Lodi Wine http://www.lodiwine.com Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:24:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Harney Lane’s historic Lizzy James has a sister! http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/harney-lane%e2%80%99s-historic-lizzy-james-has-a-sister http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/harney-lane%e2%80%99s-historic-lizzy-james-has-a-sister#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:19:15 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5722 Since its inception in 2008, Harney Lane Winery has shot up the proverbial charts of Lodi wine lovers with hit after hit of outstanding Lodi grown wines.

A flowery fresh Albariño, a first class barrel fermented style of Chardonnay, a velvet lined leather glove-y Tempranillo, and a cigar blast of a Petite Sirah have all found favor among Harney Lane aficionados; but it is Zinfandel – Lodi’s heritage grape – that still anchors the brand.

Which makes sense because…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Harney Lane’s historic Lizzy James has a sister!

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/harney-lane%e2%80%99s-historic-lizzy-james-has-a-sister/feed 0 Livin’ LoCA at ZAP http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/livin-loca-at-zap http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/livin-loca-at-zap#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:02:01 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5681 The yearly Grand Tasting put on by the Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (i.e. ZAP) in San Francisco turned 21 this past Saturday, January 28:  that is to say, after over two decades, it’s matured into one of the grandest, most bodacious yet, if you can believe it, most civilized wine events in the country.

A new venue at The Concourse certainly helped.  Close to 8,000 true-blue and purple teethed zin lovers strolled through the length of this…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Livin’ LoCA at ZAP

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/livin-loca-at-zap/feed 2 Mom always loved Sorelle’s Primitivo best http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/mom-always-loved-sorelle%e2%80%99s-primitivo-best http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/mom-always-loved-sorelle%e2%80%99s-primitivo-best#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:08:21 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5580 Another one of the Lodi American Viticultural Area’s gold medal winners at the prestigious 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition was the 2009 Sorelle, Manna Ranch Reserve Lodi Primitivo ($27):  a round, fleshy, velvety, medium bodied red, inundated with vibrant, smoke tinged raspberry and black cherry aromas, unimpeded by moderate, pliant tannin.

Perhaps even better yet?  The more modestly priced, but even finer and friendlier 2010 Sorelle Sorriso Lodi Primitivo ($22):  like any good Zinfandel – which it…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Mom always loved Sorelle’s Primitivo best

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/mom-always-loved-sorelle%e2%80%99s-primitivo-best/feed 1 Michael~David’s Cabernet Sauvignon leads the way to Rapture http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/michaeldavids-cabernet-sauvignon-leads-the-way-to-rapture http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/michaeldavids-cabernet-sauvignon-leads-the-way-to-rapture#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:37:43 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5571

It seems like just yesterday that Michael~David Winery was one of those little Lodi wineries that could.  We still have lots of those kinds of producers, but the company driven by brothers Michael (CEO/owner) and David (President/owner) Phillips now do things on the scale of hundreds of thousands of cases – still peanuts compared to Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi (over 8 million cases), but dwarfing the 2,000 to 10,000 yearly cases by Lodi’s m2,

Post from: Lodi Wine

Michael~David’s Cabernet Sauvignon leads the way to Rapture

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/michaeldavids-cabernet-sauvignon-leads-the-way-to-rapture/feed 0 Lodi’s Wine & Chocolate Weekend is the perfect tie that binds… http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodis-wine-chocolate-weekend-is-the-perfect-tie-that-binds http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodis-wine-chocolate-weekend-is-the-perfect-tie-that-binds#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:34:19 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5527

Friends, lovers, wine countrymen, lend us your ears, noses and tasting palates:

Lodi’s 15th annual Wine & Chocolate Weekend is upon us; taking place February 11-12, 2012 (11 AM-4 PM), when over 45 of our wineries roll out the Valentine’s-red carpets to their doors to show off their richest, juiciest wines with decadent chocolates and other treats, lots of live music, direct-from-barrel tastings, art exhibits, professional photo portraits, and more…

It is literally a party scene nearly everywhere…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Lodi’s Wine & Chocolate Weekend is the perfect tie that binds…

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodis-wine-chocolate-weekend-is-the-perfect-tie-that-binds/feed 1 Borra Vineyards takes a bow for their stunning Fusion Reds http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/borra-vineyards-takes-a-bow-for-their-stunning-fusion-reds http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/borra-vineyards-takes-a-bow-for-their-stunning-fusion-reds#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:32:26 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5559

Borra Vineyards grower/proprietor Steve Borra has always cut quite a figure in Lodi’s winegrowing circles, with his signature cowboy hat and crusty handlebar mustache – he even walks into a room with a rider’s bowed gait.

