The founders behind Lost Cause Meadery, Billy and Suzanna Beltz are welcoming their latest project: an urban winery called Oddish Wine specializing in unique alcoholic beverages.
“We’re an adventurous winery focused on making vibrant, minimal-intervention wines from local grapes, as well as sparkling wines, co-ferments, ciders and aperitifs,” Billy Beltz said.
Located inside The Gärten — a newer biergarten-style food garden with several vendors including Lost Cause Mead, Deft Brewing and Pizza Cassette — Oddish Wines opened its new tasting room in May to showcase its eclectic line up of drinks.
Offering drinks from experimental ciders and co-fermented fruit wines to vermouth and canned spritz, the Beltz’s encourage folks to visit the winery with an open mind and a willingness to try new things.
“They might find some things .. they love that are completely different than what they have had before,” Beltz said.
Served by the glass, bottle or tasting flights, Oddish Wines are perfect for the warmer summer days ahead, Beltz said. Twelve-ounce cans are also available for purchase.
Depending on the variety, grapes are sourced locally during the harvest season, while other fruits are imported from places like Washington.
The most popular creations include the Tepache Mode, a tepache-inspired sparkling pineapple wine with cinnamon and wine made from pineapples, Beltz said.
Other unique items include naturally sparkling wines co-fermented with fruits and botanicals like the Tart Cherry Vermouth or pineapple-centric Amaro D’Oro.
“In San Diego, we are adventurous drinkers,” Beltz said. “(Our products are) made intentionally to fit different experiences like for the beach or pool.”
Oddish Wine is at 5322 Banks Street. Visit oddish.wine and follow @oddishwine on Instagram.
Roxana Becerril is a freelance writer.
