Jason Edward Charles spent two decades making the world his classroom before settling in Berkeley to make wine. A photographer and traveler who came to winemaking through harvest internships in Northern California, studied at Chateau Haut Goujon in Lalande de Pomerol, and worked at respected Napa estates before founding Vinca Minor in 2013, Jason brings an artist's eye to everything he touches. The wines reflect that precision: thoughtful, quiet, and deeply concerned with the character of individual sites.
Historic Vineyards as Partners
Vinca Minor's philosophy centers on historic vineyards and the families who have tended them for generations. The project began with old-vine Carignan field blends in Mendocino, and that variety remains the heart of what Jason does. Old vines, grown without irrigation on thin soils, produce fruit of concentrated character and structural tension that young plantings cannot replicate. He works with these vineyards as partners rather than suppliers, understanding their history and farming to preserve it.
The Range: Carignan, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
Beyond Carignan, Vinca Minor produces Chardonnay from the Mendocino Coast, known for its maritime cooling and extraordinary acidity, and a Cabernet Sauvignon made in an old-California style, drawing on the estate's roots in Napa and Bordeaux. All wines are made naturally: spontaneous fermentation, no commercial yeast, no fining or filtration, minimal sulfur. The operation is co-run with Jason's wife Emily O'Hara Charles, who manages business and design, and based out of a co-owned facility in Berkeley.
Photography as Winemaking
Jason's background in documentary photography shapes how he approaches wine: with patience, with attention to the particular, and with respect for what is already there. He is not imposing a vision on the vineyards he works with. He is listening to them and translating what they say as faithfully as he can. Vinca Minor is a small operation with a large sense of place, and it is one of California's most quietly distinguished natural wine addresses.
