Review: Wines of Joel Gott, 2012 Vintage
To paraphrase Ayn Rand: Who is Joel Gott?
A fixture in California wine country, Gott is a longtime retailer, winemaker, and burger purveyor in the thoroughfares of Napa, where his Gott’s Roadside is a must-stop dining experience (also in the San Francisco Ferry Building). With his partners at Trinchero, Gott now has his own label — affordable wines designed for everyday drinking. We tried three from the 2012 vintage. (Random Gott bottling pictured.)
2012 Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay Monterey/Sonoma/Napa – Crisp with notes of lemon and apple, a very lively, easy-drinking Chardonnay. Touches of fig and vanilla ice cream emerge on the finish, giving it a bit too much sweetness, but at this price it’s hard to resist. A- / $13
2012 Joel Gott “Alakai” Grenache California – A big, fruity wine, but plenty shy of turning into jam in a bottle. The nose offers blackcurrants, blueberries, and tea leaf, with ample vanilla on the back end. The body is rich, the finish lasting. Slightly sweet with the tiniest hint of red pepper (red pepper jam?), giving this a lively, summery feel. B+ / $15
2012 Joel Gott “815” Cabernet Sauvignon California – Overblown, its intense, sweet tea character pumped up with sugary grape jelly, with a nose that reeks of fruit concentrate. Canned fruit on the finish. D+ / $12
2012 Joel Gott "Alakai" Grenache California
$15
