Fingers Crossed is an artisanal Rhône-based winery in the Ojai Valley. Owners and winemakers Nikolas and Julia Krankl are hyper-focused on quality over quantity, producing a miniscule 1,900 cases annually. Nik grew up eating grilled cheese and chocolate chip cookies at his aunt Nancy Silverton’s La Brea Bakery and Campanile, while Julia spent every summer working at her family’s art gallery.  

Following in the footsteps of his iconic food and wine family, Nik fell in love with coffee in Italy as a teen, culminating in opening an award-winning coffee shop outside Boston alongside Julia; ultimately becoming a barista champion. Nik worked with Nancy and other top chefs in Los Angeles as a coffee consultant until he got the itch to learn winemaking in 2012. He trained with Jim Binns of Andremily and Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non and in 2017, launched his own label alongside Julia, a Harvard and UCLA-trained doctor, author, and TEDx speaker.  

The Fingers Crossed style is unabashedly Californian; sun-kissed wines that are decadent, perfumed, opulent  and regal, yet remain light on their feet. The couple sources pristine grapes from a who’s who of Santa Barbara County’s  Grand Cru vineyards including Bien Nacido, Stolpman, and Sanford and Benedict. Each year, Nikolas and Julia craft their own distinctive artwork for their bottles and custom wooden boxes, which change annually to express the individuality of each new vintage. Through ever-evolving art mediums such as  photography, woodcuts, Polaroid emulsion lifts, paint and collage – every label tells a story.

Despite their limited production, Nikolas and Julia Krankl have been recognized by renowned wine reviewers Lisa Perotti Brown, Antonio Galloni, James Suckling, Jeb Dunnuck and Erin Brooks. They have been called “rising  stars,” and by their second vintage had already scored a perfect 100-points for their 2018 Syrah, “Off The Record” and then again for their 2022 Syrah, “Life and Death.” Their wines have garnered high praise from Rhône-expert Jeb Dunnuck, scoring 96+ on every wine they have produced.

They have been featured in Decanter magazine, Hospice du Rhône at Blackberry Farm, Ojai FOOD + WINE at the Ojai Valley Inn, Raked Ranch, Wine Business Monthly and Loam Baby. They were named one of Jeb Dunnuck’s Top Wines of 2020, 2023, and 2025; Decanter’s 30 Top Buys American Syrah in 2024;  Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s Top 100 Wine Discoveries in 2020; R.H. Drexel’s Top 50 Wines of 2023; and James Suckling’s Top 100 USA Wines 2024. These  meticulously-crafted, special occasion wines prove to be hard to find, but worth pursuing.