Wineries

Wildflower Winery

4517 Market St Ste 7, Ventura, CA 93003
www.wildflowerwineryventura.com

Region: Ventura County

Owners: Natalie and William Albertson

Winemaker: Natalie Albertson

About: Founded in 2020, Wildflower Winery offers low-intervention and natural wines crafted from the premium grapes of California’s Central Coast and Los Angeles County. Embracing a minimalist philosophy, owner Natalie Albertson produces elegant, terroir-driven wines, fermented with native yeasts, using stainless steel and neutral oak aging vessels and are unfined and unfiltered. After living in Sicily for several years, Natalie was inspired by European traditions and brings a fresh, artisanal touch to her wines and tasting room located in Ventura, CA. 

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Viognier

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? I’ve always loved Viognier whether from France or California.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? They are interesting, usually small lots, and provide a teaching moment with the consumer. Customers who have tried a forgotten grape usually light up with recognition when seeing the unique varietals.

Wild Rejoice Wine Company

1401 Marina Way S. #280, Richmond, CA 94804
www.wildrejoice.com

Region: Sacramento/East Bay

Owner: Alice and Michael Valania

Winemaker: Michael Valania

About: Wild Rejoice is a family-run winery, generally ruled by a 5-year-old human who knows more about making wine than most but would rather fly a kite than stomp grapes.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Cinsault

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Visiting many of the amazing wineries in and around the Santa Ynez Valley, forgotten grapes are abundant. One of the first we can remember is the variety of Italian varieties at Palmina Wines. Learning about Dolcetto, Vermentino and other Italian grapes being grown in the region was eye-opening.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Forgotten grapes are so expressive of place and time. It is so much fun to discover new grapes and figure out where they do well and how they compare across the world.