Plenty of smart, good, and even lucky winemakers can work their entire lives and never achieve the success of Alisa Jacobson. At just 42 years old, Jacobson has already scaled an internationally respected brand from just 1,000 cases to more than one million and, as of just two months ago, is now completely focused on building her own dream winery, complete with the acquisition and ongoing development of two vineyards. Many respected vintners retire before reaching any of those marks.
That first brand, which you’ve certainly seen on grocery store shelves and wine lists, is Joel Gott Wines, where Jacobson started in 2003 and left amicably as vice president of winemaking this summer. The second, which you may not know but certainly should, is Turning Tide Wines, which, aside from a pinot noir grown in Oregon, is made from grapes grown in Santa Barbara County.
As an ocean lover raised on a farm amid ever-encroaching development, Jacobson is using everything she’s learned at Joel Gott to make Turning Tide a model for being both sustainable and successful in the wine business. “I wanted to have a place where I can show people how I feel like farming can be done in an economical way but also in a way that’s good for winemaking and good for humans,” explained Jacobson, who recently moved from Santa Rosa to Shell Beach to be closer to the sea and to her two Santa Ynez Valley vineyards.
