Meet Jason!
Jason was born and raised on the central coast, and grew up on his family’s farm. He participated in 4-H, and sold flowers at the local farmer’s market with his mother and two older brothers. Jason graduated from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology. Upon returning home, he started working at Donati Winery as a harvest cellar worker in 2018; and under the tutelage of Winemaker Briana Heywood, earned the title of Enologist. He greatly enjoys the scientific as well as physical aspects of winemaking, which always make for an exciting work week.
Jason has also been working diligently on Donati’s new spirits program. He has been busy distilling our very first barrel-aged brandy, of which only the best hearts of each still run were included. Our stainless steel column still, with its five copper fractioning plates, allows us to consistently make 180 proof distillate without losing the desired aroma and flavors.
When Jason is not in the cellar, he enjoys archery, exploring craft breweries, and binge-watching the latest TV series.