(n).
01. The confidence and freedom to fearlessly explore beyond the confines of tradition.
02. A winemaking studio and mentorship program inspired by a Gallo family tradition.
What is Offscript?
Offscript is a winemaking incubator from the country’s largest family-owned winery, giving talented winemakers free rein to bring their visions to life. It is inspired by the legacy of mentorship started 60 years ago by Julio Gallo.
Each year, Offscript works with a new “class” of winemakers to create wines that challenge techniques, norms, and stories. We celebrate creativity, experimentation, and the freedom to throw away the script in pursuit of visionary wines.
Why Offscript?
There is a long-standing tradition of mentorship within the Gallo Winery. Gina Gallo, for example, was mentored by both her grandfather Julio and Marcello Monticelli— a legendary winemaker and Julio’s right-hand man. During her 30+ year career as a winemaker, Gina has informally mentored dozens of oenologists. With Offscript, the Gallo family is creating a framework for young talent to articulate their artistic visions and bring them to life.
How are Offscript winemakers selected?
Every spring, Gallo’s senior winemakers solicit project submissions from junior winemakers who dream up and pitch their passion projects with a compelling story. Projects must meet standards of creativity (no Cabs or SB’s here), authenticity, and sustainability—by sourcing from sustainably farmed vineyards and minimizing winery interventions. Only the most moving and original concepts are chosen.
What do we offer winemakers?
The winemakers chosen to participate are provided with freedom, support, and all the tools to bring their visions to life. They get to decide on all aspects that influence the style of wine they want to make. Collaborating with one of the largest vineyard owners in California, our winemakers have a vast palette of vineyards to choose from (from Napa to Santa Maria, from the Sonoma Coast to Lodi). Once in the winery, they are provided with state-of-the-art equipment –temperature-controlled small fermentation vessels, concrete eggs, French barriques, etc. Anything they may need to realize their dreams.
We also collaborate with them to create the labels for their unique bottlings. We identify the right artist for their project, who creates a portrait for the wine and ideates a name as well. The winemakers are brought along for the entire journey to learn what it takes to bring a wine to market—from trademark and compliance to sales and communication strategies. Finally, we involve them in both consumer and trade outreach by enlisting them to visit those markets where we think their wines will have the most impact.
Meet the class of ’23 winemakers and their wines
By design, these projects are small and aren’t necessarily meant for mass-market appeal (though they are massively appealing). These wines are deliciously unexpected, niche (red pet-nat anyone?), and enticing. They are meant to be enjoyed and explored with friends, ideally around a dinner table (or a picnic blanket).
Molly Felts
Richard Yi
Zach Watkins
Gianna Merkel Oklahoma-native; Partial to picnics on the beach
New Yorker; Tennis fan and foodie
Intérieur
Molly Felts, 2023
Carbonic Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County California
Vinito
Richard Yi, 2023
White Blend Chardonnay, Vermentino, Alvarinho, Verdelho
Central Coast, California
Calls Temecula home; Traveler, archer and student of history
Terra Mista
Zach Watkins, 2023
Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo Sangiovese, Montepulciano
McKinley Road Vineyard, Napa Valley
From Modesto, CA; Loves CrossFit and baking
Delgati Gianna Merkel, 2023
Ancestral Method Sparking Pinot Noir
Olson Ranch Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, California
About the art on the label
To make our labels as expressive and meaningful as the wines behind them, we commission local artists to create unique portraits of our winemakers’ personalities. Each winemaker is paired with an artist that best suits them. Through a wide range of styles—from the whimsical to the stoic—the artists then craft labels that capture the unique spirits of the wine styles and the personalities of the winemakers who make them.
