We moved to California in 2010, drawn west by wine and the possibility of building something of our own.

A few years later, life took us briefly in different directions — Emily to London for work, Jason to Bordeaux for harvest. Somewhere between California, London and Bordeaux, the idea for Vinca Minor began to take shape.

Back in California, we started small. Quite literally four barrels of wine — old-vine Carignan, made while we both continued with our day jobs and figured things out as we went.

There was never a grand plan to build a large winery. Vinca grew slowly, alongside our own lives, shaped by the vineyards, growers, restaurants and people we met along the way.

More than a decade later, we’re intentionally small and more focused than ever. Fewer wines. Small amounts. Vineyards and people we believe in.

Emily has continued building her own career while remaining part of Vinca from the beginning; Jason has stayed closest to the vineyards and cellar. What started between the two of us in 2013 is still very much a family project — only the world around it has grown.

The wines change. The idea hasn’t much.