The Winemaking
A Lifetime of Winemaking
Josh Johnson began working in the family vineyard at 13 and assisting his uncle in winemaking at 14. The family had established their winery when Josh was just 7 years old. Growing up, he worked in every aspect of the business, from tending to the vines to tending to customers in the tasting room. By 2006, he had taken over as head winemaker and general manager. Eager to experience a taste of something different and elevate his winemaking, during New Mexico’s winters, Josh traveled to New Zealand to assist in winemaking for three seasons at the acclaimed Brightwater Vineyards and Matakana Estates wineries. The result was a unique style all his own that helped to elevate New Mexico Wine to world-class status.
Honesty and Artistry
Josh’s winemaking philosophy is steeped in a dedication to the honest expression of the New Mexico grape.
“My life is a philosophy built around an openness to nature and growing and making wine. It has been a lifelong journey. Year after year, I am humbled to witness the beauty of bud break and the flowering of the vines, to water and prune while awaiting fruit set. Each year, as the grapes ripen on the vine, I feel renewed and filled with anticipation and energy for our upcoming harvest and crush. I believe winemaking is the finest craft in the world and a gift I am grateful for.
Grapes are perfect expressions of pure nature and sunlight. My job is only to protect and preserve those flavors from vineyard to bottle, to ensure that each wine is a reflection of the special place they are grown.”