2025 Wineries

Doctor’s Orders Natural Wine Company

801 E Main St, Santa Paula, CA 93060
https://drsorderswine.com/

Region: Santa Barbara County

Owner: Dom O’Reilly and Anna O’Reilly

Winemaker: Dom O’Reilly

About: A family-owned-and-operated winery situated in the beautiful Upper Ojai Valley, dedicated to producing fresh and lively wines in a serious and terroir-driven style. These are both for everyday drinkers and the most discerning of palates. Sourcing organic grapes from the Ojai Valley and the Central Coast, we take pride in crafting unmanipulated, natural wines that are sophisticated, healthy, and clean.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Grenache and Trousseau

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? When I had a Grenache blend at Zuni restaurant in San Francisco.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Forgotten grapes are more food-friendly. They tend to complement spicy and funky dishes which is food that I particularly enjoy.

DoctorsOrders5

Flowers & Cheese

9904 Canoga Ave, Chatsworth, CA
flowersandcheese.com

Region: Los Angeles County

Owners: Antonio & Michelle Brunetti

Winemaker: Antonio Brunetti

About: We are  a Los Angeles winery making wine with grapes grown in Los Angeles county and other places in SoCal. Native fermentation Wine/Merry/Story-Making in a warehouse.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Moscato

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Tasting a Palomino made by another winemaker/making my pet-nat Moscato from Ramona Valley.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? The possibilities in California never end!

Friendly Noise

111 Poindexter Ave, Ste D, Moorpark, CA 93021
www.friendlynoise.com

Region: Ventura County

Owners: Peter Clausen and Andrew Sylvia

Winemakers: Peter Clausen and Andrew Sylvia

About: We make casual, party-pleasing low interventions wines from underappreciated grapes and growing regions.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Picpoul

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Drinking delicious, dry, bubbly Muscadine wines in North Carolina and absolutely loving them!

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? There is more freedom to create and more freedom to enjoy them than there are with more mainstream grapes.

FriendlyNoise3

Full Tilt Wines

3359 Fernside Blvd, Alameda, CA 94501
fulltiltwines.com

Region: Mendocino County

Owner: Craig Sutphin

Winemaker: Craig Sutphin

About: Full Tilt Wines started as an experiment to see how far The Fukuoka Philosophy of “do nothing” farming could be applied to the entire natural winemaking process. The goal: create charming and delicious wines from climate-ready Mediterranean grapes in ecologically responsible, closed-loop farm. Nothing is added or taken away in the vineyard or the winery, ever. We call it zero-zero-zero. You’ll call it horizon expanding.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Frappato

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? I was relatively young and new to wine, and I purchased a bottle of 100% Negrette from Fronton, made by two female winemakers. I had no idea what Fronton was or who they were, but my wife and I decanted the wine, immediately smelled salt air and lavender fields, and sensed the blistering summer heat. And with one sip, the horizon opened, and I knew there was more above heaven and earth than are dreamt of in all our philosophies. It was like I grew two new eyes that allowed me to see in new directions.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? They expand our ontological horizons.

FullTilt1
FullTilt3

Giornata

470 Marquita Ave #A, Paso Robles CA 93446
giornatawines.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owners/Winemakers: Brian and Stephy Terrizzi

About: We make authentic, complex and balanced wines in Paso Robles, CA featuring Italian grape varieties.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Teraldego and Frappato

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? I wasn’t sure what to make of Nebbiolo, but I knew I wanted another sip.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Learning their history

Hitching Post Wines

420 E HWY 246 Lompoc CA 93427
www.hpwines.com

Region: Santa Barbara County

Owners: Frank Ostini & Gray Hartley

Winemakers: Frank Ostini and Weston Hartley

About: Led by Frank Ostini (owner of the Hitching Post 2 Restaurant) and Gray Hartley, Hitching Post Wines has passed its 40th vintage in its ongoing quest to create the finest wines possible of Santa Barbara County. The emphasis is to make intriguing, age-worthy Pinot Noirs featuring Santa Barbara County’s two iconic appellations, the Santa Maria Valley and the Sta. Rita Hills. However, other lesser-known varieties such as Chenin Blanc and Valdeguie have also caught their attention. With Frank Ostini as Chef Winemaker since its inception, these are food-friendly, handcrafted wines of balance and finesse that express the essence of the great vineyards of the Santa Barbara region. Moving forward, the next generation of Hartleys – Emily (DTC Manager) and Weston (Winemaker) – have joined the team and are doing much of the heavy lifting at Hitching Post Wines.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Valdiguie

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Sangiovese was first followed by old vine Chenin Blanc from Los Alamos grown by Louie Lucas.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Great heritage varietals that are lesser known have so much potential when taken seriously and given respect. There is greater freedom to explore old and new techniques and styles.

