Vintner Voices: Ortega Family Wines

Wines We're Drinking

2021 Ortega Family Wines Carneros Pinot Blanc, Napa Valley. 100% Pinot Blanc sourced from the Carneros appellation. Tasting notes: stone fruit, lemongrass, and a bright tart lime finish. A food-friendly white with great acidity that shines on a hot day, especially alongside spicy food or cheese.

Available at OrtegaWines.com. Listener discount available through April 30th. Mention Wine and Chisme when you order.

Episode Description:

Six years in the making, mi gente, and this one was worth every single second of the wait.

Jessica sits down with Jesus Ortega Jr., owner and winemaker of Ortega Family Wines, for a conversation that is equal parts history, heart, and honesty. Born and raised in the vineyards of Yountville, Napa Valley, Jesus is the son of immigrants who came to California through the Bracero program in 1964. His family has worked the land for three generations. Now, Jesus is doing something none of them did before him: he owns the brand.

In this episode, Jessica sips on the 2021 Carneros Pinot Blanc while Jesus shares the full journey, from a kid who didn't want to pick up pruned canes in the rain, to a self-taught winemaker who runs his own label out of the very vineyards where he grew up. He talks about the winemaker who took a chance on him, the harvest party that changed everything, surviving COVID as a brand-new label, and why his philosophy is simply: farmer first, winemaker second.

They also get into the current state of wine consumption among younger generations, what makes small producers different from mass producers, the comeback of Merlot (gracias a Dios), California Malbec vs. Argentinian Malbec, and a little wine magic trick involving your dominant nostril that you will absolutely use at your next dinner party.

And yes, there is a discount situation. You have to listen for it.

In This Episode:

0:00 Intro + Opening Toast: 2021 Carneros Pinot Blanc 3:30 Reading Jesus's Bio + The Bracero Program 6:00 Growing Up in the Vineyards of Yountville 9:30 The Barbecue That Started It All (and the oaky Sauvignon Blanc) 12:00 Getting Sent Home for Chewing Gum 14:30 From Tasting Room to Vineyard Manager 17:00 Jessica's Origin Story: Strawberry Hill at a Quinceanera 20:00 "We Not Only Work the Land, We Own the Brand" 22:00 Wine as a Story in a Bottle 25:00 Launching the Latiné Wine Brand Directory 30:00 Deciding to Start Ortega Family Wines in 2020 33:00 Getting COVID as a Brand-New Winemaker 38:00 How His Sense of Smell Came Back Stronger 41:00 Farmer First, Winemaker Second 44:00 The Accidental Syrah-Malbec Blend 46:00 From Harvest to Bottle: The Winemaking Process Explained 50:00 Current Lineup: Pinot Blanc, Cabs, Malbec, and More 53:00 Starting Wine: Pinot Noir and Why Merlot Is Making a Comeback 58:00 The Sideways Effect on Merlot 1:00:00 The Younger Generation and Wine Consumption 1:03:00 Why Small Producers Are Different 1:06:00 The Dominant Nostril Wine Trick 1:10:00 What's Coming Next from Ortega Family Wines (a 2022 Malbec!) 1:14:00 Listener Discount + How to Order

Connect with Ortega Family Wines: Website: OrtegaWines.com Instagram: @ortega_family_wines Wine Club, Private Tastings, and Winemaker Dinners available via the website

Connect with Wine and Chisme: Latiné Wine Brand Directory: thewineandchismepodcast.com Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube: @wineandchisme