Crafted by winemaker Josh Phelps, the 2022 Steady State is produced from a grower vineyard in the Oak Knoll region of Napa Valley. Having learned winemaking from his father, Chris Phelps, Josh has been in the thick of the Napa wine community from an early age. 2022 was a ripe vintage, ideal for youthful consumption. The Steady State Cabernet was gently destemmed and transferred to stainless steel tanks, where it underwent a 20-day maceration followed by time in oak barrels, 50% of which were new, for malolactic fermentation and ageing. Bright notes of cassis and raspberry lead the way to notes of leather and vanilla with a long, soft finish.

Josh Phelps' roots run deep in Napa Valley. He was raised in a winemaking family and exposed to the industry at a young age. He continued to build his knowledge of the business through college, selling wine, working harvests, and creating wine for friends with his father, Chris Phelps. Chris Phelps was the founding winemaker for Dominus Estate and later left to work with Caymus Vineyards, Swanson Vineyards, and Inglenook Vineyard before founding Ad Vivum Cellars. Through these experiences, Josh learned about the wine industry and started Grounded Wine Co. with the idea of wanting to produce high-quality wines that didn’t have to be cellared for years before enjoying them.