Resting Roots
Get the Dirt from owner/winemaker Gibson Wagner
“I have worked with many different grapes, but Grenache is the variety that spoke to me when I was in the early days of my wine journey. It’s a variety that I feel is great at showcasing climate and soil, as well as bending to the style of a winemaker with even the slightest of influences.”
What was your first vintage year? Our first vintage was in 2023.
How many cases do you make per vintage? We make anywhere from 120-150 cases per vintage.
Do you have a Tasting Room? We do not have a permanent tasting space, but we do have a contact form on our website to schedule tastings by appointment.
What wine/grape made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
I have been fascinated with wine even before high school. That interest led me to head to Cal Poly SLO to study enology in their Wine & Viticulture program. I began interning at various wineries around Paso Robles during the harvest of my junior year, as I didn’t want to wait until graduation to get hands on experience. I have worked with many different grapes, but Grenache is the variety that spoke to me when I was in the early days of my wine journey. It’s a variety that I feel is great at showcasing climate and soil, as well as bending to the style of a winemaker with even the slightest of influences.
What varietals do you work with?
I mainly work with Grenache as it’s something I continually gravitate to in the wine world, but I have also worked with Mourvedré.
What vineyards do you source from?
For my current releases, I source from Caterina’s Vineyard in the Templeton Gap District and Maison Mason in the Willow Creek District.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
I use 100% neutral oak on my wines that end up aging in wood; however, my carbonic Grenache I choose to keep in 100% stainless steel to keep the wine tighter and fresh.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
What I love about Paso Robles is the huge differentiation a single varietal can show across different vineyards coming from around the area. I think it’s obvious enough to say that each AVA within the greater Paso Robles AVA is going to showcase a different side of each varietal, but it can be even more minute by looking at vineyards within AVA’s and seeing how drastic the changes are even just a hill over from each other.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
Resting Roots is the name I decided upon once I had moved back to SLO county after living abroad and working harvests in Germany and Australia, and was just wanting to find rest and plant roots in a community that I already knew and loved. As well, ‘Roots’ on its own was always going to be a part of my label's name, as I had intentions to lean on family and friends who have been a part of my life for support in areas outside of my expertise.
What’s the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
Something I wish someone had told me before starting my own winery would be a warning as to how easy it is to get the urge to buy more fruit than you need because it looks good and because you can, not because you should.
What’s so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker that wouldn’t be possible for larger wineries?
The list of great things about being the winemaker for a small brand is way too long to cover in total. Some things on that list include the opportunity to connect with nearly everyone that has a chance to taste your wine, getting to know each of your wines intimately and seeing them grow on every small step they take toward bottle, as well as getting to express your own artistic style through drink like a story in every bottle.
For more information about Resting Roots, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.