Vin de California Zed 2020

Zed is a 50/50 co-fermented blend of Barbera and Tempranillo sourced from the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in the Los Olivos District AVA of Santa Barbara County. The vineyard was first planted in 1971 by Charlotte Young and sits on sandy, alluvial soils on a broad flat terrace above the Santa Ynez River. The Tempranillo is a suitcase clone planted in the late 1990s by Bob Lindquist. The vineyard is farmed using organic methods and regenerative agriculture.

Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeast. Only 22ppm of sulfites were added after malolactic fermentation, placing this squarely in low-sulfite natural wine territory. No other additives are used. Adam Vourvoulis describes Zed as the bigger, more structured wine in the VDC lineup, with more tannin and body than the lighter reds in the range, while still carrying the bright fruit and high acidity both Barbera and Tempranillo are known for.

The Los Olivos District is a moderately warm AVA moderated by coastal fog that rolls in through the east-west mountain corridors from the Pacific. This extended growing season allows grapes to reach full physiological ripeness at lower sugar levels, which supports the wine's balance of structure and freshness. Spanish and Italian varieties, including Tempranillo, are well-established here alongside Rhone and Bordeaux grapes.

Vin de California is a small-production urban winery founded in 2016 by Adam and Kate Vourvoulis and based in Pasadena, California. Adam spent 15 years as a sommelier before turning to winemaking. VDC sources exclusively from Central Coast vineyards and works without added commercial yeasts, fining agents, or significant sulfur additions.