Glassmaker Wine Co North Coast White 2023

Glassmaker Wine Co. North Coast White 2023 is made by winemaker Justin Willett, whose Glassmaker project explores California through a distinctly low intervention lens. After years making acclaimed wines in Santa Barbara, Willett launched Glassmaker to focus on thoughtfully farmed vineyards throughout Northern California, working with organic fruit, native fermentations, and minimal cellar manipulation. His philosophy is rooted in transparency, believing that careful farming and restrained winemaking best express the personality of each vineyard.

The 2023 North Coast White is a skin contact blend built around aromatic white varieties (sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, and roussane) sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards across the North Coast. The grapes are hand harvested and fermented with native yeasts, spending approximately five days on their skins before pressing. This relatively short maceration gives the wine texture and gentle tannin while preserving freshness and lift, resulting in a style that sits comfortably between a traditional white and a more structured orange wine. 

The wine is aged in neutral vessels with minimal intervention and bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2023 offers notes of apricot, peach, orange peel, citrus blossom, and dried herbs, with a lightly grippy texture balanced by bright acidity and a mineral finish. Expressive without being overly funky, it is an approachable introduction to skin contact wines and pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, grilled seafood, charcuterie, Mediterranean dishes, and washed rind cheeses.