Guest Winemaker 2022-3
Why?
At Jasper Ridge, we know that working collaboratively with the community helps to challenge what we think and how we work, for the better. The principle of our Guest Winemaker comes from the idea of a guest chef in a restaurant.
We offer a portion of our fruit to talented young winemakers to experiment with different winemaking techniques, and together we share the journey to bottle and beyond.
Our first ever Guest Winemaker, Guy Young, Assistant Winemaker at the Goldie Estate on Waiheke Island, created a different expression of Syrah from our single vineyard style, changing the profile of the wine. Working with Guy has taught us that we can create hugely different expressions from the fruit grown on the Estate through different winemaking techniques.
We are humbled to work with such an amazing talent and hope you get to taste his limited availability exceptional 2022 Syrah.
We asked Guy to tell us about his journey.
“My journey into wine began in the womb. Born into a wine-loving family and growing up around grapevines in Marlborough meant wine was never far from mind. School holidays containing copious leaf plucking or pruning thankfully dispelled the illusion of glamour in the industry.
Following a move to the winterless North to study Winemaking in 2016, I’ve found a deep connection with the people and culture of Waiheke Island and am ever inspired by the pioneering spirit of local vignerons, who graciously toil in this challenging corner of the wine world.
Vintages in Australia, Europe and the USA showed me that to help a place be expressed thoughtfully through careful viticulture and attentive winemaking is an incredible privilege - one that is both humbling and enriching.
I’m usually happiest behind the scenes, around a table with fine friends, wine and music flowing...”
Winemaking Process
The 2022 Guest Winemaker Syrah was created by destemming without crushing retained whole berries during fermentation, allowing for infusion along with extraction. Submerged cap fermentation and whole-cluster inclusion were implemented to increase the dimension and expression of the house block site. The fruit was pressed after three weeks on skins and aged in seasoned French oak barriques for 16 months and bottled without fining in September 2023.
Find out more about the Guest Winemaker Syrah 2022, keep up to date via Instagram or sign up to receive updates.