Devil Proof winemaker ?Jesse Katz turning heads

Jesse Katz, 33, continues to turn heads with his malbec, and a tweet set it in motion.

Robert Parker Jr. the well-known wine critic of The Wine Advocate,tasted a barrel sample of his 2012 vintage and tweeted, “This may be the finest malbec I’ve ever had in California, and it rivals the best in the world.”

Within 24 hours there was a clamor for the wine, with Devil Proof attracting a cult following. The prized picture on the label was shot by Katz’ dad - Andy Katz - the famous photographer who has had a monumental influence on his son’s life, image by image.

By the time Katz graduated high school, he had traveled to more than 60 countries, traipsing through cities, towns and villages with his dad, who framed their exploits. Today Katz, who lives in Healdsburg in Sonoma County, is nearly as famous as his father in wine circles. Katz made the 2014 list of Forbes magazine’s “30 under 30;” he was included in a pool of 30 game changers in the food and drink category, the first winemaker to make the cut.

Of course, this game changer had already made an impression in some Hollywood circles. When Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake decided to tie the knot in 2012, Biel, who knew Katz from childhood, asked him to craft the wine for their wedding. The bottling was called “Blue Ocean Floor.” “Katz is one of our favorite winemakers,” Timberlake said. “His wine has been a part of our cellar and enjoyed on countless occasions.”

Katz became fascinated with malbec during two internships in Argentina, one with Bodega Noemia in Patagonia in 2008, and the other with Sebastopol winemaker Paul Hobbs in Mendoza in 2009.

“I had fallen in love with malbec, and when I returned, I couldn’t find any great ones that rivaled the great wines of California,” Katz explained. “In 2010 I realized Alexander Valley and Sonoma County had certain sites for malbec, and I started searching for them.”

It was a treasure hunt of sorts.

“One of the reasons I love being in Sonoma County, and there are so many reasons, is that it’s one of the greatest places on the planet,” Katz said. “Professionally, as a winemaker, there’s no other region or place I know that has this kind of diversity.”

The winemaker said that in Sonoma County, there are climate pockets that are colder than Champagne, France, some regions that are well-suited for Bordeaux varietals and everything in-between.

“There also are so many different soil types and pockets of areas we’re still just figuring out,” Katz said.

Before long, Katz found the plot of land perfect to groom his malbec, a 3-acre block in the hillsides of Farrow Ranch of northern Sonoma County. He took over that portion of the vineyard, then he changed the trellising and dry farmed it instead of irrigating it.

Once Katz found his chosen spot, he moved forward to produce the first vintage of Devil Proof in 2012. Countless people warned him to pursue cabernet sauvignon rather than the lesser-known malbec, but Katz wasn’t swayed. He trusted himself, and he often reminds himself that’s how you stay on track - by trusting your instincts.

“With our malbec we wanted to push the limits,” the winemaker said. “One that showcases incredible power but still has elegance and incredible silky tannins, and that’s how Devil Proof was created.”

Wine Writer Peg Melnik can be reached at 707-521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.

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