Then again, these days Mr. Borra has a lot to take a bow for; especially since last week’s very public announcement that the 2008 Borra Fusion Red ($19) has been named among the twelve Wall Street Journal Wine Awards Annual Dozen…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Borra Vineyards takes a bow for their stunning Fusion Reds

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/borra-vineyards-takes-a-bow-for-their-stunning-fusion-reds/feed 0 Vinedos Aurora adds to Lodi’s rich, inspiring heritage http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/vinedos-aurora-adds-to-lodis-rich-inspiring-heritage http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/vinedos-aurora-adds-to-lodis-rich-inspiring-heritage#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:39:37 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5510 Viñedos Aurora, one of Lodi’s hottest new brands, is special for several reasons.  First, and most importantly, the quality of Viñedos Aurora wines is impeccable:  a purplish power packed yet finely chiseled Petite Sirah; a dreamily balanced and multi-scented Cabernet Sauvignon/Tempranillo/Merlot blend called Síntesis; and a light, minerally, whippersnapper of a dry white made from the Albariño grape.

Viñedos Aurora is also a great American story:  beginning with the grandfather of winemaker Gerardo Espinosa, Victor…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Vinedos Aurora adds to Lodi’s rich, inspiring heritage

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/vinedos-aurora-adds-to-lodis-rich-inspiring-heritage/feed 2 Lodi wines are big winners at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodi-grown-wines-are-big-winners-at-the-2012-san-francisco-chronicle-wine-competition http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodi-grown-wines-are-big-winners-at-the-2012-san-francisco-chronicle-wine-competition#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:08:27 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5456 The medal winners at the ultra-prestige 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition were announced last week (January 6).  Duplicating results of recent years, wines grown in the Lodi AVA took home an impressive share of top honors.

This year’s SFCWC set a new American wine competition record with a palate boggling 5,500 entries, surpassing its previous record of 5,050 last year; laying claiming to its boast of being the “Largest Competition of American Wines in the World.”…

Post from: Lodi Wine

Lodi wines are big winners at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/lodi-grown-wines-are-big-winners-at-the-2012-san-francisco-chronicle-wine-competition/feed 0 In praise of ZAP & Lodi terroir http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/in-praise-of-zap-lodi-terroir http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/in-praise-of-zap-lodi-terroir#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:56:44 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5420 You don’t need flowers in your hair, just an enthusiasm for a wine grape that was once so well loved that it was nearly forgotten.  Each year for over the past twenty years, some 7,000 to 8,000 Zinfandel lovers have flocked to San Francisco for Zinfandel Advocates & Producers’ annual Grand Tasting.  Clearly, if there is any one grape that personifies vinous love and power-to-the-people, Zinfandel is it.

This year’s ZAP Grand Tasting takes place on January 28,…

Post from: Lodi Wine

In praise of ZAP & Lodi terroir

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/in-praise-of-zap-lodi-terroir/feed 0 The near-immortal Pasos Vineyards Charbono http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/the-near-immortal-pasos-vineyards-charbono http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/the-near-immortal-pasos-vineyards-charbono#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:15:31 +0000 Randy http://www.lodiwine.com/?p=5405

It takes an inquisitive mind to even want to make a wine called Charbono, and pure skill to make something significant from this little known black skinned grape.  Meet Antonio Pasos, owner/winemaker of Lodi’s Pasos Vineyards.

Mr. Pasos discovered his calling fairly early in life, when his family moved from Monterey (where he was born) to Madera in California’s Central Valley to grow wine grapes.  Granted, 25, 30 years ago the Madera AVA was mostly about…

Post from: Lodi Wine

The near-immortal Pasos Vineyards Charbono

]]> http://www.lodiwine.com/blog/the-near-immortal-pasos-vineyards-charbono/feed 0