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Vin de California

Queen of the Galaxy 2020

Price: $29.95
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Tasting notes

Barbera at 12% ABV and minimal sulfites keeps all the grape's natural snap intact — juicy cherry and red fruit, driven by bright acidity and barely any tannin. The Contra Costa sandy soils give it a subtle wet-stone edge that lifts it beyond simple fruit-bomb territory.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
CherryRaspberryCranberryWet Stone
  • Style: Dry, light-bodied red; bright ruby; fruit-forward with high acidity; 12% ABV; 72 cases
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Barbera; Contra Costa County; organically farmed (uncertified); deep sandy soils, own-rooted vines
  • Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation with native yeast; 22ppm sulfites added post-MLF; bottled unfined and unfiltered
  • Serving: Serve at 55-60F; light chill recommended; no decant needed
  • Pairing: Tomato pasta, pizza, grilled salmon, charcuterie, fresh cheese
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay and light Pinot Noir who want California character at natural-wine ABV

Queen of the Galaxy is 100% Barbera sourced from Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco Bay. The fruit comes from organically farmed vines grown in the region's signature deep, free-draining sandy soils, which force low yields and concentrate flavors without irrigation. Only 72 cases were produced in 2020.

In the cellar, fermentation was spontaneous using native yeast. A small addition of sulfites — 22ppm — was made after malolactic fermentation. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered, keeping it bright and lively in the glass.

The name is a direct nod to the 1968 cult sci-fi film Barbarella, marketed as Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy, starring Jane Fonda — a fitting reference for a wine made from a grape whose very name echoes the title. The wine is fruit-forward, high in acidity, and low in tannin, staying true to Barbera's character in a California context.

The high acidity and low tannin make this a natural match for tomato-based pasta dishes and pizza. It works well slightly chilled alongside charcuterie, fresh cheeses, or grilled salmon. A reliable stand-in for rosé at the table.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Barbera
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2020
Alcohol:, 12%
Country:, USA
Region:, Contra Costa
Appellation:, Contra Costa County
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Vin de California

Vin de California was founded in 2016 in Los Angeles by Adam and Kate Vourvoulis. Adam, known on Instagram as @natural_whine, built a following through wine-culture commentary before transitioning into production. The project focuses on California heritage varieties made using entirely natural methods.

By early 2021, the Vourvoulises had opened a winery and wine shop in Pasadena, making Adam the first commercial winemaker in Pasadena in nearly a century. They source grapes from organically farmed vineyards across California, including Contra Costa County and the Central Coast. Production is small-batch and the winery operates with a bootstrapped, community-oriented ethos.

All wines are fermented spontaneously with native yeast and use minimal to zero added sulfites. The Queen of the Galaxy 2020 received 22ppm of added sulfites after malolactic fermentation and was bottled unfined and unfiltered at 12% ABV, with only 72 cases produced.

Wine region

Contra Costa, USA

Contra Costa County sits directly east of San Francisco Bay, roughly 50 miles from San Francisco. Most of its vineyards are concentrated around the towns of Brentwood and Oakley on an ancient alluvial sandbar at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. The deep, free-draining sandy soils are the defining feature of the terroir: phylloxera cannot survive in pure sand, so many vines here remain own-rooted, head-trained, and dry-farmed, with some dating to the 1890s.

The region carries a county designation rather than a formal AVA, though a petition for AVA status was filed with the TTB in 2023. The East Bay microclimate brings hot days and persistent wind; the fog that blankets Carneros just across the bay does not reach here, meaning grapes ripen fully under intense sun. The sandy soils restrict vine vigor and water retention, producing small, concentrated berries. Heritage varieties including Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Carignan, and Barbera are the backbone of the region's production.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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