Plants Are People Too, A Botanical Story by Olivia Joffrey
There are moments in winemaking that feel bigger than a vintage. Moments where everything—place, people, timing, and intention—align into something that feels inevitable.
This Spring 2026 release is one of those moments.
For the first time in Artiste’s history, we’ve partnered with an artist whose work doesn’t just live on the label—it expands the story inside the bottle. Olivia Joffrey’s botanical series, Plants Are People Too, is more than an aesthetic direction. It’s a reflection of California itself—its land, its agriculture, its contradictions, and its quiet beauty.
Timed with Mother’s Day, these three wines—our 2017 Chardonnay, 2025 Grenache Rosé, and 2025 Pinot Blanc—are bright, expressive, and alive. Wines made for spring tables, long afternoons, and the people who shape our lives in ways we rarely put into words.
Our pre-release futures sale begins Sunday, April 19th, with wines shipping May 1st—just in time for Mother’s Day.
And on May 2nd, we bring it full circle. Olivia’s exhibit, Plants Are People Too, opens at Artiste, featuring original works—including the very pieces on these bottles. She will be in the gallery from 1–4 PM, meeting members and guests, giving everyone a chance to step directly into the world behind the wines.
A NEW CHAPTER: BOTANICAL ART AT ARTISTE
Olivia Joffrey’s path to art isn’t conventional—and that’s exactly why it works.
With a background in Urban Studies from Stanford and the London School of Economics, and early work in architectural cartography, she understands land differently. Not as scenery, but as structure. As identity. As something lived in and shaped over time.
That perspective shows up immediately in her work.
Her botanical illustrations aren’t decorative—they’re observational. Emotional. Rooted in place. California isn’t just the backdrop—it’s the subject.
When we first connected, the conversation quickly moved beyond labels. We started talking about what’s happening to wine culture here.
Climate pressure. Rising costs. Labor realities. And a shifting cultural narrative that increasingly positions wine as something to question rather than something to enjoy.
Olivia put it simply: wine used to belong at the table.
Not as a statement. Not as a vice. Just as part of life.
That idea—simple, human, and increasingly rare—became the foundation of this collaboration.
PLANTS ARE PEOPLE TOO
The title isn’t ironic. It’s not cute.
It’s observational.
Olivia’s work personifies plants—not by turning them into characters, but by revealing the personality they already have.
An artichoke becomes guarded but generous.
An agave becomes structured, resilient, almost architectural.
A wildflower becomes soft, unassuming, quietly powerful.
These are portraits.
And if you look closely, they start to feel familiar.
They feel like people you know.
They feel like mothers.
Strong exteriors. Deep interiors. Complexity that reveals itself over time.
That parallel is what makes this release hit differently.
THE WINES
“Agave Americana”
2017 Chardonnay
La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills
This is the most structured wine of the release—the one that sits with you a little longer.
Sourced from La Encantada Vineyard, this 2017 Chardonnay walks a precise line between richness and restraint. Aged in French oak with 50% malolactic fermentation, it carries a subtle creaminess without losing its edge.
Tasting Notes:
Golden apple, Meyer lemon, toasted hazelnut, and a soft thread of vanilla. There’s a gentle, almost Kistler-like texture—but it’s lifted by vibrant acidity that keeps the wine alive from start to finish.
The Art:
Agave americana—structured, symmetrical, resilient. A plant that thrives in harsh conditions yet produces something undeniably beautiful.
There’s no accident in that pairing.
Cynara Cardunculus
2025 Grenache Rosé
Santa Barbara County
If the Chardonnay is composed, this is spontaneous. This Rosé is built on precision in the vineyard and restraint in the cellar. Stainless steel fermentation with a short rest in neutral French oak keeps everything clean and focused.
Tasting Notes:
Strawberry, watermelon rind, rose petal, and a hint of white peach. There’s a subtle saline edge that gives it energy and makes it incredibly food-friendly.
Crisp, bright, and effortless.
The Art:
The artichoke is all contrast—armored on the outside, tender at the core.
It’s hard not to see the metaphor.
Tanacetum parthenium
2025 Pinot Blanc
La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills
This is the quiet one. The one that doesn’t demand attention—but earns it.
Pinot Blanc, when handled right, delivers nuance over flash. Fermented in stainless steel and aged briefly in neutral French oak, this wine is about clarity and texture.
Tasting Notes:
Pear, citrus blossom, green apple, and a touch of almond. Silky, clean, and mineral-driven, with a finish that keeps pulling you back in.
The Art:
Feverfew—small, delicate, historically associated with healing.
Subtle, but powerful.
.
.
THE EXHIBIT: MAY 2ND AT ARTISTE
This is where it all comes together.
On May 2nd, Plants Are People Too opens at Artiste as a full exhibition—not just labels, but original works.
The same pieces that inspired the wines will be on the walls. Larger. More detailed. More immersive.
Olivia will be here from 1–4 PM, meeting guests, sharing her process, and giving context to the work.
This isn’t just a tasting—it’s a conversation between art and wine, in real time.
WHY THIS RELEASE MATTERS
This is more than three wines.
It’s a statement about what we value.
That wine is part of culture—not something to be extracted from it.
That agriculture is not abstract—it’s identity, history, and livelihood.
That art and wine are both ways of understanding the world around us.
And that slowing down long enough to appreciate those things might be the most important act left.
MOTHER’S DAY: MAKE IT MEAN SOMETHING
Forget the default gestures.
Open something together. Sit down. Talk. Share a bottle that actually has a story behind it.
Because that’s what lasts.
These wines aren’t just gifts—they’re experiences waiting to happen.
PRE-RELEASE DETAILS
• Futures Sale Begins: Sunday, April 19th
• Shipping Begins: May 1st
• Mother’s Day Ready
• Extremely Limited Production
FINAL THOUGHT
Olivia said it best in our early conversations—she wants to continue loving California the way writers like M.F.K. Fisher did.
Through food. Through wine. Through attention.
That’s what this release is.
A reminder to pay attention.
To what’s in your glass.
To who’s at your table.
To where you are.
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Join us May 2nd.
Meet the artist. Taste the wines. See the originals.