The frame around the artwork
We don’t believe in spelling out how our wines should taste. Like art, it ought to be about the individual’s experience. We all have unique sensitivities to aromas, flavors, acidity, alcohol, and tannins. That’s why we ask our winemakers to articulate their wines’ styles using an aroma and flavor spider graph. The resulting shapes convey the winemakers’ intent and capture the most salient characteristics of each wine—from their aromatic intensity to their structural components (tannins, alcohol, and acidity)—while leaving the rest up to interpretation. The spider graphs for each wine are then cut out to form polygons which we use to frame each wine’s portrait.
A Note on Sustainability
For us, the quality of our wines is second only to our legacy—one that we intend to be about empowering the next generation of winemakers to continue progressing the art form for decades to come. So that they may do the same for the generation that follows. And on and on and on. That is why sustainability is of the utmost importance for us. We strive to produce unique and remarkable wines with as small an environmental footprint as possible. To that effect, whenever possible, we source fruit from sustainable or organically farmed vineyards.
Additionally, we are mindful that glass production and transportation incur over 50% of the carbon footprint of a bottle of wine. To mitigate that impact, reduce our shipping weight, and reduce our carbon footprint at every step, we only use lightweight bottles manufactured in California, which are produced using up to 75% recycled glass. We also use natural paper and dyes on our labels, and because aluminum capsules usually end up in the trash instead of being recycled, we forgo them entirely.
Delgati by Gianna Merkel v2023
Ancestral Method Sparkling Pinot Noir
Olson Ranch Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Pinot Noir (100%)
TECHNICAL
12% abv | 3.26 pH | 8.0 g/L TA | 6 g/L residual sugar | no SO2
VINEYARDS
Sourced from block N15 in Olson Ranch, at the southern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. The ranch is farmed sustainably and certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Our grapes were harvested on October 6th at 21 Brix, almost a full month behind the average for this region.
VINTAGE
The 2023 vintage will go down in the books as the coolest since 2011. After years of drought, winter kicked off the year with plenty of rainfall and low temperatures. Spring brought a gradual increase in temperatures with more rains, delaying the fruit set. Summer progressed smoothly, with heat accumulation trailing 2011 until mid-July; there were no heat spikes. The long hangtime allowed for even development of sugars and phenolic compounds while preserving acidity; the makings of a classic vintage.
WINEMAKING
The grapes were destemmed and pressed directly into stainless steel 1.5-ton fermenters. Temperature was kept low to induce a slow fermentation and preserve aromatic freshness. The wine was lightly fined and centrifuged to remove solids. Bottled on October 24th at 20 g/L of residual sugar so fermentation could continue in the bottle.
PACKAGING & PRODUCTION
Crown cap | 907 g empty bottle weight | 12-pack cardboard case
3,000 bottles produced
MEET GIANNA, IN HER OWN WORDS
Tell us about yourself.
Gianna, 31 years old, from Modesto, CA. Moved to SLO [San Luis Obispo] to go to Cal Poly for college and never left! I love SLO’s small town vibe, the beach and great hiking trails so easily accessible, the farmers market every Thursday, concerts in the Plaza every Friday in the Summer and the all-out Christmas decorations in the plaza all December!
Influential people that set me on my path… I’d have to give that one to my mom and dad. They were adamant that I should go to Cal Poly and that one decision was the real domino effect for everything that came after. My best friends who also studied wine and viticulture and are 95% of the reason that I didn’t change my major. Zach, my husband, who also loved SLO and knew even before I did that it would be a great place to stay.
What do you most love about the winemaking process?
That it’s a process… the wine is constantly changing and evolving, you’re constantly monitoring it; mistakes happen, but that’s never the end, you adjust accordingly, you tweak, you finally leave it alone for a little bit and in the end, it always turns out.
As the wine world evolves, what would you like to see in that journey?
Sustainability! We are making progress but there is still so far to go!
Describe Delegati in under 50 words.
Bubbly deliciousness looking for you! To get those bubbles this wine was bottled before fermentation was complete, that means that each bottle is just a little different and I truly believe that you’ve found just the bottle that you need. No matter what, you’ll get the decadent bubbles, the strawberry rhubarb, hints of pomegranate and cranberry, maybe a little black tea and spice.
