Good Grape Wine Company

January 8 2008

A Joel Gott Double-Header Wine Review

You have to hand it to Joel Gott.  He’s a thirty-something small business titan with his hands in so many projects that it would make the likes of Donald Trump proud.

Based on a very cursory and un-fact checked search of the web, Gott is a partner in The Rebel Wine Co. which produces “Three Thieves” and “The Show” wines, he has his own label called, duh, Joel Gott Wines, he runs Taylor’s Refresher, a retro-cool burger stand on highway 29 in the valley, he co-owns the Palisades Market in Calistoga, and apparently he also runs a couple of other things as well like a car wash.

Phew.  Got all that?  I try to make it through the workday and find time to blog while keeping my wife happy by taking out the trash. 

There’s a lot to like about most of the projects Gott is involved in … the burgers are tasty at Taylor’s Refresher, his Joel Gott line of wines are notably lauded in some years, in some varietals, for being exceptional values and ‘The Show’ wines in which he is a partner have some amazing graphical label appeal, having the label designed by world-renowned print shop Hatch Show Print, of which I am a big fan. I still think that there is a viable online business for somebody to design hip rock show posters for wine properties in their traditional 11 x 14 format and sell them online for Gen. Y oenophiles.  In fact, I would do it myself if I didn’t try to make it through the workday and find time to blog while keeping my wife happy by taking out the trash.  Wait, I think I already mentioned that … but you get the point.

Because of Gott’s overachieving ways, I decided to review both his 2005 Cabernet’s from ‘The Show’ line-up and Joel Gott wines.

Both wines showed admirably, and you can stylistically see the difference between the two—‘The Show’ is a party Cabernet where his Joel Gott line is more classically styled as a meritorious California wine—fruit forward, but with more complexity.  Unfortunately, his eponymous label, despite showing broader character came up number two in the two horse race based on its short (non-existent?) finish.

Cheers to Joel Gott for being a being a man with his hand in many cookie jars, and a spirit towards making reasonably priced, creative wines.  And, another cheer to him for doing his wine work in the midst of a bunch of other projects.  Multi-taskers, in addition to wine lovers, everywhere should rejoice with a kindred spirit.

My tasting notes and review are linked below.

2005 The Show Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon

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