Philosophies on Winemaking and Scaling a Wine Business with Josh Phelps

Cru | Wine Industry Podcast

Josh Phelps is the founder and winemaker of Grounded Wine Co. making delicious, all-American, and approachable wines across the west coast while based in St. Helena, California.

Josh’s roots run deep in Napa, raised in a winemaking family, he was exposed to the industry from a young age, starting his very first endeavor in the wine world, “Napa Valet”, at age 15. He continued to build his knowledge of the business through college, selling wine, working the harvest and creating wine for friends with his father, Chris Phelps (of Dominus Estate). As a Napa local, his philosophies on winemaking and business are advised from luminaries of the wine world he calls his mentors and friends like Joel Gott, Kimberly Jones and Leslie Rudd, and of course, his own father. With Grounded Wine Co., Josh hopes to build on this legacy and make his own splash in the wine world while exposing wine drinkers of his own generation to his hometown in wine country.

As a part of his incredible résumé, Josh has been named to Forbes’s 30 under 30 list, Zagat’s 30 under 30 and Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 – though one of his proudest accomplishments is still the Eagle Scout badge he earned at the age of 18.

Grounded Wine Co. is being 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. Working with trusted farmers and childhood friends, his company respects his deep understanding of wine, one that can only be developed growing up around the vines.

In this episode we mention…

Chris Phelps, Josh’s father Dominus Estate Caymus Winery Taken Wine Co. Chambers & Chambers Distributors Trinchero Family Estates Grounded Wine Co. Ad Vivum Cellars, Chris’ wine label Landform Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, newest label from Grounded Work by Gospel, Josh’s design team Terry Wheatly, Vintage Wine Estates the late Leslie Rudd Authentique Wine Cellars, Oregon Dan Petroski (interview 1) / (interview 2) Space Age Rosé of Grenache, Grounded La Gravette de Certan Massican Champagne Vilmart Champagne Pierre Peters Champagne Doyard Follow Grounded Wine Co. On… INSTAGRAMFACEBOOK WEBSITE