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A Lodi based sheep company begins work on sustainable vineyard farming
Rambouillet (unshorn) and Dorper (dark patched) sheep grazing among 75-year-old Zinfandel vines in Lodi's Schulenburg Vineyard, under the watchful eye of F Ewe Sheep Company owner Frankie Arburua III...
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Why consumers never needed experts to tell them what they like (like Elvis...
What does Zinfandel and Elvis have in common (read on!) Why are some wines far more popular than others? The other day on a social media post I saw this question posed on my shared thread: Why isn't...
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All about terroir
Late winter pruning of old vine Zinfandel in Clements Hills-Lodi's Stampede Vineyard (image courtesy of Gabrielle Lurie Photography) A lot of things have been said and written about the wine term,...
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The use of varietal as a term, its history and passing practicality
Smiling Zinfandel grape grown in Lodi's Lot 13 Vineyard, planted in 1915, prior to Prohibition What's In a (Varietal) Name? The term varietal, as the long departed wine scribe Robert Lawrence Balzer...
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How Barry Gnekow utilizes technology to do his winemaking magic, and in the...
Consulting winemaker Barry Gnekow monitoring progress of grapes undergoing the pre-fermentation thermovinification process called flash-détente, at the top of the must heater at Lodi Vintners...
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A look back at the dawn of Lodi's Golden Age (1970s to the early 2000s)
Steve and Beverly Borra and their family processing grapes in the mid-1970s in their Borra Vineyards, the first of Lodi's small, independent wineries in the modern era Robert Mondavi as grape and...
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Is Lodi a Central Valley wine region?
The natural, verdant oak savanna now planted with vineyards throughout Lodi's Clements Hills AVA — a far cry from the more arid landscapes of the southern half of California's Central Valley Is the...
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Lodi's Stama Winery hits its stride with a sleek Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
Stama Winery's home estate vineyard on the west side of Lodi's Mokelumne River appellation Lodi's Stama Winery is not exactly "new," but it might as well be because it is just now beginning to find...
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Lodi's Dancing Fox scales new heights with gold medal-winning Cabernet Franc...
The Dancing Fox owner/grower/winemaker Gregg Lewis with his awarding winning Lewis Vineyards Cabernet Franc vines in Lodi's Clements Hills appellation The Dancing Fox, as the Lodi locals know, has...
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Top dry rosés, and why these popular wines are preeminently suited to Lodi's...
Ancient vine and Cinsaut grapes in Lodi's historic Bechthold Vineyard, originally planted in 1886 and still producing one of the world's most iconic rosés Everything coming up rosés It's that time of...
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Seven basic ways to improve your wine life
Wine lovers at a past Lodi ZinFest (soon to be revived as Lodi Row X Row) I'm no Dr. Phil, but after over 40 years of enjoying, writing about, and making a living out of wine, I know a few sensible...
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Neyers Vineyards' Vista Notre Zinfandel signals deeper commitment to Lodi...
The Vista Luna Vineyard (facing hillsides) in Lodi's Borden Ranch AVA, the source of Neyers Vineyards Zinfandels since 2008 The 2019 Neyers Vineyards Vista Notre Zinfandel ($29) is a quintessential...
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The handcraft wines of Seis Soles target new consumers of Hispanic descent...
Seis Soles owner/winemaker Chris Rivera decanting one of his vividly pigmented reds (image courtesy of Seis Soles Wine Co.) Seis Soles Wine Co. owner/winemaker Christopher Rivera, or just "Chris," is...
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ZAP's California Zinfandel Trail maps out the unique, terroir-driven...
114-year-old Zinfandel in mid-April 2021, on the east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA ZAP — a.k.a., Zinfandel Advocates & Producers — has recently launched its The California Zinfandel Trail...
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Sangiovese is a challenging yet rewarding grape (even in Lodi's...
Lodi harvest of Sangiovese, the classic black-skinned grape of Central Italy Have you thought of Scotto Family Cellars lately? Scotto Family Cellars is one of several brands put out by the Scotto...
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Oh lord, a blog from Lodi! (revisited)
Mohr-Fry Ranches' Jerry Fry (left) in the mid-1960s with fresh-picked Flame Tokay, grown in a vineyard that has gone on to produce red wines that have garnered "Best of Class" awards in the most...
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Lodi grapevines during the merry, merry month of May
Shoot thinning of trellised Zinfandel in Phillips Farms on west side of Mokelumne River-Lodi AVA What is happening out in Lodi vineyards today, during the merry, merry month of May? Pretty much the...
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Hibachi salmon and all three colors of Lodi-grown Grenache perfectly fill...
Old vine Grenache, planted in 1938-1939, just entering veraison in Manassero Vineyard, Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA The weather here in Lodi wine country is warming up. The days are long enough to enjoy...
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It's okay to love Chardonnay
Delectable Chardonnay clusters in Lodi's Bare Ranch, west side of Mokelumne River AVA Sorting out the misperceptions Please excuse the title of this post. No one who loves Chardonnay need ever...
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Unique rosés and rosé-food affinities we have known and loved
Cinsaut clusters in Lodi's venerated Bechthold Vineyard, originally planted in 1886 and still producing one of the most unique and marvelously expressive dry style rosés in the entire world There is...
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