Continued from The Mokelumne River Viticultural Area (part 1)
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Mar 28, 2015 at 11:35 AM
March 28, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
The Mokelumne River Viticultural Area (part 2) – winemakers talk dirty
Trench dug in the Mokelumne River AVA’s historic Bechthold Vineyard; showing the depth of fine sandy loam soil
PermalinkMarch 26, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
The Mokelumne River Viticultural Area (part 1)
Bokisch Ranches’ Las Cerezas Vineyard (planted to Spanish varieties) in Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA
Boundaries, heart and soul
The Mokelumne River AVA (American Viticultural Area) is one of the seven sub-appellations located within the larger Lodi AVA established in August 2006 by the TTB (the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Tax and Trade Bureau).
Continue » Mar 26, 2015 at 12:07 PMMarch 18, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
Elegant styles of Lodi Zinfandel
2014 Zinfandel in McCay's Lot 13 Vineyard
In our previous post (Is Zinfandel breaking out?) we cited a number of wine industry professionals who truly believe that Zinfandel can be made in more restrained, elegant styles – not unlike the finest Pinot Noirs or Burgundies – and that, in fact, we are beginning to see a paradigm shift towards that direction. What are some of the more elegant styles of Zinfandel coming out of the Lodi Viticultural Area today? Tom Hoffman of Heritage Oak Winery – located on the east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA – has almost stubbornly stuck with leaner, zestier styles of..
Continue » Mar 18, 2015 at 8:00 AMMarch 16, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
Is Zinfandel breaking out, or just a case of measles?
2015 ZAP Media & Trade Tasting
This past January 28-31, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (a.k.a. ZAP) held its 24th full-scale "Experience" in San Francisco's Presidio, with the theme: Zinfandel is a rising star… reach out and grab it. Zinfandel, of course, has always been a longtime star in the varietal market. In fact, Zinfandel's dominance in California vineyards dates back well nigh into the 1850s. So what exactly does ZAP mean with the implication that Zinfandel is still "rising?" It means, Zinfandel specialists have always been acutely aware that as popular as Zinfandel is, it has never really caught on with certain elements in the..
Continue » Mar 16, 2015 at 8:00 AMMarch 11, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
The expansion and controversial division of the Lodi Viticultural Area
Trellised vines along Lodi's Mokelumne River
Continuation of a Part 1: The origins of the Lodi Viticultural Area In 1991, some 600 Lodi AVA growers came together to form the self-mandated Lodi-Woodbridge Wine Commission (now called the Lodi Winegrape Commission) for the purpose of regional promotion, education and viticultural research. This would be a momentous development, playing a crucial role in Lodi's current status as a winegrowing region of note. In an effort to reconcile the then-existing boundaries of the Lodi AVA with the jurisdiction of the Lodi-Woodbridge Wine Commission as well as how California Crush District 11 defined Lodi, in 2000 a petition was submitted to the...
Continue » Mar 11, 2015 at 8:00 AMMarch 4, 2015 | Randy Caparoso
The origins of the Lodi Viticultural Area
Ancient Carignan, planted around 1906 in the east side of Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA
The ATF received a petition for a Lodi AVA from a group called the Lodi District Vintners Association in August 1982, which went through an approval process lasting nearly four years before finally being granted in February 1986. What is an American Viticultural Area – commonly abbreviated as AVA – and why should you care? There are many types of wines grown and produced around the world. The vast majority of commercial wines are, in fact, made by brands or producers endeavoring to put out products that are of a consistent quality and affordably priced. Most wines – be...
Continue » Mar 4, 2015 at 8:00 AM