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.
Italian inspired wines & menu planned for SIP SAVOR LODI Harvest Dinner under Lodi Arch
Last year's SIP SAVOR LODI Harvest Dinner under Downtown Lodi's Lodi Arch
On the Friday night (6-9 PM) of September 25, 2015, Downtown Lodi's Pine Street (just below the landmark Lodi Arch) becomes one big, long open-air dining room, in the finest wine country town tradition.
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Aug 27, 2015 at 10:00 AM
PermalinkLodi's foreign legion (part 2)
Stama Winery owner/grower Konstantino "Gus" Kapiniaris
Continuing our stories of outstanding growers and winemakers born in far flung places, and now fully immersed in the Lodi Viticultural Area's rich culture of winegrowing:
Continue » Aug 20, 2015 at 6:00 AMLodi's foreign legion (part 1)
Harinder and Bobby Dhaliwal, who came to Lodi with their family from Punjab, India in 1983
They are, of course, no longer “foreigners,” but more correctly, foreign-born winemakers and growers who are now fully immersed in the Lodi winegrowing industry, contributing immensely to the community.
Continue » Aug 18, 2015 at 6:00 AMWhat makes Lodi special? For Markus Bokisch, it's newfound
Markus Bokisch walking over cobbly clay terrain in Lodi's Cosumnes River AVA; site of one of Bokisch Ranches' latest vineyard plantings.
Is there any winegrower more sold on the Lodi Viticultural Area than Markus Bokisch of Bokisch Ranches?
Mr. Bokisch first started to come to Lodi during the early 1990s, while fulfilling his job of sourcing “Rhône Ranger” grapes (i.e. Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Viognier, etc.) for Joseph Phelps Vineyards’ Vin du Mistral program (since deactivated).
Continue » Aug 11, 2015 at 6:00 AMWhat makes Lodi special? For Mike McCay, it's the excavation of ancient vines
McCay Cellars owner/winemaker Mike McCay
If you ask Mike McCay, the winemaker/owner of McCay Cellars, about what makes Lodi special, he’s going to want to talk about ancient vines and Zinfandel; which, after all, are his specialty.
But Zinfandel grows well all over California; and certainly, ancient vine plantings in places like Sonoma, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Mendocino, Contra Costa, the Sierra Foothills or elsewhere do not take a backseat to plantings in any other region, including Lodi.
So what does make ancient vine Zinfandel in Lodi different, besides the fact that Lodi has a lot more acreage of these plantings (vineyards planted 50, 75, even over 100 years ago) than other regions?
Continue » Aug 6, 2015 at 4:00 AMWhat makes Lodi special? For Borra's Markus Niggli, it's about
Borra Vineyards winemaker Markus Niggli with wintering Vermentino
What sets Lodi apart from other American Viticultural Areas? We asked Markus Niggli, the Swiss-born winemaker of Borra Vineyards. Borra is currently Lodi’s oldest continuously operating family winery (bonded in 1975). Yet today, Borra is known as Lodi’s most innovative winery – a reputation garnered almost since the first day, in 2006, when third generation Lodi grower/founder Steve Borra welcomed Mr. Niggli onboard.
Continue » Aug 4, 2015 at 7:00 AM