What would be your ideal situation to enjoy your wine?
I got an early bird special and got to enjoy a bottle on Christmas eve with my family on our patio in San Luis Obispo while we decorated gingerbread houses! It was amazing. Gotta love a 77-degree Central Coast Christmas!
I hope this is your go to GNO wine (aka Girls Nights Out, but also sometimes In). Whether its Vision Board night, a Lucky Girl Party, Picnic and Paint or getting ready for a night of dancing, this is the wine I am enjoying and know all my girls will too!
A little snack I think would be so fun with this wine is some lays potato chips topped with some crème fraiche and a dollop of caviar.
Chardonnay (64%), Albariño (22%), Vermentino (9%), Verdelho (5%)
TECHNICAL
12% abv | 3.22 pH | 7.9 g/L TA | <1 g/L residual sugar | 90 ppm SO2 | vegan
VINEYARDS
Sourced from four vineyards in San Luis Obispo county – Chardonnay from Edna Valley, Albariño from Paragon, Vermentino from Creston Ridge and Verdelho from Wildhorse Vineyard. All farmed sustainably and certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). The grapes were all hand-picked between September 18th and 27th to ensure a great acid backbone in the wine.
VINTAGE
The 2023 vintage will go down in the books as the coolest since 2011. After years of drought, winter kicked off the year with plenty of rainfall and low temperatures. Spring brought a gradual increase in temperatures with more rains, delaying the fruit set. Summer progressed smoothly, with heat accumulation trailing 2011 until mid-July; there were no heat spikes. The long hangtime allowed for even development of sugars and phenolic compounds while preserving acidity; the makings of a classic vintage.
WINEMAKING
The grapes went into a bladder press with some skin contact. The must was then racked into stainless drums. Fermentation was kept anaerobic, and we gave the Chardonnay and Vermentino intermittent lees stirring to enhance its mouthfeel. No MLF. The wine was racked off its lees 2 months prior to bottling. We sterilefiltered and cold stabilized the wine prior to bottling on February 26th, 2024.
PACKAGING & PRODUCTION
San Luis Obispo County Central Coast
Stelvin closure | 404 g empty bottle weight | 12-pack cardboard case
3,000 bottles produced
MEET RICHARD, IN HIS OWN WORDS
Tell us about yourself.
I am from New York, and I am a tennis nerd that is obsessed with different cuisines and fermentation. I spend most of my free time trialing different recipes and crafting different home brew projects with friends. My father is my biggest influence because he was the first person to show me how incredibly profound wines can be. Working with him at his wine and liquor store in Manhattan gave me opportunities to try thousands of wines from all over the world. Although he was always so hard at work, I could tell that he always had a passion for food and wine that made me realize how incredible this industry could be.
What inspired you to become a winemaker?
In many ways my love for food was really what kickstarted my journey in wine. When I say I love food, I really mean I love food. I love learning about weird stories about different dishes and learning how and why that dish came to be. For instance, there is
a Korean stew called budae jjigae. This dish is made by combining hot dogs, American cheese, spam, and instant ramen together. Although terrible for your health I loved this dish growing up, but I also loved learning about how the dish was created during the Korean War and this was a culmination of Korean and American soldiers mixing their rations into a pot.
For me, the history and process is almost more rewarding than just the simple enjoyment of the product. As my graduation present my father took me to the French Laundry, he scoured the list and chose a Jean Foillard Morgon 2014. This was my first introduction towards wines made with true passion. In my glass I found more than just notes of red cherries and dried twigs.
I smelled the hands of a farmer whose hands were dyed from picking all day. I smelled my own hands after a long day of harvesting in Mendoza. It smelled real. I instantly felt a kinship not just towards the wine but to Jean Foillard who I have still yet to meet and thank. Although my interest started in food, it really took wines like these to take my interest to an obsession.
