Wonderwerk (House of Fermentation) is Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy, two high school friends from Virginia seeking new directions in fermentation. They live in LA (Echo Park!) and make supernatural wines from all over California. They produce and bottle with their own hands and feet. They ride the wavelength from low-intervention to high-innovation, making collaborative ideas come to life in funky new ways. Wonderwerk began as a long night on a disco dancefloor (Despacio!) wound down and they didn’t want the party to end. Now, it’s flowed from there into the wines you see and drink today. Come along for the ride fam, bring your dancing shoes and an open mind, we promise we won’t disappoint.
As with all our producers, we will be donating part of the proceeds from sales to a non-profit close to our heart. Wonderwerk, we have chosen to donate to the Alberta Ecotrust foundation. Please check them out.
Bustin’ Loose
33% Pinot Gris, 33% Malvasia Bianca, 22% Riesling, 12% Muscat Canelli
12.4% ABV
production: 488 cases
Vinification:
Riesling was direct pressed and fermented in a stainless steel tank. 411 other varieties were destemmed and fermented on the skins for 2 weeks in 1.5 ton open—top fermentors. All skin-fermented lots began with twice daily pump-overs, yielding to twice daily punch-downs a few days into fermentation. Each variety was pressed separately and aged in neutral oak for 2 months. Unfermented Riesling juice was added at bottling to initiate a light bottle fermentation. This wine was fermented with ambient yeast and bacteria and produced without fining, filtration, sulfites, or other additives.
Tasting notes:
Bustin' Loose is a zero—zero chillable summer refresher — a vibrant orange wine riding a tropical riff that don't stop.
sku: 892268 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, crown cap
Born Slippy
35% Gewurztraminer, 23% Riesling, 22% Chenin Blanc, 11% Malvasia Bianca, 8% Muscat Canelli
12% ABV
production: 432 cases
Vinification:
Riesling was direct pressed and fermented in a stainless steel tank. All other varieties were destemmed and fermented on the skins for 2 weeks in 1.5 ton open—top fermentors. All skin-fermented lots began with twice daily pump-overs, yielding to twice daily punch-downs a few days into fermentation. Each variety was pressed separately and aged in neutral oak for 2 months. Unfermented Riesling juice was added at bottling to initiate a light bottle fermentation. This wine was fermented with ambient yeast and bacteria and produced without fining, filtration, sulfites, or other additives.
Tasting notes:
Shimmery melodies with layers of lemon meringue, pineapple guava, elderflower, and pithy white grapefruit. This crushable orange wine is bone dry with a whisper of carbonation - think CRUNCHY and LIVELY. Born Slippy is a crushable, bright, aromatic tropical punch — a dazzling zero—zero wine built for summertime.
sku: 894020 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, crown cap
Love at First Sight
100% Pinot Gris
11.1% ABV
production: 101 cases
Vinification:
Pinot gris was destemmed and fermented on the skins for 2 weeks in 1.5 ton open-top fermentors. Cap management began with twice daily pump-overs, yielding to twice daily punch-downs a few days into fermentation. The wine was aged in neutral oak for 7 months. This wine was fermented with ambient yeast and bacteria and produced without fining or filtration. 32ppm of sulfur was added to the wine: 22 ppm in barrel and 10 ppm at bottling.
Tasting notes:
Love at First Sight is a Wonderwerk Ramato — a rosé of Pinot Gris with orange wine features — with the right stuff to dress down poolside or dress up tableside. This wine is perfumed with stone, gravel, and orchard blossoms while the palate offers pink lemon, rooibos tea, and red currant. This wine was a hit recorded in one take: it was Love at First Sight.
sku: 892267 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, cork
Luv Yuzu Lite
75% Piquette of Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Montepulciano.
25% Riesling
8% ABV
production: 359 cases
Vinification:
The winemakers begin by selecting the most choice lots of pomace from direct press white and rosé, short-term macerated orange, and carbonic red lots. These are pressed grapes that still have flavor and structure to give before they are composted. They add just enough filtered water to collect the remaining vinous essence, while also providing a sensible dilution factor to the base wine.
