The People
Outpolling Peyton Manning in 1997 to win the Heisman Trophy as a defensive player set the expectations for Charles Woodson’s success pretty high. He delivered over an 18-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers being named to the Pro Bowl nine times while racking up numerous other awards and a Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2010 season. His 65 career interceptions are the inspiration for the name of his wine label.
Charles began his wine journey in Napa Valley during training camp for the Raiders early in his career. He learned to appreciate wine’s ability to bring people together in a shared experience. He also saw parallels between wine and football in the effort required to produce something extraordinary. He believes that making great wine, like winning a Super Bowl, requires you to get your hands dirty and “grind.” What you pour from the bottle is the result of years of hard work and dedication.
Winemaker Amanda Gorter is one of the top women working in the industry. A native of California’s Central Valley she graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Biology and a Winemaking Certificate. She spent years training under some of the industry’s best winemakers. Amanda’s relentless dedication to the craft and creativity in winemaking transforms hand-selected grapes from Paso and Monterey vineyards into the award-winning line of Intercept Wines. She loves working with Charles in the winery.
The Juice
The 2019 Intercept Pinot Noir is fermented in stainless steel with malolactic fermentation and aged French and Eastern European oak – 30% new – for 14 months. This central coast pinot noir is made in the typical California style with lots of fruit that begs you to keep drinking it.
The Dirt
The grapes for this wine were sourced from targeted vineyard sites in Monterey that benefit from cool foggy mornings from the Pacific marine layer and warm afternoons. The Monterey coast is world-famous for unparalleled scenic beauty. Monterey’s world-class wines rely on those very same picture-perfect elements. Warm sun, cool fog, ancient soils: all essential components to the winegrower’s art.
The Taste
The 2019 Intercept Pinot Noir is garnet in color, with aromas of strawberry, pastry cream, and nutmeg. This wine is medium bodied with dusty fine-grained tannins and a long juicy finish. Enjoy with grilled salmon, braised duck, or stuffed Portobello mushrooms.
The Spill
Emma and Malon argued about who got to “spill” on this wine. Supporting a Black former NFL player and a female winemaker with the same label was a two-fer. Malon pulled rank and claimed a superior palate for pinots. He says, “I love to find delicious wine made by interesting people that sells at a great price point. This pinot noir hits all three of those criteria.” Since he no longer plays football he is dreaming about the prospect of becoming a Hall of Famer in the wine world, like his buddy Charles.