Describe Vinito in under 50 words. Simultaneously paying respects to tradition and sparking innovation, Vinito is the green wine of California. This wine evokes intense focus with its laser-like acidity. Vinito is the provider of balance and the much-appreciated palate cleanser for any great dinner party.
What would be your ideal situation to enjoy your wine?
This wine is meant for food. It is meant to be enjoyed with friends and family and provides a reset for your palate. This wine can be served on the beach with a couple of carnitas tacos or even enjoyed with a perfectly grilled branzino.
Zinfandel (98.5%), Muscat (1.5%)
TECHNICAL
13.36% abv | 3.76 pH | 6.5 g/L TA | <1 g/L residual sugar | 47 ppm SO2 | vegan
VINEYARDS
Sourced from the Mazzera Vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County. The vineyard is tucked in a canyon, allowing the fruit to develop jammy characteristics while retaining bright acidity. Harvested by hand on October 7th.
VINTAGE
The 2023 vintage will go down in the books as the coolest since 2011. After years of drought, winter kicked off the year with plenty of rainfall and low temperatures. Spring brought a gradual increase in temperatures with more rains, delaying the fruit set. Summer progressed smoothly, with heat accumulation trailing 2011 until mid-July; there were no heat spikes. The long hangtime allowed for even development of sugars and phenolic compounds while preserving acidity; the makings of a classic vintage.
WINEMAKING
The Zinfandel grapes were placed in a 250hL stainless-steel bladder press, where the carbonic (intracellular) maceration began and was allowed to continue for seven days. The wine was then pressed off its skins and 1.5% of muscat wine was added before fermentation continued aerobically until dryness. No MLF. The wine rested in tank until bottling in late January 2024, unfined and lightly filtered.
PACKAGING & PRODUCTION
Diam Trio closure | 468 g empty bottle weight | 12-pack cardboard case
3,000 bottles produced
MEET MOLLY, IN HER OWN WORDS
Tell us about yourself.
I am originally from Northeastern Oklahoma in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Wine was not something that I grew up around, and it really wasn’t a career path I knew existed until college. However, I have had truly remarkable teachers throughout my educational career that provided pivotal inspiration propelling me to the world of wine. A high school chemistry teacher that sparked a passion in understanding how things come together on a molecular level, a professor in college who opened by eyes to how science and art can create a magnificent bottle of wine, and a graduate advisor who opened her door and allowed me to work with grapes and wine leading me to Gallo eventually. It was their inspiration that led me to where I am today.
What inspired you to become a winemaker?
During my time at the University of Oklahoma I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a study abroad program that focused specifically
on organic chemistry and the chemistry and culture of wine in Arezzo, Italy. That experience opened my eyes to the incredible world of wine where art and science merged to develop a product that could create community. The idea of creating something tangible to share with family and friends was my driving force to pursue winemaking as my career.
What is your winemaking philosophy and how has it evolved over time?
I think my philosophy comes back to the idea of community. I want the grapes to speak for themselves and create a wine that is reminiscent of the appellation and vintage but that is still approachable, fun, and able to be enjoyed on all occasions with those who matter most to you.
What inspired you to create your wine for Offscript?
When given the opportunity to make any wine, I really wanted to create a wine that was different than what I usually do. I love the world of chillable reds, and Zinfandel is one of my favorite varieties to work with because every lot is different. I wanted to make something that expressed all the fabulous qualities of Zinfandel without the heaviness that is typically associated with it. This led to the wine that is my Carbonic Zinfandel.
Describe Intérieur in under 50 words. Intérieur is a light-bodied, fruit forward zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. It has notes of black pepper and bright raspberry jam with a fresh finish.
What would be your ideal situation to enjoy your wine?
Being a lighter-bodied red wine, I feel it would be best enjoyed slightly chilled on a hot summer day with friends.
