{"title":"Vinca Minor","description":"\u003cp\u003eJason 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVinca 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore on how they farm and work in the cellar in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/natural-wine-producers-primal-wine\/vinca-minor\"\u003eVinca Minor producer profile\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"carignane-rose-vinca-minor-california-natural-wine","title":"Vinca Minor Carignane Rose' 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis dry rosé is sourced from 90-plus-year-old, head-trained, dry-farmed Carignane vines at Hawkeye Ranch in Redwood Valley, Mendocino. The vineyard sits at 722 feet elevation in the upper reaches of the Russian River drainage, planted on Pinole Gravelly Loam soils that are iron-rich, rocky, and free-draining. Pete Johnson and his family have farmed Hawkeye Ranch organically for five generations; the site is CCOF Certified Organic and Fish Friendly Farming Certified.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinemaker Jason Charles used a direct-press approach, producing the wine's characteristically pale color. Fermentation proceeded with native yeast in a combination of older French oak and stainless steel. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Redwood Valley's large diurnal temperature swings, often reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit between day and night, preserve the natural acidity and floral lift that define this wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCarignane is a variety that can be aggressively tannic and high-acid from young vines, but from 90-plus-year-old, low-yielding, dry-farmed vines the grape delivers balance and texture well suited to rosé production. The result is pale, dry, and mineral-driven with red fruit and stone-fruit character.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVinca Minor produces small-lot wines across Northern California, working exclusively with organically farmed growers and using indigenous yeast throughout, never fining or filtering. SO2 additions are minimal.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":13088769245239,"sku":"VINCROSE19C","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/carignane-rose-vinca-minor-california-natural-wine_30a4acb5-9642-4067-90c7-45be2821e062.jpg?v=1780658828"},{"product_id":"mendocino-red-vinca-minor-natural-wine","title":"Vinca Minor Mendocino Red 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003eVinca Minor's Mendocino Red is a blend of Carignan and Valdiguie sourced from certified organic, dry-farmed, old-vine vineyards in Mendocino County. The Carignan comes from Hawkeye Ranch in Redwood Valley, where head-trained vines ranging from 80 to 120 years old grow in Pinole Gravelly Loam soils at around 800 feet elevation. The grower, Pete Johnson, is a sixth-generation farmer who has farmed organically from the start.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinemaker Jason Charles ferments with native yeast in open-top fermenters and bottles the wine unfined and unfiltered. In keeping with his approach across all Vinca Minor reds, the wine is racked only once before bottling and sees neutral French oak for aging. The result is a light-to-medium-bodied red built for the table rather than the cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe palate leans toward tart red cherry, pomegranate, and dried herbs, with the Carignan providing bright acidity and low tannins and the Valdiguie adding fresh berry character and a slight floral lift. This is a wine meant to be served with a slight chill, around 58 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40096060342471,"sku":"VINCMEND20C","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/vinca-minor-california-red-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1630820195"},{"product_id":"moonland-fruit-wine-rose-vinca-minor","title":"Vinca Minor Moonland Apples \u0026 Grapes 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eExperimenting with flavors \u0026amp; fermentations while exploring Northern California's old vine plantings. Moonland fruit wines \u0026amp; ciders are handpicked from organic\/biodynamic orchards and vineyards. Native yeast fermented in the winery with zero additions. (source: Moonland)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42557690020056,"sku":"VINCAROS21C","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/moonland-fruit-wine-rose-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718500580"},{"product_id":"moonland-apples-pears-grapes-vinca-minor","title":"Vinca Minor Moonland Apples, Pears \u0026 Grapes 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eExperimenting with flavors \u0026amp; fermentations while exploring Northern California's old vine plantings. Moonland fruit wines \u0026amp; ciders are handpicked from organic\/biodynamic orchards and vineyards. Native yeast fermented in the winery with zero additions. (source: Moonland)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42557703618776,"sku":"VINCABLA21C","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/moonland-fruit-wine-white-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718500577"},{"product_id":"carignan-rose-vinca-minor-california","title":"Vinca Minor Carignan Rosé 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eVinca Minor Carignan Rosé is made from 90+-year-old vines dry farmed. The fruit was picked September 13th at 22 Brix and direct pressed to a combination of older French oak and stainless. Wine aged sur lie for 5 months prior to bottling. Bottled unfined \u0026amp; unfiltered with 20 ppm S02. (source: Vinca Minor)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42557712433368,"sku":"VINCROSE21C","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/vinca-minor-carignan-rose-california-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718500575"},{"product_id":"zapple-juice-buddy-buddy","title":"Vinca Minor Zapple Juice 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eBuddy Buddy Zapple Juice is a grapes and apples wine made from a blend of 90% Gravenstein Apples, and 10% Zinfandel. This porch pounder is full of juicy, berry fruit snack vibes. Spontaneously fermented, unfined, unfiltered, no added SO2. (source: Buddy Buddy)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinca Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42557717283032,"sku":"BUDDZAPP21C","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/buddy-buddy-wine-zapple-apple-grape-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718500572"}],"url":"https:\/\/primalwine.com\/collections\/vinca-minor.oembed","provider":"Primal Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}