They then macerate Riesling wine with yuzu peel for four days. The yuzu is sourced by friends at YUZUCO and grown to the highest standards in Miyazaki, Japan. The peel is prepared meticulously in lockstep with the juicing process at harvest. The peels are zested and pureéd; zero pith, all golden zest. Yuzu peel purée is flash frozen and arrives bright and perfumed with no observable oxidation. The yuzu-infused Riesling is strained, blended with the piquet te cuvée, and bottled with a Champagne yeast starter for a dry finish.
Tasting notes:
A classic California Riesling profile of white flowers and pineapple marries beautifully with the herbaceous, floral citrus flavor of Yuzu for a wine that is bright and refreshing.
*PLEASE NOTE* this says it is a sparkling wine. The winemakers have let us know this is not going to get the level of carbonation on it that it saw last year. It's still utterly delicious, but not SUPER fizzy.
sku: 103646 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, crown cap
Free Your Mind Rosé
86% Riesling 14% Carignan
10.6% ABV
production: 336 cases
Vinification:
Carignan underwent carbonic maceration for 2 weeks. Riesling was de-stemmed and fermented on skins for 9 days with twice daily pump-overs. Fermented with native yeast and bacteria. Pressed Carignan wine was pumped over Riesling skins twice, on days 8 and 9. This wine is a saignée of the Riesling/Carignan cuvée on day 10. The remaining cuvée continued to receive Carignan pump-overs and become Free Your Mind 2023. Bottle-conditioned with yeast starter
Tasting notes:
Candy crush, cherry bubbles, great acidity.
Get it while you can.
SKU: 103644 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, crown cap
It’s Time for the Purpolator
34% Teroldego, 33% Tempranillo, 33% Malbec
11.9% ABV
production: 498 cases
Vinification:
Teroldego was fermented whole cluster. Tempranillo and Malbec were de-stemmed. Fermented with ambient yeast and bacteria. Primary fermentation: 2 weeks with twice daily punchdowns/pump-overs. Aged in neutral oak for 4 months. Bottle- conditioned with yeast starter.
Tasting notes:
Purple Bubbles: It Tastes Like Grapes!
SKU: 103645 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, crown cap
Marinara
41% Montepulciano, 29% Teroldego, 22% Zinfandel 10% Grenache
12.2% ABV
production: 830 cases
Vinification:
Montepulciano underwent 2 weeks of carbonic maceration while all other varieties were destemmed and fermented for 2 weeks in 1.5 ton open-top fermentors. All destemmed lots began with twice daily pump—overs, yielding to twice daily punch-downs a few days into fermentation. Each variety was pressed separately and aged in neutral oak for 6 months. All wines were fermented with ambient yeast and bacteria and produced without fining or filtration. No sulfur was added other than 20ppm at bottling.
Tasting notes:
Carbonic—macerated Montepulciano lays the primary foundation of bright plum/ haw flake and tomato with a fine, powdery tannic structure. Teroldego contributes rich pigment, a moderate tannic structure, and complex earthy/ animal notes. Zinfandel defines an acid-driven backbone with sour cherry notes. A minor fraction of plush Grenache adds a dash of concentration and strawberry fruit leather tones.
Marinara! is the JOYFUL FEELING of red sauce dinners with pasta, pizza, chicken and eggplant parm, meaty mozzarella, etc. Not Limited to Italian-American fare, Marinara! is a prime selection for a-Z foods that are saucy, melty, or roasted.
SKU: 884200 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, cork
Free Your mind
Grapes: 50% Carignan, 50% Riesling
12% ABV
production: 1980 cases
Vinification:
Carignan was picked at 21.3* Brix on August 15. The fruit enjoyed a couple of weeks longer hang time and cooler temperatures at harvest than last vintage. Riesling was picked at 21.7* Brix on September
14. It was another cool growing season in the Arroyo Seco AVA (Riesling) with impressive acidity.
Riesling was de-stemmed and fermented on skins with twice daily pump—overs. At 1/2 Brix depletion, Riesling pump-overs were replaced with Carignan pump-overs (from another tank). Once the two cuvees were fully blended and fermented to dryness (14-day maceration), the lot was pressed to a stainless steel tank, where it underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged on lees. This wine was produced without fining or filtration, with 20 ppm sulfur (KMBS) added at bottling.
Tasting notes:
Free Your Mind is an extraordinary chillable red; a co-fermentation of carbonic old vine Carignan and skin-fermented Riesling.
SKU: 884201 | 12 to a case | 750 ml, glass, cork