Aaron Gratch

Developing an appreciation of wine early in life, Aaron drew inspiration for the process of winemaking from watching his father and grandfather as they dabbled in rustic Italian-inspired fermentations. Today, as a winemaker for Cellar Beast, his passion lies within the marriage of the intuitive and artistic nature of the work, which stems from his background as a classically trained fine artist, coupled with the rigid technicality of process. Now as a certified Sommelier from the Wine School of Philadelphia, you’ll often catch Aaron in the tasting room leading a guided tasting session or getting his hands dirty in production.

His first main release as a winemaker for Cellar Beast is his gold medal-winning 2022 Primitivo, in which he aimed to pay homage to the classic Italian grape while evoking the nuance of refined French-inspired delicacy. Aaron also wrangles much of the winery’s Italian program, and has an affinity for all things natural. From the vines to his wild one-off batches, be sure to ask him what odd projects he has going, as he seeks to push the envelope back to a world of minimal intervention and passion-driven antiquity.