Longtime Placer County residents, the Mendez Family, broke ground on their Auburn vineyard in 1999, with no illusions of simplicity. When Viña Castellano was started the family knew it was going to be a labor of love, with a strong emphasis on “labor”. Teena Wilkins, who co-owns and manages the vineyard and winery, is the youngest of Gabe and Carolyn Mendez’s four children. She and her father, along with her husband Craig and their vineyard & winery foreman, Victor Brambila, oversee the weekly work at the winery, but the entire family contribute to the winery in some form or fashion.

Changala Winery is a boutique family-owned and operated winery located in the Willow Creek District on the West side of Paso Robles.

Our winemaker specializes in creative red blends and offers unique single varietals. The wines are sourced from local Paso vineyards as well as our own Willow Creek Estate fruit for over 20 years, with a focus on making wines that represent the best of Paso Robles. 

The name "Carica" and the fig leaf featured on the label are inspired by the fig trees (Ficus carica) that still thrive on the hillsides of premier northern California vineyards. Historically, both the grapevine and fig tree have symbolized a life of peace and prosperity.

About the Winemaker

Carica Wines was founded in 2005 by Charlie Dollbaum, who serves as both the original winemaker and owner. As a hands-on winemaker, Dollbaum meticulously oversees the grapes throughout the summer, obsessively monitoring ripeness and sugar content as harvest approaches. He is present before dawn during hand-harvesting and personally handles every step of the winemaking process, from crushing and fermentation to barrel selection and aging program design.

With a PhD in microbiology and over a decade of private winemaking experience, Dollbaum established Carica Wines with a commitment to producing wines of the highest quality. His approach focuses on ensuring that each wine authentically represents its varietal characteristics and achieves a perfect balance of flavor and acidity.

Making Wine in an Urban Environment

In 2009, Carica Wines relocated from Sonoma County to San Francisco’s East Bay. Now situated in a newly restored WWII structure in Richmond's historic Shipyards District, the winery and its scenic tasting room benefit from an ideal location. This urban setting provides close proximity to California’s premier wine grape-growing regions, a temperate climate well-suited for winemaking, and a vibrant community of food and wine enthusiasts.

Vineyards

Over the past 15 years, Carica Wines has curated premium northern California vineyards to create small-lot wines of exceptional character. By not being limited to a single estate, Carica Wines has the freedom to source outstanding fruit from various locations, fulfilling the winemaker’s vision of working with the best available resources.