Aaron Gratch - Winemaker and Andreas Tasting Room Manager

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.