Meet the Maker: Jack Roberts and Johanna Jensen, Keep Wines
Keep Wines - Keep by name, keepers by nature.
GWGP is thrilled to introduce Jack Roberts & Johanna Jensen of California's Keep Wines, joining us from their cellar and new vineyard in France(!!!), with a recap of the 2023 vintage and cover crop crash course!
Owned and operated by Napa based husband and wife team Johanna Jensen and Jack Roberts, these bright and mineral driven wines are influenced by Old World style, with minimal intervention and supreme freshness.
Their interest in the Old World isn't restricted to their wines - the name Keep Wines is a nod to Jack's heritage from Gloucestershire where he was born and raised. The crest of the bottle is from 11th Century Norman fort, Beverston Castle, that can be found in Gloucestershire, where only the tall keep and the moat remain, where the fort defenders gathered as a last resort in a siege. The Keep was also where the precious goods were kept - including their wine.
In the vigneron tradition, they do much of the work themselves from vineyard to bottling. Based out of Napa, they work with small, mostly certified organic vineyards from all over Northern California and have a passion for lesser known grape varieties.
One of our favourites is Counoise - originally a Rhone variety that was almost exclusively used for blending, but now found to be very much at home in California, although it's still rarely made as a single varietal wine. The Keep take is a beautifully fresh and vibrant wine with violets, pomegranate and lilac on the nose.
Check out the range here: