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
 
October 30, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

1969 – A year of change and unforgettable times

Lodi in 1969: new sidewalk being installed along vineyard lined Ham Ln. at Lodi Ave.

1969. If you weren’t born yet, we envy your youth, but feel sorry you missed it.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 30, 2015 at 12:52 PM
Permalink to 1969 – A year of change and unforgettable times Permalink
Comments for 1969 – A year of change and unforgettable times Comments (2)
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 27, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

In 1907 Lodi celebrated grapes like no American city never-ever has

Start of mile-long procession of Tokay grape-laden wagons triumphantly entering Lodi at the 1907 Tokay Carnival

Lodi enjoys a glorious, oft-times phenomenal, past. This especially goes for what occurred 108 years ago; a time when things were looking really, really good for this burgeoning table and wine grape region.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 27, 2015 at 5:30 AM
Permalink to In 1907 Lodi celebrated grapes like no American city never-ever has Permalink
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 21, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

Lodi's fascinating history as a Johnny-come-lately wine region

Japanese leaf thinning crew; Lodi, circa 1945

Since 1991 the Lodi Winegrape Commission has diligently worked to fulfill one of its original mandates: raising awareness of the intrinsic quality of Lodi Viticultural Area grown wine grapes, now evidenced by the ascendant quality of Lodi wines.

But the evidence hasn't always been readily apparent. Significant wines with Lodi on the label did not even appear on the market until the mid-1990s; a good 10 to 30 years after other West Coast wine regions – from Washington’s Columbia Valley all the way down to Santa Barbara – were established as sources of premium quality grapes and wines.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 21, 2015 at 3:25 PM
Permalink to Lodi's fascinating history as a Johnny-come-lately wine region Permalink
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 16, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

Neyers' Lodi Zinfandel is making waves across the country

Rocky gravelly-clay hillside terroir of Vista Luna Vineyard in Lodi's Borden Ranch AVA

It is always a big deal when a Napa Valley producer like Neyers Vineyards comes out with another Lodi grown Zinfandel of dreamy, sumptuous quality.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 16, 2015 at 12:59 PM
Permalink to Neyers' Lodi Zinfandel is making waves across the country Permalink
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 9, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

Victor Vineyards, Lodi's latest award winning producer

Victor Vineyards grower/owner Rob Lawson among +100-year-old Dixon Vineyard Zinfandel

Why did the chicken cross the road? In the miniature CDP of Victor, located just outside the City of Lodi on the east side of the Lodi appellation’s Mokelumne River AVA, there’s an old story about a rooster known to cross Hwy. 12 E. (Victor Rd.) during each harvest to sip the latest vintages. 

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 9, 2015 at 12:05 PM
Permalink to Victor Vineyards, Lodi's latest award winning producer Permalink
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 6, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

Colorful lug labels tell the history of Lodi's grape packing industry

Fresh field packed Valley Beauty Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in 2014

Robert Mondavi’s family found their earliest fortunes as Lodi grape packers, not as winemakers. Mondavi’s father, Cesare Mondavi, emigrated from Central Italy’s Marche region (between Umbria and the Adriatic Sea) to Minnesota, and then brought his family to the Lodi area in 1922, at a time when Prohibition was dramatically boosting sales of fresh-packed grapes to markets across the nation.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 6, 2015 at 2:45 PM
Permalink to Colorful lug labels tell the history of Lodi's grape packing industry Permalink
Comments for Colorful lug labels tell the history of Lodi's grape packing industry Comments (2)
Tweet
Pin It
Randy Caparoso
 
October 2, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

Top Elk Grove chef/restaurateur finds

Todo un Poco chef/owner Marie Mertz tasting just-picked ancient vine Zinfandel in Lodi

Marie Mertz is a restaurateur/chef who lives and works in Elk Grove, one of California's most rapidly growing cities, located just south of Sacramento. But up until last week, she never really spent time in Lodi wine country; barely a 20-minute drive from the doorway of her popular restaurant, called Todo un Poco.

  Continue »

Time Posted: Oct 2, 2015 at 12:45 PM
Permalink to Top Elk Grove chef/restaurateur finds Permalink
Tweet
Pin It
Blog Search
Recent Posts
  • 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
  • December 3, 2020
    The original Lodi Natives — the Plains Miwok
Our Writers
  • Randy Caparoso (803)
Blog Archives
2021
  • January 2021 (3)
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