HitchingPost1

JMC Cellars

6800 Greenville Road, Livermore CA 94550
jmccellars.wine

Region: Livermore Valley

Owner/Winemaker: Jessica Carroll

About: Like many that find themselves in this industry, Jessica started her path in a different field: Civil Engineering. She graduated from the University of Portland and worked as a Transportation Engineer in the Bay Area until finding her passion in wine.

After careful thought, she made the leap into wine in 2014. While completing her Certificate of Enology from Las Positas College, she worked full time at a winery in Livermore Valley. The list of reasons Jessica loves the wine industry is long and all of them make it a well matched career path for her.

She was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to open up her own winery in 2023 and jumped at the chance to fulfil that dream.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Teraldego

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Jessica has been working with obscure varietals for a long time, it is something JMC is very proud of.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Exposure to new and exciting varietals you cannot find on the grocery store shelf or in most tasting rooms.

JMC Cellar Wines
JMC Cellar
JMC Cellar
JMC Cellar
JMC Cellar
JMC Cellar Vineyard

Kinetic Cellars

282 W. Portland Ave. Fresno, CA 93711
www.kineticcellars.com

Region: Lodi

Owner: Cole Dennis

Winemaker: Cole Dennis

About: We specialize in crafting wines from unique varieties that we have come to love from our experiences with European wines. We craft wines with a European or, otherwise, Old-World mentality so that the resultant wines focus on and showcase the grapes from which they are made. We stress all of the important details that go into making a wine so that we can end up with wines of unique character that reflect the many aspects of terrior. We currently have focused on making wines from varieties that originate from Portugal and Spain.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Nebbiolo

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Outside of childhood, my colleagues and I would taste a bunch of esoteric wines from the old world in College during my senior year. That was our goal – to find all of the off-the-wall unique tasting wines that we could find in Fresno. That was a special and impressionable time for me, and I am forever grateful for it.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? What I love about forgotten grapes is that they have some much personality to them. They are just as good if not better than all of the mainstream varieties that are on the market in the big box stores and even the grocery store shelves. You can start to truly taste the passion a winemaker has when you get to try these odd varieties because all of the “toys” that winemakers tend to use get put away and the grapes get a chance to shine in these wines.

Los Pilares Wine

Durbin Road, Santa Ysabel, CA
lospilareswine.com

Region: San Diego County

Owner: Coleman Cooney

Winemaker: Michael Christian and Coleman Cooney

About: Los Pilares is a long-term exploration of high-altitude viticulture in the mountains of San Diego County, founded by Katie Fawkesmoore, Coleman Cooney, Jay McCarthy, and Michael Christian. Before Los Pilares, they were backyard vignerons, garage winemakers, or wine industry professionals. Since the first vintage in 2010, they have been showcasing the terroir of San Diego’s backcountry and mountains by making wine with nothing but grapes, and sometimes apples. All the fruit comes from sustainable vineyards and orchards grown in the backcountry and mountains of San Diego County.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Assyrtiko

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Drinking young Tintilla Sardo wines in Spain

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? They extend the spectrum of flavors, textures, and aromas.

Los Pilares Vineyard
Los Pilares Vineyard
Los Pilares Vineyard
Los Pilares Vineyard
Los Pilares Vineyard

Luna Hart Wines

2825 Tapadero Road, Solvang CA 93463
www.lunahartwines.com

Region: Santa Barbara County

Owner: Gretchen Voelcker

Winemaker: Gretchen Voelcker

About: At the heart of Luna Hart’s philosophy is a commitment to vineyards practicing sustainable, organic, or biodynamic farming throughout the enchanting landscapes of Santa Barbara County. Gretchen’s vision is to create wines that resonate with the very soul of the grapes—their origin, vintage, and variety—a true reflection of the terroir. Immerse yourself in the meticulous process where Gretchen’s careful attention to the fruit in the vineyard and daily tastings during fermentation result in high-quality, fruit-forward wines. Luna Hart’s creations are characterized by bright acidity and a delicate balance, held together by an incredible structure that speaks to the harmony between nature and craftsmanship.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Gruner Veltliner & Cabernet Franc

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Gretchen fell in love with Grüner Veltliner while working in New Zealand. She loved the clusters in the vineyard which translated to her new favorite white complete with bright acidity and gorgeous texture. It is also the perfect companion to SB and California fare.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? We love educating people about our wines and the grapes we work with. The forgotten grapes are such a fun way to share something completely new with our guests and we love surprising them.