Photo Credit: Kelly E. Carter
The Getty mansion in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights was the scene for an exclusive luncheon on March 17 to celebrate the PlumpJack Group’s newest winery, Odette Estate, and their inaugural vintage release of the 2012 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Gordon Getty, Gavin Newsom, Hilary Newsom and John Conover joined Odette Estate’s boy wonder winemaker, Jeff Owens, whose 2012 Reserve Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon received 100 points from Robert Parker, making him one of the youngest winemakers to score a perfect 100 by the Wine Advocate and perhaps the first to do so in an inaugural vintage, for the afternoon tasting and conversation featuring cork and screw cap-finished wines from PlumpJack Winery, CADE Estate Winery and Odette Estate Winery.
Newsom, the Lt. Governor of California and a founder/partner in the PlumpJack Group, popped by to say hello before heading off to give a speech. His sister Hilary, the president of PlumpJack Group since 2009 and a partner in the hospitality and lifestyles company, also couldn’t stay for the entire affair. Their father, William Newsom, a retired judge, did however. The select group of tastemakers on hand were among the first to taste the Reserve, which will be released in September. Aged in 100% French oak, the Reserve is 80 percent cabernet sauvignon and 20 percent merlot. “A young pup,” is how Owens describes it. The 2012 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (75% cabernet sauvignon, 14% merlot and 11% cabernet franc) was released last month. Owens describes the latter wine as having “power and finesse” and being “bold yet elegant.”
The 35-year-old father of two boys, who will soon turn four and two, Owens says his wines are like “my third child.” He’s a longtime member of the PlumpJack family, which he joined as a cellar worker in 2006 after his first harvest internship at the highly respected Cakebread Cellars and worked his way up the ladder. He worked at PlumpJack and CADE before the PlumpJack Group purchased a third winery, this one located in the prestigious Stags Leap. He was named Head Winemaker in February 2012. You’ll soon find out more about Owens, who will be profiled in the May/June issue of Haute Living San Francisco.
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