skip to main content

Lodi Winegrape Commission

  • Home
  • Wineries
  • About
  • Visit
    • Visitor Center
  • Club
  • Events
  • Store
    • LODI RULES Sustainable Certification
    • White Wines
    • Rosé Wines
    • Red Wines
    • Sparkling/Dessert Wines
    • Old Vine Wines
    • Merchandise
  • Blog
TOP

Letters from Lodi

An insightful and objective look at viticulture and winemaking from the Lodi
Appellation and the growers and vintners behind these crafts. Told from the
perspective of multi-award winning wine journalist, Randy Caparoso.

Randy Caparoso
 
January 30, 2012 | Randy Caparoso

Livin’ LoCA at ZAP

ZAP's spectactular 2012 Grand Tasting venue at The Concourse

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 south-of-Market building’s 125,000 square feet of spectacularly skylighted heights, rich wood and exposed brick walls (this 8th & Brannan exhibition center was carved out of an old train station).

 

Tasting Zinfandels produced by over 200 California producers (although there was also one each from Italy, Arizona and South Africa!) can be like, well, a party, yet ZAP’s 2012 Big Event definitely had a cultured feel that past Grand Tastings may not have completely attained (perhaps it was the carpeting – no more unruly roars from the crowd each time someone dropped a glass on the concrete floor, which regularly occurred at the old venue in Fort Mason).

But perhaps it was also because Zinfandel as a whole is being produced in increasingly less of the ultra-ripe, high alcohol/octane style that has always made, say, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux aficionados pooh-pooh the grape.  Overall, contemporary Zinfandels seem less unruly, more structured and, well, civilized!

Maybe Zinfandel is growing up, which can’t be bad!

Lordy, lordy… Lodi – the American Viticultural Area that crushes over 40% of California’s annual zin crop – was well represented, and even singled out by several sommeliers (including two Master Sommeliers, Catherine Fallis and Tim Gaiser) in a panel discussion entitled Top Sommeliers Choices; and you know how sommeliers get:  fussy, fussy, fussy.  Yet out of the nearly 1,000 different Zinfandels being poured, there were four Lodi grown zins specically mentioned by the somms:

  • The restrained, earth and soft leather textured 2010 St. Amant Mohr-Fry Ranch Old Vine Zinfandel ($18)
  • The plump yet round, fluid 2010 LangeTwins Estate Zinfandel ($18)
  • The bright and irrepressibly berryish 2009 Klinker Brick Mokelumne River-Lodi Zinfandel ($18)
  • The soft, easy going 2010 Deep Purple Lodi Zinfandel ($12) that practically makes you sing funfunfun-tillyourdaddytakestheeetbirdaway (or if you’re inclined, mywomaninfrom-to-kee-yo).

 

Some other Lodi grown highlights:

  • 2010 Gnarly Head, Lodi Zinfandel ($12) – Lips tingling blackberry fruit wrapped around a supple velvet core.
  • 2009 Brazin Lodi Zinfandel ($16) – By the same good people (DFV) who make Gnarly Head, except deeper, sturdier, maybe even funner.
  • 2009 Harney Lane Lodi Zinfandel ($22) – As reliably zinful as they come these days – all the lush, round, friendly red berry fruit that leads zinners into temptation.
  • 2009 m2 Artist Series Lodi Zinfandel ($35) – Earthy complexity to ripe, aromatic fruit in fleshy, flowing flavors.
  • 2010 Macchia Outrageous Noma Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel ($24) – Stupendously rich yet balanced example of a usually “big” style, restrained by vagaries of vintage.
  • 2009 McCay Jupiter Lodi Zinfandel ($24) – Contemporary “restrained” style by it-boy Michael McCay; with floral, raspberryish, zesty, smooth flavors.
  • OZV Sweet Solera Zin ($30/500 ml.) – By Oak Ridge Winery, a sweet and jammy “mini-Port” style, like candy to a zin lover.
  • 2009 Spenker Estate Lodi Zinfandel ($16) – Nice, brothy , medium intense zin-berry qualities, with a mochachocolata finish.
  • 2010 St. Amant Marian’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel ($24) – From the oldest block at Mohr-Fry Ranch – dense, round zin character in chock-fulls of berries, chocolate and nuts.
  • 2009 V. Sattui Pilgrim Vineyard Lodi Zinfandel ($34) – Full, bouncy, yet balanced and buoyant berry-jam flavors over a core of firming tannin.
  • 2009 Van Ruiten Family Old Vine Zinfandel ($12) – Bright berry and roasted coffee aromas, with finely textured, medium bodied sensations.
  • 2010 Zynthesis, Lodi Zinfandel ($18) – Super-soft, sweet raspberry toned, almost frothily fruity and Beaujolais-like quaffibility.

Some other scenes from the 2012 ZAP Grand Tasting:

LoCA table, manned by Lodi Winegrape Commission's Shannon Harbert

 

St. Amant's Barbara & Stuart Spencer with a favorite chef

Deep Purple's Tim McDonald

 

Klinker Brick's Steve Felten

LangeTwins' Randy & Charlene Lange

 

Zin toast from Macchia's Tim Holdener

The Bay Area's top sommeliers talking zin: Rob Renteria, Tim Gaiser MS, Catherine Fallis MS, Carlin Kar & Chris Sawyer

Macchia's Tanya McMahon walks the zin talk

 

The Oak Ridge Winery ladies

 

Harney Lane's Jorja & Kyle Lerner

 

Lodi Winegrape Commission's Bob Lauchland

 

 

 

Gnarly Head king, Bud Bradley

 

Wine & Roses Hotel's Russ Munson with Lodi vigneron Michael McCay

 

 

Viva LoCA, viva ZAP!

