2018 Angeleno Superbloom Zinfandel Süess Vineyard

Region: Lodi grapes + LA winemaking < CA

Grapes: Zinfandel

Winemakers:Jasper Dickson + Amy Luftig Viste

Wine production is a rare activity within the borders of Los Angeles,
let alone one that uses actual grapes from LA County. But apparently LA used to be a city of vines -- the first city seal was a bunch of grapes, and in the 1830's, they were making 2 million bottles of wine a year, three years before Napa even had their first commercial winery. So Angelino has one of the coolest stories around, involving actual Angelinos: Jasper worked at natty wine stalwart Silverlake wine for 10 years, where he met customer Amy, whose interest in wine grew to the point where she embarked upon enology studies at UCLA.  Jasper and Amy founded their wine project in 2014, when they began sourcing grapes, crowdfunded $25,000, started reworking a space in Chinatown (a 94-year-old building used to be a fabrication workshop) in April 2018, and then secured an ABC wine production license.

Fast forward to today, when they've outgrown their grape sources in LA County, and have expanded way up the coast to the Sierra Foothills, where they get these pristine Zin grapes from a vineyard that has been organic for over 100 years -- from the start.  SuperBloom (referencing what happens when the wildflowers bloom after much needed California rainfall) is inspired by the old-school California zins back when they were low alcohol, fresh wines with good acidity.   We're loving this opaque light red that is tart, tangy, and softly fruity, with red plum, cranberry, sour cherry, that Zin baking spice thing, and a distinctly cherry cola vibe.  Drink with a slight chill, outdoors on a warm October night, Aviator Nation hoodie optional.