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Who We Are
My passion for wine began in the late 1990s when I spent a college semester abroad in Italy. I purchased a book on Italian wines for the trip and did my best to try them all when I was there. I fell in love with the wines from Italy, and they are still my favorites to this day. There is so much diversity in Italian wines, and they are all so well balanced and drinkable. Italian wines are designed to be paired with food, and they are the most enjoyable this way, something I strive for in my own winemaking.
My wife Rebecca’s passion for wine also started early in her life. Her father lived in Spain for several years as a young man and developed a similar passion for Spanish wines. Delicious Spanish wines paired with great foods were a regular staple of her young adulthood, and she likewise had a great knowledge of wine by her early 20s.
Wine and great cuisine was a shared interest from the very beginning of our relationship. One of our first major trips together as a couple was to Provence and the Rhone Valley, where we sampled numerous great wines. We especially developed a great affinity for the dry, easy to drink food friendly Rosé wines of that region, and we have designed our Rosé of Montepulciano to emulate the qualities of the delicious Provencial Rosés.
Following our adventures in France, we then began exploring the California wine regions and had great fun sampling Cabernet Sauvignons and Sauvignon Blancs in Napa Valley and experiencing delicious Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in Russian River. We got engaged on a California wine trip and held our wedding in the Napa Valley town of Saint Helena.
When we first moved to New Mexico, we were amazed to see that European Vinifera grapes could not only grow here but thrive. Encouraged by some delicious New Mexico sparkling wines and Meritage red wine blends, we started our first micro-vineyard in our yard in Albuquerque with 12 Syrah vines. In a few years, we had our first successful estate vintage. Through the years we also bought grapes and experimented making wines from many different varieties grown in the state. Increasingly convinced of the potential for great wine from New Mexico, we began to explore locations for a future winery of our own.
Much of the wine grapes grown in the state at that time were growing in the lower Mimbres Valley, most notably in Deming. On a trip to that region, we became increasingly convinced that the lower Mimbres valley from the towns of Faywood in the south to Mimbres in the north would prove ideal for great wine. The valley there, in the foothills of the Black Range, is simply stunning and the valley floor has well drained, fertile volcanic soil, which is perfect for great wine grapes. The greatest wines, as we have experienced, always come from especially beautiful places. We were convinced that this location had it all.
We found our property in Faywood, NM in 2008. The property had an existing 3-acre apple, pear and peach orchard, which we felt greatly complemented the terroir, and an additional 12 plantable acres of rich Mimbres valley floor farmland. Though the property needed significant cleanup, within a short year we could see the full potential of our future winery.
JG Owen Vineyards is a true family business. The very first vines were planted by my father on the day my daughter was born. My children have grown up around these vines, and have helped us plant, prune, pick and crush to make our delicious wines. My parents were instrumental in helping us acquire and build the property and remain our business partners to this day. We hope the love and dedication we share as a family is reflected in our wine.
My philosophy to wine is that the best wines are made simply but carefully. As I have gained more knowledge in winemaking techniques, I am increasingly turned off by the number of additives many wines now contain. I believe well sterilized equipment, good grapes matched with the most complimentary yeast clones, and the only the minimum amount of sulfite needed to prevent spoilage is all that should be required to make a great wine. I also do not believe in overly aggressive filtration of wine, as flavor can be removed with this process. The best wines throw sediment. Ours does too. Our wines will never have added sugar, flavors, or coloring. Our aim is to create a clean wine which exemplifies our terroir and nothing more.
In addition to this, we strive to make wines that will complement food. Too many winemakers today are focused on making big, stand-alone wines. To create those, the grapes are allowed to overripen to very high sugar levels. The result is a wine that is high in alcohol, but low in acid, thus reducing the wine’s ability to enhance a meal. I believe slightly lower alcohol wines with better acidity more appropriately complement meals. As a result, our grapes are harvested between 21 and 24 brix, resulting in wines ranging from 11 to 13.5% percent alcohol, and not more.
Finally, at this time all our wines are estate grown, which gives us greater control over quality and growing practices. We aim to use as many natural practices as possible to minimize use of chemicals and pesticides. All our vines are hand pruned, and all our grapes are hand-picked. After years of experimentation, we believe we have found the grapes best suited to the climate of the Mimbres Valley, and currently have six wines to choose from.
The world of wine has been a fantastic journey for both me and my wife and much love was created through that journey and in the process of building JG Owen vineyards. We are passionate about our wine, and hope that this passion will translate to a wonderful wine experience for our customers. Cheers, from our family to yours!
Jonathan G. Owen
Winemaker/Proprietor
