The Story Behind California's Most Playful Natural Wine Label
Folk Machine Wine:
There's a bottle we keep reaching for on the shelf that has a bunch of cameras drawn across the label, or sometimes lightbulbs, or something else that has nothing obviously to do with wine. That's Folk Machine, and if you haven't tried it yet, it's one of the easiest recommendations we make in the shop.
The wines come from Kenny Likitprakong, who actually built his name making Cabernet and Zinfandel, creating the Hobo Wine Company in 2002. Folk Machine started small, mostly a place for his Pinot Noir, but it turned into something else over time: a home for the grapes California basically forgot about. Valdiguié and Charbono used to be everywhere in the state. Now they're barely planted, and Kenny's one of the few people still bothering with them.
The winemaking itself doesn't chase a house style. Native yeast, whole cluster fermentation more often than not, carbonic maceration on the reds that call for it. Fruit is farmed or sourced from small growers scattered around Mendocino, Suisun Valley, Arroyo Seco, Potter Valley, some certified organic, some just farmed with a lot of care without the paperwork. Nothing here is engineered to taste a certain way. It tastes like where it's from and what year it was.
What we like most, honestly, is that it doesn't take itself too seriously while still being genuinely good juice. You don't need to know what Valdiguié is to enjoy the bottle. But if you do know, there's a real story behind it. That balance is rare.
The Bottles We're Carrying Right Now
White Light 2024
Mostly Tocai Friulano, rounded out with Riesling, Verdelho, Albariño, and Sauvignon Blanc. Kenny's always described the goal for this one the same way: keep the acid and minerality Tocai Friulano naturally has, that faint salty edge, but soften it with fruit from the other varieties so it doesn't feel austere. It works. Good for a hot day, good with something creamy, good on its own.
Valdiguié Film & Camera, Redwood Valley 2023
Off 100-year-old vines. Bright berries, herbs, a lot of acid, and more body than the last couple vintages had. Valdiguié used to go by "Napa Gamay" back when it was actually common in California, and Kenny's been bottling this one since 2009. The camera on the label changes every year, pulled from designer Landon Dowlen's own collection, so if you're the type who keeps bottles for the labels, this one's worth holding onto.
Part & Labor, Mendocino 2023
Grenache-heavy, with old-vine Carignan and a little Syrah mixed in. The Carignan's from Lolonis, which might be the oldest certified organic vineyard in the state, and the Grenache is pulled from four different spots. Whole cluster and carbonic keep it lively rather than heavy. Easy to drink on its own, doesn't need food, but won't fight with much either.
Charbono, Suisun Valley 2022
Charbono barely exists anymore, which is part of why we like carrying it. Looks dark, smells heavy, but drinks lighter than you'd expect with moderate tannin. No added yeast, some whole cluster fermentation, aged about ten months in older barrels. If you've never had Charbono before, this is a solid place to start, and there aren't many places left to start.
