephens Winery, Continued In mid-2006, Goelz approached Dorcich about his idea of building a winery on Dorcich s vineyard land.

The arrangement has worked marvelously for both parties. Jason-Stephens Winery s first release came in 2008, a total of nearly 8,000 cases.

Production has risen to the 30,000-case level, depending on the annual yield of the vineyards. The winery itself is some 10,000 square feet, and completely state-of-the-art.

Jason-Stephens Winery also has storage room for more than 1,200 aging barrels, necessary for the production of its high quality wines.

4 Jason-Stephens Winery, Continued In mid-2006, Goelz approached Dorcich about his idea of building a winery on Dorcich s vineyard land. He would lease the vineyards and produce the wines using Dorcich s grapes as estate-grown fruit, a plus for the grower. The two agreed and construction on Jason- Stephens Winery was begun in The arrangement has worked marvelously for both parties. Jason-Stephens Winery s first release came in 2008, a total of nearly 8,000 cases. The wines were well received from inception and have continually garnered a high number of awards and media features. Production has risen to the 30,000-case level, depending on the annual yield of the vineyards. The winery itself is some 10,000 square feet, and completely state-of-the-art. It is uniquely designed so that the wines can be made by only two people, a rarity in the wine world. Jason-Stephens Winery also has storage room for more than 1,200 aging barrels, necessary for the production of its high quality wines. Jason-Stephens Winery is also in the midst of an incredible growth spurt that has seen it open distribution in many states over the past few years. The reception our wines have received is amazing, explained Goelz. If we continue as we have so far this year, we might have to go into some sort of allocation. That wouldn t be too hard to take. Jason-Stephens Winery may be off the beaten path, but their beautiful, modern tasting room is worth seeking out. Open daily, the Jason-Stephens tasting room offers visitors a personal wine tasting experience with their palate-crafted wines. Jason Goelz, Winemaker Jason Goelz makes all his own wine and wouldn t have it any other way. He knows what he wants from his winemaking and has designed his winery so that it only takes two people to make wine, a rarity in today s California wine industry. He is after clean taste on the palate, and insures that all Jason-Stephens Winery estate fruit is picked when it is perfectly ready. His many wine classes at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo provided him the needed education and expertise to be able to accomplish this most important aspect for his fledgling winery. While not the youngest winemaker in California, Jason surely ranks among the most innovative and adventuresome in his field. 4

Food pairings from Jason-Stephens Cocktail Meatballs Pair with the Jason-Stephens 2009 Zinfandel 5 slices of packaged white sandwich bread 1 cup milk 3 large eggs, beaten 1 small white onion, minced

lean ground beef Vegetable oil, for brushing 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup currant jelly 1/2 cup dry sherry 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce Preheat the broiler.

5 Food pairings from Jason-Stephens Cocktail Meatballs Pair with the Jason-Stephens 2009 Zinfandel 5 slices of packaged white sandwich bread 1 cup milk 3 large eggs, beaten 1 small white onion, minced 1 Tbs. salt 2 tsp. sweet paprika 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. ground mace 2 lbs. lean ground beef Vegetable oil, for brushing 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup currant jelly 1/2 cup dry sherry 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, soak the bread in the milk for 1 minute, until softened. Squeeze out the excess milk and return the bread to the bowl. Add the eggs, onion, salt, paprika, dry mustard, pepper and mace and mix until smooth. Add the ground beef and mix until evening combined. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Using a 2-Tbs. size ice cream scoop, form the meat into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll until smooth. Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet and brush the tops with oil. Broil 10 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes, shifting the sheet occasionally, until the meatballs are sizzling and browned. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, combine the ketchup, jelly, sherry, and Worcestershire. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer, whisking until the jelly is melted. Using a slotted spoon, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over low heat until thickly glazed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a bowl and serve with picks. Recipe provided by Jason- Stephens Winery. Tuna Ceviche with Avocado & Cilantro Pair with the Jason-Stephens 2012 Riesling 1 lb. sushi-grade tuna, sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 3/4 cup fresh lime juice 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 large Hass avocado, cut into 1/3-inch dice 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish Salt Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Arrange the tuna slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and freeze until fairly firm, about 15 minutes. Stack the slices of tuna. Using a very sharp chef s knife, cut the tuna into neat 1/4-inch cubes. Transfer the cubed tuna to a medium glass or ceramic bowl and stir in the red onion, lime juice, and black pepper. Cover the tuna with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring gently with a plastic spatula every 15 to 20 minutes (the diced tuna will change color slightly). Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado and chopped cilantro. Season the ceviche with salt. Transfer the ceviche to a serving bowl or individual glasses. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Recipe provided by Jason-Stephens Winery. Find this recipe and all of your favorites online at GoldMedalWineClub.com/recipes. We have a delicious collection of entrée recipes to pair with your favorite Gold Medal wines! 5

