Hoping to emulate the success of the craft beer movement, local winemakers are bringing the first Garagiste Wine Festival to Los Angeles next month.

“Garagiste” – note the French spelling – was once a pejorative term for nonprofessionals who created their vino at home or in a garage in France. But now, boutique operators going after a younger and more adventurous demographic have adopted the term as a badge of rebel honor.

Three years ago, two Central California garagistes, Doug Minnick and Stewart McLennan, teamed up with Los Angeles event promoter Lisa Dinsmore to launch the state’s first Garagiste festival in Paso Robles. In March, the trio brought the event to Solvang in Santa Barbara wine country. On July 12, the festival will come to Union Station in Los Angeles, showcasing wines from roughly 45 garagistes across the state.

“There are a lot of small-winery aficionados in Los Angeles,” said Minnick, who started making wine after a music career. “Many of them came up to our other festivals, especially earlier this year in Solvang.”

Tickets to the Union Station festival range from $50 for general admission to $80 for premium access. Attendance will be capped at 500.

Echo Park resident Cris Carter will be one of the garagistes pouring for guests. Carter, who started his winemaking operation, Weatherborne Wine Corp., three years ago, leases space and equipment from an existing winery in Lompoc. His first batch of pinot noir hit the market earlier this year, just in time for the Solvang festival.

“Everybody was focused on finding new brands they had never heard of, which fit my situation perfectly,” he said. “I don’t have much money to advertise, so this is the perfect venue.”

– Howard Fine