It Takes a Wine Village to make every bottle of inspired J, especially during harvest. We are so appreciative of our adoring J Fans that we want to share the hard-working J Harvest Team Members that bring your favorite bottles of J to your table for sharing with family and friends.
J Team Member: Martin
Position at J: Production Director
(Cellar)
Years working on the J Team: 15 Years
Favorite J Wine: J Vintage Brut
Martin’s production team and the
winemaking process at J Vineyards & Winery offer him an abundant of
inspiration. “I love the whole aspect of the winemaking cycle from bringing in
the grapes during harvest to crafting them into a quality J wine; I have a
remarkable team that shares this same passion so every day at J is innovative
and inspiring for me.”
Martin is a great communicator and
mentor, his team holds very high regards for him, Martin says, “I am very
meticulous, organized and conscientious, while also being respectful,
thoughtful and approachable. It is very
important to me that my team can truly rely on me providing clear and creative
direction so they have the opportunity to thrive in a positive and harmonious
manner ever day at work. It’s a win-win
for all of us when my team and I work together to communicate and innovate an
idea to life.”
Martin has been in the wine business
for 20 years, 15 years at J, Martin says, “I started my career in production and
the cellar, which is where my passion for wine really developed. It is very rewarding to have the ability to
craft impressive wines for friends and family to enjoy their time together at
the dinner table, a picnic outing, or a grand celebration.”
Martin feels he is very fortunate to
work for such an inspirational winery such as J, “Being here at J Vineyards
& Winery for 15 years I have come to realize that J is an authentic
establishment that provides opportunity to grow within. I feel fortunate to work for such a wonderful
winery and I can see that more prosperous opportunities are available to me at
J in my future. I am really proud to be
part of this family oriented winery.”
As much as Martin loves his job at J,
he has an uncompromising devotion for his family, Martin says, “If I am not at
work I am always with my wife and three children, they are all the light of my
life. I operate at home as I do at work
with a conscientious, respectful, and thoughtful manner, especially when
helping my children with their homework, swimming, soccer, and their Tai Kwon
Do martial arts activities.” Martin is
quite involved in his community as he is a Board Member for a Santa Rosa soccer
club, “I find it very important and beneficial to give back to my community by
volunteering my time for my children and other parents’ children. I want to teach my children the beneficial aspects
of being involved in the community; it will enhance their life in a more
positive and giving manner.”
Martin has favorite aspects of his job
here at J, Martin says, “I take pleasure in being part of the J winemaking team
as I contribute to the creative blending process of the wines and have a
respected opinion on the final blend for a new vintage for our varietal or
sparkling wines.”
When Martin is assisting in crafting
new J vintages he not only thinks about his enjoyment from the blended wines,
he also thinks about the consumers perceptions of the wines. Martin says, “My
first and foremost thought when blending final blends is the consumer. I want
to be sure that from the first sip to the last sip they are overwhelmed with the
joy they get from the bouquet of the aromas, to the balance, complexity and
elegance they receive from the flavors as I focus on quality.”
Part of Martin’s job is to source
quality coopers (barrels) for our varietal wines and this past June he had an
amazing opportunity to fly on a private plane to Missouri, compliments of the
barrel makers, to visit the forest where they source their trees for making
their quality barrels. Martin says, “It
was an amazing experience to visit the forest to source a tree and deliver it
to their mill, saw the wood into barrel staves, which are the pieces of wood
that form the barrel. And for the
finale, I had the enjoyment of toasting my own barrel.”
Martin runs his department at J
Vineyards & Winery as though it were his own personal business; he is very
diligent, meticulous, creative, charitable, organized, and quite fun
loving. Martin is a much-respected J
team member, and he will always go out of his way to assist in any other
department that requires attention. We
are so very proud and honored to have Martin in the J family; he is a true J
sparkling gem!
