Lo‑Fi Wines

Lo-Fi Wines is the passion project of two longtime friends, Mike and Craig, who set out to make wine that’s approachable, unpretentious, and full of personality. Their motto? “Wines to be enjoyed, not collected.”

The Style

Think easy-drinking, vibrant, and a little playful. They’re all about keeping things natural and simple:

• Native yeast fermentations

• Whole cluster and carbonic maceration for extra freshness

• Neutral barrels and concrete eggs for aging

• Super low sulfur, no fining, no filtering

The result is wine that’s alive in the glass—bright, energetic, and food-friendly.

Where to Find Them

They’re based in Los Alamos, California, with a laid-back tasting room right on Bell Street. It’s the kind of spot where you hang out with friends, sip wine, and maybe even catch some vinyl spinning in the background.

Grapes & Vineyards

Lo-Fi sources fruit from organic and sustainable vineyards around Santa Barbara County—places like Coquelicot, Clos Mullet, and Oak Savanna. Everything is hand-harvested and treated gently to let the fruit do the talking.

A Peek at the Details

Take their Cabernet Franc for example:

• Blended with a splash of Gamay for extra lift

• 10–12 days of whole-cluster carbonic maceration

• Aged in neutral oak and concrete

• Bottled unfined and unfiltered with just a touch of sulfur

The numbers (for the geeks): pH around 3.78, acidity around 5 g/L, basically no residual sugar.

What They Make

Lo-Fi doesn’t stick to one lane—they love to experiment. You’ll find Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Albariño, Riesling, Malbec, Mencía, Trousseau, Arinto, Rosé, and more.

They’ve even launched a side project called Le Machin, focusing on Pinot Noir from organic Santa Rita Hills vineyards—still natural, still fresh, just with its own personality.