“His attention to detail is amazing. He walks the vineyards; similar to how I am,” is how David Eakle describes Pope Valley Winery’s newly named winemaker, Garrett Cosenza.
Cosenza, only 35 years old was for the past year, the assistant under Eakle, himself only 33, and who is one of the two young owners of one of California’s oldest wineries. Eakle, who has made the wine for Pope Valley Winery (PVW) since 2012, will continue to be the company’s viticulturist and operations manager. Along with his sister Diana Hawkins, 36, they are guiding the winery – which as one of California’s pre-Prohibition wineries, has been making wine since 1897 in the northeastern hills of Napa Valley.
Cosenza comes to PVW from Paul Hobbs’ Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir project and Jeff Cohn Cellars via Newark N.J. Why Pope Valley? “Once I saw the place,” he says, he was smitten. “They (PVW) have their own farming business and they’re re-introducing the brand in the right way. The soils are like those found in Tuscany and Piedmont. It’s arid here and extreme.”
As to his winemaking philosophy Cosenza says, “I don’t like to stick to a recipe because that’s how things have been done elsewhere. I like to have things play out; and where you’re more like an executor, a curator (of the vines).”
What can we see from PVW’s wines going forward? “There’s going to be changes in style. Better equipment has allowed us to dial in. There’s a lot more attention to detail; and I have that eye, that discipline to see that through. Our wines will be distinctive, with personality.”
In a statement naming PVW’s new winemaker, general manager Diana Hawkins says Cosenza “Earned it through quickly assimilating to our unique style of winemaking in a historic property in which the need to honor the history and maintain the unique characteristics of the fruit that comes from our vineyards, was important. Garrett began under David’s supervision and quickly took the reins, giving David more time to work on our other businesses as well.”
About Pope Valley Winery
The original property at the turn of the 19th century, was known as the Burgundy Winery & Olive Oil Factory. PPW currently produces little more than 3,000 cases currently with immediate plans to increase production to 5,000 cases, and eventually to 8,000. The wines, of which there are nine SKUs, range in SRP of $20-$72; and are sourced from approximately 80 acres under its ownership.