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jason Goelz Jason Goelz is not your ordinary 37-year-old businessman, particularly in the highly competitive California wine industry business.

Not so with Jason Goelz, who has accomplished everything in the wine business on his own. Goelz, if anything, is completely self-assured.

6 IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jason Goelz Jason Goelz is not your ordinary 37-year-old businessman, particularly in the highly competitive California wine industry business. While many others his age might be running similar businesses, many are descendants of families in the wine establishment who have taken over the reins of proven entities. Not so with Jason Goelz, who has accomplished everything in the wine business on his own. Goelz, if anything, is completely self-assured. I have learned a great deal from what I have already experienced, he stated. After school, I did a lot of work as an analyst and as a consultant, not necessarily in the wine arena. I feel that marketing is marketing, and is applicable to just about every type of endeavor. That said, I have tried to make use of what I know. Jason went on to describe some of the little things that have made a difference. Take our labels, for instance, he added. A lot of wineries choose accepted forms of labeling to fit in with other wineries. I felt that our labels should stand on their own merits. I contracted with a wonderful agency in Santa Monica to produce a unique design, one that would not be soon forgotten. It should stand the test of time and was something that wouldn t need changing every few years if the direction of the winery happened to vary. I wanted our labels to be ingrained in our customer s brain, and recognized as something they had seen before. Jason-Stephens Winery s striking labels certainly fit that bill to the proverbial t, one of the elements that Goelz feels has helped his initial success in stores and restaurants. I want people to forget just how young I am, he insisted. I want everyone to judge my wines on their merits and how they taste in their mouths. I am quite appreciative of the initial reception my wines have received, but the winery has been through some really tough times so far. Goelz points to the recent recessionary period during which the American economy slowed to a crawl. This was the time my wines first came on the market, he explained. A lot of people stopped drinking wine altogether and others cut back drastically. A number of wineries were forced out of the business and others were compelled to cut back on their operations. Luckily, I had designed the winery so that it required almost no manpower to operate, so I was able to ride out the really tough periods. Jason serves as winemaker, marketer and CEO of the operation. The only aspect he is not involved with is the grape growing, a task he leaves to his friend and partner Stephen Dorcich. I couldn t have done all this without Stephen s help, Goelz finalized. He is a great grower and a really good guy. We have helped each other in various aspects of our businesses and we are really good friends to boot. Jason Goelz is a prime example of a young man with exceptional talent that has found his niche in life at a relatively young age. He had utilized his training and become successful in a short period of time. He also says he is really enjoying his life right now, something more of us wish we could say. 6

WINE REGION: Santa Clara Valley The Santa Clara Valley can trace its origins in grape growing all the

Grapes have been grown in the area ever since, but for some reason, have never been accorded the

Wineries have dotted the area for hundreds of years and some have grown to extremely large size.

ratio is among the best in mid-california.

to farmers who produce grapes for a living.

It encompassed some 300,000 acres that had formerly been part of the Santa Clara County or Central

Lohr, Sartori, Sara s Vineyards, Solis Winery and Sycamore Creek Vineyards.

