Gros Ventre Cellars 10 Items

Founded in 2008, Gros Ventre Cellars has been over 20 years in the making. After college, Chris spent several years tasting and selling mostly European wines in shops and restaurants as a sommelier, which shaped his palate and led him towards wine production. Starting in 2003, he began working at several high profile wineries including Williams-Selyem, Marcassin, and Skinner Vineyards, one of the Sierra Foothills' most notable estates. Through his work at both Skinner and Gros Ventre, Chris was named one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Winemakers to Watch by Jon Bonné. In the winery, minimal handling is the focus, with native fermentation, no extended maceration, no lees stirring, and no fining or filtration. Gros Ventre’s production centers around Pinot Noir grown in cool, coastal sites. Additional vineyards in the foothills are distinguished for their considerable elevation to ensure freshness. All of the sites employed are farmed by hands-on growers focused on sustainability. About the name? Its meaning is two-fold: In Jackson Hole, Chris and Sarah met near the Gros Ventre River. Gros Ventre is also French for "big belly", which is most appropriate as Sarah was pregnant with their first child during the inaugural vintage! Pronounced "Grow Vant."