The California husband-and-wife team behind J.Brix have had an incredible run as of late. Winemakers Jody and Emily began making wine out of their garage about ten years ago following an a-ha wine moment in... Read More

The California husband-and-wife team behind J.Brix have had an incredible run as of late. Winemakers Jody and Emily began making wine out of their garage about ten years ago following an a-ha wine moment in Santa Barbara. Fast forward a few years and their Riesling Pet Nat had won #1 in a NYTimes tasting panel led by Eric Asimov in 2018.

Based in San Diego County, they have a simple motto: “Only love.” To them, that’s the only ingredient that should be added in the winemaking process. All of their wines are fermented in neutral vessels with indigenous yeasts and is neither cold stabilized, fined, nor filtered. The results are singular wines that highlight the true character of the grapes and where they come from.

Another key to their success is spending as much time as possible in the vineyards, and working very closely with the growers that they acquire their grapes from. Jody has a degree and background in horticulture so plant physiology is luckily almost second nature. Emily believes that there is great potential in San Diego because many farmers are now transitioning to planting vines (in lieu of citrus or avocados) to save costs on water. Many of the growers they work with go back many generations and have incredible knowledge of their land and vines.