GOLD MEDAL WINE CLUB’S Volume 25 Number 02 Select, Ultra Premium, Collectable Wines from California’s Best Winemakers An unlikely business alliance between two have provided the winery with effective leadership and a prestigious San Francisco families has produced a style of management that is both confident and highly prominent Napa Valley winery that has garnered qualified. numerous critical accolades since its inception in 1995. Starting with its original release of less than 1,500 It all began in 1992 when Gordon Getty cases in 1995, the winery has grown steadily until it (of Getty Oil and Getty Museum fame) decided to has reached its present capacity of 10,000 cases. cast his lot with then youthful Gavin Newsom “We are where we want to be,” remarked and open a small wine shop at the corners of PlumpJack General Manager John Conover. “First, Fillmore and Greenwich in San Francisco’s storied we have reached our winery permit’s level and, Marina District. secondly, they aren’t building any more Oakville.” Getty’s main passions in life were music and Facetiousness aside, PlumpJack Winery literally wine, but not necessarily in that order. The initial sits among the true giants of Napa Valley. Its shop flourished and three years later the fledgling neighbors include Screaming Eagle and Dalle Valle, company purchased an incredible property in modern icons whose wines usually sell for hundreds Oakville (the highly respected former Villa Mt. of dollars per bottle. Eden Winery) and named it after the wine store “We have also tried to offer tremendous value that had already been called PlumpJack. and service,” Conover adds proudly. “In our It seems that the artistic Gordon restaurants, we offer our wines at retail price Getty had once written an opera fashioned plus one dollar (in deference to many after the Shakespearian character Jack restaurants that mark up 200 to 300 Falstaff that he called PlumpJack. The percent). We also stick to our core values. name carried certain panache and the We want our customers to be greeted by winery name soon followed its retail people with great enthusiasm and passion counterpart. At the time, no one envisioned for what they are doing. We even give our this to be the foundation of a youthful, staff at the winery an award for failure.” dynamic company – a business that today Failure? lists several restaurants, two wine shops, two “Yes,” Conover affirmed. “We firmly boutique clothing stores, two luxury resorts, believe that you must first fail before you can and a trendy club, along with the ultimately succeed. In the end, it’s the aforementioned PlumpJack Winery, in its person’s success that we care about and our highly visible portfolio. It is also interesting employees have embraced the concept.” that several of the businesses carry the Interestingly, the words and resolution PlumpJack nametag or a derivative thereof. involved seem quite natural when taken in What’s more, Gavin Newsom served context with PlumpJack Winery. The as the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco from company is a fresh, hip, dynamic entity with 2003 to 2011, when he resigned as the loads of youthful energy oozing from Lieutenant Governor of California. He was every portal. San Francisco’s youngest Mayor in history PlumpJack turned every head in the – no mean feat for the persuasive and wine world when they bottled their $135 personable 47 year-old. It’s up in the air 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve with a whether Newsom’s future will remain in screw top closure – the first luxury wine politics and public service, or if he will producer to do so. Even though the decision become more involved with his PlumpJack involved cork integrity (an alarming 10 percent Winery enterprise. Only time will tell. of all wines are considered “corked” or PlumpJack Winery’s persona embodies undrinkable when opened), the move raised the feeling and spirit of its owners and staff. eyebrows both in this country and abroad. From the marvelous artistic flair that Gordon PlumpJack’s owners fully supported the Getty has provided from its inception to Gavin move and, the fact is, PlumpJack makes some great Newsom’s keen sense of business discipline, it is wines that are always in high demand. Because of this immediately evident that PlumpJack and its incredible fact we know you will enjoy this month’s Platinum Series wines are an amazing reality in today’s competitive wine selection from PlumpJack. A good many wine industry industry. It is also a given fact that Getty and Newsom insiders feel it would be uncool to think anything else. The road to great wine begins at your door. add a plus! bottle TT asting Notes Plus! wines are all highly-rated, very small production wines with to availabilityyour too next limited for wineall regular club delivery! members to receive. 92 POINTS Only Plus! Program participants receive these rare gems! -Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate The Plus! Program automatically adds on a special wine to each regular scheduled wine delivery, or as often as you like! Just 1,572 Cases Produced Don’t miss out on another shipment! PlumpJack’s 2012 Merlot comes from the Join the Plus! Program today! $35-$45 each delivery winery’s estate Oak Knoll vineyard in Napa Valley, nestled up to the Mayacamas This month’s Platinum Series featured Plus! wine: Mountain Range on the westside of the Fulcrum 2012 Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir valley. The mild climate and alluvial soils 93 POINTS – Pinot Report here allow the Merlot grapes to develop rich Just 172 Cases Produced! raspberry and black cherry aromatics with Learn more at: www.GoldMedalWineClub.com/plus or Call 1-800-266-8888 layers of chocolate and deep, intense flavors in a full, robust, concentrated palate that’s still elegant with a wonderful natural acidity. Dark ruby in color, the PlumpJack 2012 Dear __________, Merlot opens with a very aromatic bouquet Dear Platinum Series Members, of blackberry, blueberry and raspberry. On We hope that you are enjoying the holiday season, as we certainly here in the Napa the palate, this wine is full bodied and rich Valley!We 2014 hope marked that you our are twentieth enjoying harvest the holidayoff of our season, Estate inas Oakville,we certainly and we are thrilled with how spectacular this vintage is shaping up. While we wait with notes of boysenberry, black plum, arepatiently here in for the this Napa great Valley! vintage 2014 now agingmarked gracefully our twentieth in barrel—we harvest can off enjoy of our those Estatealready in in Oakville, bottle, which and includeswe are thrilled our very with special how 2012 spectacular PlumpJack this Merlot, vintage Napa mocha, spice, and licorice. This is a very isValley Dearshaping __________, that up. is included While we in thiswait month’s patiently shipment. for this great vintage now aging supple, inviting Merlot that would pair gracefully in barrel, we can enjoy those already in bottle, which includes InWe 2012, hope wethat saw you areall enjoyingof the stars the holidayalign. A season, classic as vintage,we certainly we here experienced in the Napa beautiful deliciously with filet mignon. Robert Parker our very special 2012 PlumpJack Merlot, Napa Valley, that is included in conditionsValley! 2014 from marked start our to twentiethfinish. 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