Winemakers
Josh
Baker
Winemaker
Edna Valley Vineyards
For winemaker Josh Baker, crafting wine is all about striking the perfect balance between art and science. Building on his education in the natural sciences, Josh has spent nearly a decade in the cellar, melding chemistry with artistry to make Edna Valley Vineyard’s award-winning wines.
Josh earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, before joining E. & J. Gallo Winery as a microbiologist. This early introduction to the wine industry helped Josh realize that winemaking was his true passion.
“I wanted to be part of the whole process, from selecting the grapes to bringing out different nuances in a blend,” he says. “I had the science down, but I wanted to develop my own artistic approach to winemaking.”
In 2003, Josh got the chance to do just that when he joined Edna Valley Vineyard as cellar master. In five years, he rose to his current position as winemaker. Constantly pushing the bar on quality and innovation, Josh enjoys making unique wines that represent the special characteristics of the Central Coast’s extraordinary vineyards. He takes great care in creating balanced wines that showcase the terroir of the Edna Valley AVA.
“We use state-of-the-art equipment and time-honored techniques to gently guide our grapes through the winemaking process,” explains Josh. “After careful destemming, we sort the individual berries by hand to ensure only the highest quality grapes make it into the final blend.”
In addition to crafting Edna Valley’s diverse collection of acclaimed varietals, Josh takes great pride in mentoring his team of winemakers.
“At Edna Valley, we put as much effort into producing quality wines as we do into turning out top-tier winemakers,” Josh says. “There is a great spirit of collaboration here, and it really shines through in the wines.”
Josh lives with his family on the Central Coast of California, where he enjoys fishing, cooking, scuba diving, travelling, and spending time with his wife Katie, and son Jack.