Grounded Wine Co.
2023 Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA
Auction 29 | Lot No. 28
Vintage: 2023
Grounded Wine Co.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
20 cases produced
Highlights
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Dakata Ranch in the Oak Knoll District appellation
- Made by the father and son winemaking team of Josh and Chris Phelps
- Aging in 80% new French oak barrels for 24 months
- We work with Jim Barbour to farm this vineyard and this wine comes from our favorite block
Description
At Grounded Wine Co., second-generation winemaker Josh Phelps crafts a portfolio of wines from across the West Coast alongside his 100-point winemaker father, Chris Phelps. His Napa project is called Steady State and this year’s Premiere Napa Valley lot represents the best block of Dakata Ranch in Oak Knoll, the source for that wine.
Wine Facts
- Single vineyard wine
- Sustainably produced
Josh Phelps
Winemaker, Grounded Wine Co.
Grounded Wine Co. is the personal brand of Napa native Josh Phelps, built to reflect his experience growing up in wine country, and his relationships in the wine community. A grassroots, all-American, wine label, the wines feature grapes from trusted, sustainable vineyards in California and Washington and showcase what it means to be a winemaker today.
Country born: United States
Years in the wine industry: 4 years
Chris Phelps
Winemaker, Grounded Wine Co.
Born into a wine-loving family, Chris Phelps completed a degree in enology at UC Davis prior to studying viticulture and enology at the University of Bordeaux. He was selected by his future mentors, Christian Moueix and enologist Jean-Claude Berrouet, of Château Pétrus and Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix, to direct winemaking at Château des Laurets in Puisseguin-St. Emilion for the 1982 harvest. This led to extensive training at Château Pétrus and other Moueix properties on the Right Bank, and then to 12 years as founding winemaker at Dominus Estate, the Napa Valley property owned by Moueix. After Dominus, Chris served in as winemaker at Caymus Vineyards, prior to joining Swanson Vineyards, where he directed production until 2015. Chris likes to make “New World wines with an Old World sensibility,” blending experience and intuition with appropriate technology. He is passionate about bringing elegance and balance to the wines with which he is privileged to work. Chris has been producing his own Napa Cabernet Sauvignon under the Ad Vivum label since 2007. In addition to serving as Associate Winemaker for Inglenook Winery in Rutherford, he continues to consult for several other brands in Napa Valley and the Pacific Northwest. Chris and his wife, Maria, live in St. Helena, Napa Valley, where they raised their four children.
Country born: United States
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Winery Distribution
Grounded Wine Co. is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Domestic:
- Alabama (Alabama Crown)
- Alaska (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Arizona (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Arkansas (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- California (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Colorado (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Connecticut (Skurnik Wines and Spirits )
- Florida (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Georgia (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Hawaii (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Idaho (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Illinois (SGWS)
- Indiana (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Kansas (Standard Beverage)
- Kentucky (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Louisiana (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Maine (Central Distributors)
- Maryland (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Massachusetts (Horizon Beverage)
- Michigan (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Minnesota (Breakthru Beverage)
- Mississippi (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Missouri (Bommarito )
- Montana (Cardinal Distributing)
- Nebraska (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Nevada (Vin Sauvage)
- New Hampshire (Horizon Beverage)
- New Jersey (Skurnik Wines and Spirits)
- New Mexico (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- New York (Skurnik Wines and Spirits)
- North Carolina (Johnson Brothers)
- North Dakota (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Ohio (SGWS)
- Oklahoma (Handcrafted Wines)
- Oregon (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Pennsylvania (Breakthru Beverage)
- Rhode Island (Skurnik Wines and Spirits)
- South Carolina (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- South Dakota (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Tennessee (Best Brands)
- Texas (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Virginia (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- Washington (RNDC - The Estates Group )
- West Virginia (Wine and Beverage)
- Wisconsin (General Beverage)
- Wyoming (RNDC - The Estates Group )