“Looking back at what I accomplished
and the wine industry recognition
I earned in 2018 blew me away.
I’m eager to see what’s in store
for 2019. The Santa Clara
Valley wine region is gaining in
popularity. People are intrigued
and they’re traveling here from
all over, seeking new wine tasting
experiences. It’s an exciting
time for us.”
Janu Goelz
Winemaker and Founder
Alara Cellars
Janu Goelz is rapidly making her mark as an award-
winning winemaker and founder of Alara Cellars. As
a young woman she left San Jose to pursue a degree in
International Business with a Minor in Japanese at the
University of San Francisco. She travelled to India to
star in two commercial fi lms. Back in San Francisco,
she worked as a high tech recruiter and then launched
a clothing line with a friend: They transformed Indian
saris into colorful cocktail dresses and called the line Ri
Couture. She parlayed an internship at KRON4 TV into a
fi ve-year stint as Weather Anchor. In 2012, Janu met Jason
Goelz, a vintner and owner of Jason-Stephens Winery. She
quickly developed a passion for the wine business and
began helping with wine sales and the wine club, then
assisting Jason with winemaking. In 2015, Jason made
her Assistant Winemaker. Over the next few years, she
made wine under her own Alara Cellars label. In 2018,
she entered her Grenache Blanc and won Best of Show at
the Central Coast Wine Competition, placing fi rst out of
over 700 wines. Two of her wines were also featured in
Wine Enthusiast magazine’s Best of 2018 Issue, and seven
have been rated 90 and above by the magazine. Janu has
earned the distinction of Sommelier, CSW, CS, WSET3
and graduate of the Wine Executive program at UC Davis.
Along with winemaking she is excited about plans for
expansion of Alara Cellars’ base of operations at the
Stomping Ground in Gilroy. She and Jason live on their
Gilroy vineyard property with their beloved dogs, Rigley
and Baxter, two Labs with opposite personalities.
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