Vin de California Radical 2.0 2020

Radical 2.0 is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel made by Vin de California (VDC), a Los Angeles-based natural wine project founded in 2016 by Adam and Kate Vourvoulis. The Pinot Noir comes from Topotero Vineyard, a 5-acre organically farmed site in Avila Beach in the Avila Valley, planted in 1998 on alluvial soils less than two miles from the Pacific Ocean. The wine underwent spontaneous fermentation with native yeast and was bottled with only 22ppm of sulfites added after malolactic fermentation — unfined and unfiltered.

The name is a direct nod to Adam's background as a skateboarder from Venice in the 1990s. The wine reflects that ethos: high-energy acidity, vivid fruit, and no pretense. Pinot Noir brings brightness and red-fruit lift; Zinfandel adds berry depth and a peppery, jammy core. The low sulfite addition keeps the wine lively and expressive without stripping character.

VDC operates out of Pasadena, in Lamanda Park — a neighborhood that was part of a 1,300-acre agricultural project called Sunny Slope Ranch over 100 years ago, which once included 90 acres of wine vines. Adam sources grapes from small farmers along California's Central Coast who use ethical vineyard management practices.