Time Stands Still for No One

There’s a quote, “time stands still for no one”

So much has changed since I first started making wine in 1991. I had a part-time job working for a small family-owned winery in the hills of Hydes, Maryland.

This is where gained my first understanding of how much work, energy, sweat, and above all, PASSION it takes to make great wine. I had the opportunity to work in many departments in production (both in the cellar and vineyard). I also tasted a lot of different wines. I was hooked! The next stop was to Fresno State in California to obtain my Masters in Agricultural Science with an emphasis in Enology and Viticulture.

It was during this time, I was fortunate to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon from Flora Springs fruit, a Zinfandel from the Aldo’s Vineyard Napa Valley, from Robert Biale, a Zinfandel from Bob Lamborn’s vineyard on Howell Mountain, and an Alicante Boushet from Piner Ranch from Topolos.

After graduating, I had the great opportunity to work at Rosenblum Cellars. First, as an intern, later as its Winemaker and VP of Production. I spent a decade producing many bottlings of Zinfandels and Rhône varietals, but I also had my “side hustle”.

I started JC Cellars with the 1996 vintage, and now of course it is now Jeff Cohn Cellars.

So here we are, 2023 and I just bottled the 2021 vintage on July 14th, including three new wines that I have not made before. And now, I am getting set for the next amazing vintage to come – albeit, most likely a tad later than usual.

Time has really flown by! I see this when I look at my two daughters Isabel and Haley. Both are grown-up, living on their own and wow, just how amazing they truly are. I still see the image of these two little girls wearing matching dresses sitting on the wooden Buffalo in Rockpile Vineyard.

I again feel the sense of time when I look in my cellar and look at the wines I have been aging (both my own and from all over the world). I see the vintage dates on the bottles and wonder why I have waited so long to open them. I know part of me has been waiting for that special occasion. Trust me, when I say every day is a special occasion. So, go ahead and drink it now, I promise I’ll make more.

I have been very fortunate to have worked with many exceptional winemakers over the years and made friends with even more. My collaborations with Yves Cuilleron, Yves Gangloff, Pierre Gaillard, Francois Villard, and Anne Charlotte Melia-Bachas have been and continue to be some of most incredible experiences.

Reflecting and writing about the past has given me a chance to think about the now and the future, not only in a winemaking sense, but also on my personal journey. I can tell you the now is both exciting and in constant flux, while the future is just something that is just another vintage away.

I am excited about the wines we just bottled and I just couldn’t wait to share the 2022 whites with you!

Say “Bonjour!” to My 2022 Rhône Whites

2022 Les Inséparables - Rhône White Blend

Medium light gold color, with aromatics of apricot, peach, and Bosc pear, vanilla bean, cinnamon and just a touch of minerality (Petrichor) that really give the wine pinpoint focus and lift. The palate is very giving and luxurious while showcasing both dried peach and apricots, but a touch of lime that brings freshness to the mid-palate that is both sensual and exotic to a lengthy finish.

The blend: 43% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 27% Viognier

2022 Les Inséparables

 

2022 Trials & Tribulations - Late Harvest Viognier

A vibrant medium gold in color, with explosive aromatics of dried peaches, ripe apricots, and tangerines (like Cuties) and just a kiss of creamy vanilla. A totally off-the-charts front palate that carries through to an absolutely stunning mid-palate and long finish, whose flavors are a total reflection of its aromas. What’s mind blowing about this wine is the balance between sweetness, (which it has in abundance), and how vibrant it is. This late harvest wine is for the now, but I feel will become more sensual over the next 5 - 10 years. 

The blend: 100% Viognier, Low alcohol at 11% and packaged in a 375mL bottle.

2022 Trials & Tribulations

~ Half Full,

Jeff