Margins produces low-intervention wines using grapes from underrepresented regions, vineyards, and varietals. We make wines from organically farmed vineyards, using minimal additives during the winemaking process (SO2 only), and never employing the use of temperature control, fining, or filtration.

Much like people living on the 'margins of society,' vineyards can be outcasts too. Most consumers of wine are only familiar with a handful of grape growing regions and types of wine. Margins draws attention to vineyards and varietals throughout northern and central California that find themselves on the margins without the recognition they deserve.

Margins is a winemaking endeavor of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis in 2012 and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).  She started Margins in 2016 with a modest crowdfunding campaign to create eight barrels of Chenin blanc. Margins now produces ~2800 cases annually of more than 20 wines.

From the winery: 

The vines sit on clay loam soils in flat and sunny eastern Contra Costa County, with a stellar view of Mt. Diablo in the distance. Erggelet Brothers farmed and managed this property from 2017-2021 with a strong emphasis on organic practices, soil building, livestock integration, and minimal intervention. The vineyard changed ownership in 2022, but continues to be farmed organically.

Varietals: 100% Muscat Blanc

Production: 98 cases

Region: United States, California, Contra Costa County, Cecchini Ranch

Farming: As of 2021 all vineyards Margins works with are farmed organically.

Vinification: 40% of the grapes in the final blend were destemmed and skin fermented for two days with one punchdown per day. The other 60% of the grapes were whole cluster pressed the day of picking. The two blends were aged separately in neutral oak for five months and blended before bottling. No fining, no filtration, and no other modifications or additions except 30 ppm of sulfur dioxide the week before bottling.