When Joel Burt and Eric Wareheim launched Las Jaras in 2017, they named the winery after a shrub common to the California chaparral — flowering, tenacious, a little wild. The wines follow the same logic: seriously made, rooted in real place, but unwilling to take themselves too seriously.
Backstory
Joel Burt trained at Fresno State and went on to work with Alice Bouvot at Domaine l'Octavin in the Jura before returning to California to round out his education with Aaron Pott. Eric Wareheim, best known as co-creator of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and for his role in Master of None, had long harboured a wine obsession — he was the person who brought his own stemware to restaurants. The two met and discovered a shared vision: California natural wine that recaptures the lower-alcohol, food-friendly spirit of 1970s Napa. Las Jaras released its first wines in 2017 and quickly developed a devoted following on both coasts.
The Region
Las Jaras sources from California and Oregon, with a focus on Mendocino County, Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley and the Chehalem Mountains in Oregon. The project privileges old-vine sites in cool or moderate climates — Zinfandel and Carignan in Mendocino, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Sonoma and Oregon, Chenin Blanc from sites chosen for their Loire-like freshness.
Vineyards and Farming
Las Jaras works with growers committed to organic or sustainable viticulture and biodiversity. Burt prioritises established relationships with farmers who take a land-respecting approach. The emphasis is on old vines whose natural balance produces lower yields and more concentrated, nuanced fruit without aggressive farming.
Winemaking
Burt avoids carbonic maceration, which he considers a "terroir eraser," preferring whole-cluster or destemmed fermentation with minimal punch-downs and gentle pressing. A "reverse saignée" technique lightens some red cuvées. Intervention throughout is kept low, allowing varieties and sites to express themselves. The philosophy targets balance above ripeness: fresh, supple wines at moderate alcohol.
The Wines
The portfolio ranges from the crowd-pleasing Glou Glou (a chillable, juicy red blend) to the more serious Cézanne Chenin Blanc, La Belle Promenade Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the Steak House Cabernet Sauvignon. Seasonal and limited releases include Slipper Sippers, a nouveau-style red, and the Superbloom and Old Vine Rosés. Label art by collaborating artists reinforces the winery's place at the intersection of wine and contemporary culture.
