Cairjn Wine Cellars
Get the Dirt from winemaker Andy Neja
“Paso is a land that dreams are made of. Rolling hills creating a multitude of microclimates coupled with soils that are rarely found in any other growing region make for very unique terroir to grow wine grapes in. We, as winemakers, are merely shepherds to guide the fruit from the soil and into your glass.”
What was your first vintage year? 2020
How many cases do you make per vintage? 500
Do you have a Tasting Room? Not yet. We are working on a location as we speak. People can inquire about a tasting by emailing info@cairjnwinecellars.com
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
It really has been a culmination of my journey in the wine world. It began in retail, then moved to hospitality and a short trip through the CMS before I found my passion in farming and wine production. I could say that I chose Paso but I really feel that Paso chose me. I truly couldn’t say that a single wine or varietal sparked my passion to begin my own label, it was the desire to showcase the farmer/grower and what they are doing that makes the wines so great. By nature of that I was drawn towards the Rhone varieties that do so well in Paso, but couldn’t help but dabble with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Albariño as well.
What varietals do you work with? Which varietal/wine is your favorite to make?
Albariño, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Graciano, Cabernet Sauvignon
What vineyards do you source from?
I source from Caliza, Lunacy, TH Estate, Alta Colina, Yankowski, Bovino, and Lopai.
What type of oak treatment do you use? Why?
Albariño could be in stainless or neutral oak, I like to see what I’m working with before I make that decision.
Rose is always in stainless. I just love the purity and freshness this captures.
Cabernet Sauvignon sees close to if not 100% new oak 225L barrels. Because Cab loves oak and the high phenolic fruit we get begs for it.
Syrah in 75% new and 25% once used 265L barrels. Syrah from Caliza and Alta Colina just absorb oak and it integrates so well. I like adding in the once used as these barrels have already been kissed with Syrah so reusing them with Syrah makes a perfect match.
Mourvèdre in once used and neutral oak 265L barrels. A little bit of oak impartment is nice to really drive the complexity of this feral variety. The remaining wine in neutral really lets the ruggedness of Mourvèdre shine.
Grenache and Graciano in neutral oak 265L barrels. I want the beauty of the fruit to shine through, the barrel is just an aging vessel for these babies.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
Paso is a land that dreams are made of. Rolling hills creating a multitude of microclimates coupled with soils that are rarely found in any other growing region make for very unique terroir to grow wine grapes in. We, as winemakers, are merely shepherds to guide the fruit from the soil and into your glass.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
The name Cairjn was derived from the word cairn which is defined as “a heap of stones piled up as a memorial or as a landmark”. We added the silent “j” to create a unique word that is a play on the names of the two partners who created the brand. Both Andy and Robert came from the dirt, farming backgrounds and a family history of farming. Anyone knows that when you plant a vineyard on the west side of Paso you will be constantly pulling up rock after rock of fractured shale and calcareous boulders heavy with limestone. The name is an ode to the hard way of life; farming by hand, the shear strength of the men and women who labor tirelessly to help farm these amazing wine grapes, the literal blood sweat and tears that get put into it, and the memorials that are built along the way to accomplish these goals. Cairjn is a tribute to those men and women who grow the fruit, who time and time again get next to no credit for the work they do. For us, majority of the winemaking occurs in the vineyard and we will do our best to portray those sites to the best of our ability. Wine isn’t made…it is grown!
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
Honestly nothing. I have been the Associate Winemaker at Caliza Winery in Paso since 2015. For me it was time to have something that I could call my own, make all the decisions and craft the wines from the specific sites that have sought me out.
Most importantly, what's so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker, that wouldn't be possible for larger wineries?
Most importantly I get to work with small growers. Folks that are looking to grow amazing grapes but don’t want them to get consumed in some 50,000 case lot. Being small I can do just about anything I want without any bureaucracy or some suit trying to tell me how or what to do with my wine. I am here to feature the grower and showcase their hard work. For the most part large wineries don’t care about that.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
Unpredictable. Paso has seen more and more big money and big business come into town and purchasing properties and wineries. I sure hope it doesn’t get too commercial but the fact remains that wines from Paso can compete with anything on the world stage. The more recognition we receive the more big money will want their piece of the pie. There will always be small growers who will resist and/or simply deny selling to the larger facilities, but there is only so much land to go around.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
been there but have always enjoyed the wines from Alto Adige in Northern Italy. It’s where north meets south and has always been on my bucket list to visit and take in such a unique place. It seems to be this extremely diverse and culturally blended area that brings the best of all worlds from nearly 70% of the people speaking German (in Italy!) to the most Michelin star rated restaurants in the country to having such history that grapes have been grown there for over 2,500 years! To this day one of my favorite varietals is Schiava, a light bodied red wine that is typically very reasonably priced, if you haven’t experienced a bottle of this variety, I highly recommend searching one out.
For more information about Cairjn Wine Cellars, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.