Cabernet Sauvignon (81%), Sangiovese (9%), Montepulciano (6%), Nebbiolo (4%)
TECHNICAL
14.4% abv | 3.60 pH | 6.6 g/L TA | <0.5 g/L residual sugar | <100 ppm SO2 | vegan
VINEYARDS
The McKinley Road Vineyard is a 3-acre plot that belongs to Marcello Monticelli, Gina Gallo’s mentor. It sits on a quiet corner between the start of the Silverado Trail and the Coombsville AVA. Because of its proximity to the San Pablo Bay, the vines experience a moderate climate allowing for a slow ripening process. The grapes develop plush tannins, savory aromas and refreshing acidity.
VINTAGE
The 2022 growing season started early as winter and spring were quite temperate. Additionally, there were two critical heatwaves throughout the summer (August then the first week of September) that set the stage for harvesting earlier than average. The heat in September kicked off some fast ripening and so we harvested on September 9th, with a desirable array of flavors between the four varieties. The resulting wine showcases exceptional fruit tamed by fresh culinary herbs and balanced acidity.
WINEMAKING
The grapes were hand-picked, hand-sorted, and destemmed. All varieties were co-fermented in a 2-ton open top stainless-steel fermenter. The must underwent a short cold soak followed by 16 days on skins. We managed tannins and flavors with a mixture of punch-downs and pump-overs. Drained and pressed using a basket press, no press cuts. Barreled down into three barrels for malolactic fermentation. MLF took about four weeks to complete, after which the wine was racked out of barrels off lees and returned to the same French oak barriques (2 neutral and 1 new) for an élevage of 18 months. Unfined and lightly filtered prior to bottling in early May 2024.
PACKAGING & PRODUCTION
Natural cork and wax dip | 532 g empty bottle weight | 6-pack cardboard case
780 bottles produced
MEET ZACH, IN HIS OWN WORDS
Tell us about yourself.
I hail from Temecula, down in Southern California. I grew up very much immersed in soccer, ranging from playing serious club to refereeing at many different levels. Beyond the sport, I was obsessed with the outdoors, especially camping and fishing. I craved these experiences whenever we didn’t have some soccer commitment. My father had his own contracting business where he was the only employee, so my brother and I spent a lot of summers working for him.
I got my desire to craft from him – he was a very precise craftsman and one of the smartest men I’ve ever met. He always showed a desire to be better and placed a lot of value on ‘if you’re going to do it, do it right’. These foundational perspectives and experiences heavily influenced my sense of self. I still remember discussing the intricacies of quantum mechanics with him at the dinner table as a young lad. He’s probably why I was so interested in Philosophy. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was in high school. It is to his memory I dedicate my craft.
What inspired you to become a winemaker?
I was always really interested in fermentation and its products, specifically cider, mead, sour mash spirits, and beer. When I found myself studying these topics instead of some of my coursework, I knew I needed to change my focus. As I was going to college in a wine region (San Luis Obispo), it seemed like a good first step into the industry of fermentation. After working my first harvest in the vineyards and being introduced into the world of wine I haven’t looked back.
What inspired you to create your wine for Offscript?
Offscript provided a tremendous opportunity to explore pure and unhindered creation. There really isn’t a better vehicle for learning. Given that I really do love questioning the status quo, having the opportunity to do this through a Super Tuscan is extremely exciting. This sort of wine hits my one of my favorite styles while simultaneously providing a metaphorical mini rebellion.
Describe Terra Mista in under 50 words.
Terra Mista is a single vineyard, Super Tuscan-inspired red wine, crafted in Napa Valley, through the collaboration of three generations of Gallo Winemakers. This co-fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Nebbiolo is savory with culinary herbs, the fresh fruit is framed by smooth tannins and balanced acidity.
What would be your ideal situation to enjoy your wine?
Terra Mista will truly sing with a dinner experience, whether it be a dinner party or a family meal. The freshness and complexity will especially invigorate savory dishes, yet it is elegant enough to enjoy with friends discussing the complexities of the universe.