Tweet
Pin It

Comments

Commenting has been turned off.
Blog Search
Recent Posts
  • January 19, 2021
    French students break down Lodi winegrowing, marketing, and its Alta Mesa appellation
  • January 13, 2021
    Alternative style Lodi wines reflecting the wave of the future — part 2, new interpretations of heritage grapes
  • January 11, 2021
    Alternative style Lodi wines reflecting the wave of the future — part 1, an unfamiliar white and red
  • January 5, 2021
    Discerning wines of the immediate future through what we know about the past and what's going in Lodi
  • December 29, 2020
    Lodi 2020: The year in pictures
  • December 27, 2020
    The small steps of Lodi growers led to giant leaps for Lodi wine country
  • December 22, 2020
    Looking on the bright side of fading old vine plantings in Lodi
  • December 17, 2020
    Our list of nice Lodi reds, rosés and fortified dessert wines for Christmas gifting and sipping
  • December 15, 2020
    A Lodi white makes the world's Top 100 list, and other Lodi whites for Christmas shopping and sipping
  • December 9, 2020
    The 1980s and 1990s — start of Lodi wine country's modern era
Our Writers
  • Randy Caparoso (804)
Blog Archives
2021
  • January 2021 (4)
2020
  • December 2020 (7)
  • November 2020 (7)
  • October 2020 (6)
  • September 2020 (7)
  • August 2020 (7)
  • July 2020 (7)
  • June 2020 (8)
  • May 2020 (8)
  • April 2020 (8)
  • March 2020 (8)
  • February 2020 (6)
  • January 2020 (6)
2019
  • December 2019 (7)
  • November 2019 (6)
  • October 2019 (6)
  • September 2019 (5)
  • August 2019 (5)
  • July 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (6)
  • May 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (6)
  • March 2019 (6)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • January 2019 (7)
2018
  • December 2018 (7)
  • November 2018 (7)
  • October 2018 (9)
  • September 2018 (6)
  • August 2018 (7)
  • July 2018 (8)
  • June 2018 (7)
  • May 2018 (9)
  • April 2018 (8)
  • March 2018 (9)
  • February 2018 (8)
  • January 2018 (8)
2017
  • December 2017 (6)
  • November 2017 (8)
  • October 2017 (10)
  • September 2017 (5)
  • August 2017 (6)
  • July 2017 (7)
  • June 2017 (6)
  • May 2017 (5)
  • April 2017 (7)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • February 2017 (5)
  • January 2017 (7)
2016
  • December 2016 (7)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • October 2016 (7)
  • September 2016 (7)
  • August 2016 (5)
  • July 2016 (7)
  • June 2016 (7)
  • May 2016 (6)
  • April 2016 (6)
  • March 2016 (7)
  • February 2016 (6)
  • January 2016 (5)
2015
  • December 2015 (8)
  • November 2015 (6)
  • October 2015 (7)
  • September 2015 (5)
  • August 2015 (6)
  • July 2015 (7)
  • June 2015 (6)
  • May 2015 (5)
  • April 2015 (6)
  • March 2015 (6)
  • February 2015 (7)
  • January 2015 (5)
2014
  • December 2014 (8)
  • November 2014 (5)
  • October 2014 (7)
  • September 2014 (5)
  • August 2014 (3)
  • July 2014 (5)
  • June 2014 (6)
  • May 2014 (7)
  • April 2014 (7)
  • March 2014 (5)
  • February 2014 (4)
  • January 2014 (7)
2013
  • December 2013 (8)
  • November 2013 (6)
  • October 2013 (7)
  • September 2013 (5)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (4)
  • June 2013 (4)
  • May 2013 (4)
  • April 2013 (5)
  • March 2013 (2)
  • February 2013 (2)
  • January 2013 (4)
2012
  • December 2012 (7)
  • November 2012 (9)
  • October 2012 (9)
  • September 2012 (7)
  • August 2012 (9)
  • July 2012 (8)
  • June 2012 (8)
  • May 2012 (9)
  • April 2012 (8)
  • March 2012 (9)
  • February 2012 (7)
  • January 2012 (9)
2011
  • December 2011 (7)
  • November 2011 (8)
  • October 2011 (7)
  • September 2011 (7)
  • August 2011 (8)
  • July 2011 (8)
  • June 2011 (9)
  • May 2011 (7)
  • April 2011 (9)
  • March 2011 (8)
  • February 2011 (8)
  • January 2011 (7)
2010
  • December 2010 (8)
  • November 2010 (6)
  • October 2010 (2)
  • September 2010 (6)
  • August 2010 (5)
Additional Resources
  • Media & Trade
  • Lodi Winegrape Commission
  • Donation Requests
  • Returns & Cancellations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
Contact

Lodi Wine Visitor Center
2545 West Turner Road Lodi, CA 95242
209.365.0621
Open: Thursday - Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Lodi Winegrape Commission
2545 West Turner Road, Lodi, CA 95242
209.367.4727
Open: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

Have a question? Complete our contact form.

  • © Copyright 2021 Lodi Winegrape Commission
  • Winery Ecommerce by WineDirect