ADD A PLUS! BOTTLE to your next wine delivery The Plus!

7 WINE REGION: Santa Clara Valley The Santa Clara Valley can trace its origins in grape growing all the way back to 1798 when the first Mission vines were planted at the Santa Clara Mission. Grapes have been grown in the area ever since, but for some reason, have never been accorded the status of other Central Coast wine regions. Wineries have dotted the area for hundreds of years and some have grown to extremely large size. The existing soils are excellent for most varietals and the near perfect heat (day) and cold (night) ratio is among the best in mid-california. Also, the area s close proximity to the nautical influences of the Pacific Ocean is considered a boon to farmers who produce grapes for a living. Santa Clara Valley The Santa Clara Valley appellation (AVA) was so designated in It encompassed some 300,000 acres that had formerly been part of the Santa Clara County or Central Coast growing areas. The region is also home to top wineries such as J. Lohr, Sartori, Sara s Vineyards, Solis Winery and Sycamore Creek Vineyards. The area has undergone a recent transition that has elevated the status of its vineyards and wineries. ADD A PLUS! BOTTLE to your next wine delivery The Plus! Program automatically adds on one special wine to each regularly scheduled wine delivery, or as often as you like! Plus! wines are all highly rated, very small production wines with availability too limited for all regular club members to receive. JOIN TODAY! $18-$22/DELIVERY This Month s Gold Series featured Plus! wine: Fiddletown Cellars 2011 Reserve Barbera 88 POINTS + 2 SILVER MEDALS Just 350 Cases Produced! 7

8 Wine wizard: test your WINE iq! 1. What is cold maceration? Cold maceration is the process of putting the grapes in a refrigerated environment for several days before starting fermentation to encourage color extraction. This cold soak strategy helps emphasize brighter fruit notes and darker color in the finished wine. 2. What is co-fermentation? Co-fermentation is the process of fermenting two or more grape varietals simultaneously. While not done often, it is a common practice in the Northern Rhone and Australia, where Syrah, a red grape, and Viognier, a white grape, are co-fermented. The process is believed to increase texture and color in the final product. 3. What are the general flavor differences in American and French oak? While both American and French oak contribute tannins and aromas, French oak contains more tannins and flavor components with less oaky flavor and smell than American oak. American oak is more intensely flavored, with a more aggressive mouthfeel and immediately apparent aroma. American oak also contains more sweet and vanilla overtones than French oak. When it comes to wine barrels, all winemakers are looking for something different, and there is no right or wrong choice - it s just a difference in style preference. The Gold Medal Wine Store Membership Rewards Saves you 21% to 42% off Jason-Stephens wines! Retail Price Gold Medal Membership Rewards Pricing* JASON-STEPHENS at Winery 2+ btls. 6+ btls. 12+ btls. 24+ btls Zinfandel $28.00/btl. 2-Bottle Members: 4-Bottle Members: $22.00 $20.33 $19.50 $18.67 $22.00 $19.50 $18.25 $ Riesling $22.00/btl. 2-Bottle Members: 4-Bottle Members: $17.00 $15.33 $14.50 $13.67 $17.00 $14.50 $13.25 $12.83 *Effective per bottle prices after Membership Rewards discount is applied at checkout. Order Online: Call Toll Free: These special discounts are available only to club members, gift recipients and gift givers. 2 bottle min, per wine, per order. Shipping and tax (if applicable) not included in above prices. Membership Rewards does not apply to Sale or Special Offer Wines.

Club Sunstone. SPRING March 2017

Club Sunstone. SPRING March 2017 Club Sunstone SPRING March 2017 MARCH 2017 CLUB SUNSTONE RELEASE SUNSTONE LEGACY ALL REDS: (2) 2015 Eros (1) 2014 Soleil Rouge MIXED: (1) 2016 Viognier (1) 2015 Eros (1) 2014 Soleil Rouge SUNSTONE HERITAGE