Is wine no longer cool? (And other pertinent questions)

Popular Lodi restaurant and alternative wine (i.e., handcraft or natural) destination, Guantonios Wood Fired. Shelly Guantone.

Once I was standing in a Berkeley wine store with a reputation for "cool" wines, when I saw a woman burst through the door, march straight to the counter and ask, "Can you help me pick out a white wine to drink tonight?"

In his best, calming, Al Franken-like voice, the store manager said, "Okay... may I ask what food you would be having with your wine?" The woman's reply was, "I'm not having any food... all I'm asking for is a very good white wine, preferably very dry, not something fruity or from California, and it has to have alcohol!"

Mar 5, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Everything about tannin, particularly in terms of the wide range of red wine grapes grown in Lodi

Tannin is a major sensory attribute of red wines. Like the important role acidity plays in all the variations of white wines, sparkling wines and rosés, the factor of tannin content varies among all the red wines of the world. 

Differentiations among red wines depend primarily upon the grape variety from which the wines are made; and since many red wines are, in fact, blends of different grapes (in the U.S. "varietal" wines can be labeled by a single grape variety if at least 75% of the wine consists of that grape), tannin levels can vary depending upon the virtually endless variations of red wine blends produced around the world.

Technically, tannin is a class of biomolecule found primarily in seeds of grapes, but also in skins and, if included, stems. Since red wines derive their color from the pigments (i.e., anthocyanins, also important for extraction of flavonoids) in the skins of black skinned grapes, they are typically made by fermenting complete with skins and seeds; thereby extracting tannin which, together with pigments, are collectively referred to as phenolic content...

Mar 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Everything you need to know about the acidity of Lodi's extraordinary range of varietals

When wine lovers talk about acidity in wine, they are not talking about anything mysterious or highfalutin. If you're a human being who eats what most people eat, you already understand acidity. Almost everyone knows, for instance, lemons and limes are very tart in terms of acidity. Therefore you do not bite into lemons and limes the same way that you readily eat a mango or cantaloupe, which have an opposite amount of acidity—very soft, lush, juicy.

There is, of course, an enormous variety of wines, just like there are endless varieties of fruit. Most New World wines—that is, wines grown and produced in regions such as the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and anywhere in South America—are sold primarily as "varietal" wines; that is, by the names of grapes from which the wines are primarily made. And, as in anywhere around the world, the vast majority of commercial wines are either white, red, pink (i.e., rosés) or sparkling (the latter, wines popularly called champagne)...

Feb 25, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Photo-memories from Lodi's 2025 Wine & Chocolate Weekend, proving to be more popular than ever!

Three gentlemen fearlessly dressed for the occasion at m2 Winery during Lodi's Wine & Chocolate Weekend.

The news, according to a local ABC correspondent, is that "Lodi's Wine and Chocolate Weekend events went on as planned, highlighting the wines the region has to offer."

This was plain as day throughout Saturday the 15th, as wine and chocolate lovers went from winery to winery to savor the local wares. It was quite the spectacle: From irresistibly cuddly 1-week old baby goats at Spenker Family Farm and laughing crowds taking selfies against a "Freakshow" backdrop at Michael David Winery, to gentlemen attired in bright red suits festooned with hearts at m2 Winery and rows of limousines dropping off entire parties of wine and chocolate celebrants to enjoy barrel tastings at Berghold Vineyards...

Feb 19, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Further proof that Grenache absolutely sings in Lodi's Mediterranean climate terroir

Abba Vineyard Grenache on the east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA.

Lodi always wins more than its share of top awards in blind tasting competitions manned by professional wine judges. So much, it's hard to keep up with them. 

We have to make special mention, though, of one result from the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition announced just this past January, in which the 'Red Sweepstake Medal" winner was the 2023 Rippey Family Vineyards Abba Vineyard Lodi Grenache ($34)...

Feb 17, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Is the world's greatest dish for Zinfandel... a chocolate salad?

Glass of St. Amant Winery Zinfandel at its source: 123-year-old grapevine in Lodi's Marian's Vineyard.

Since Lodi's immensely popular Wine & Chocolate Weekend is coming right up (February 15-16, 2025), it is a perfect time to talk about a dish that, back in 2006, a Philadelphia chef named Tony Lawrence—also known as the “Global Wine Chef”⏤created for a big public event... 

Feb 11, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

What will the country be drinking in 2025?

Modern day "jugs" aimed at meeting today's growing demand for handcraft, low intervention, sustainably grown wines: Premium quality, certified biodynamic farmed Lodi Sangiovese bottled in 1-liter fiascos (straw covered bottles).

January is usually the time when pundits in various facets of the industry (trade, retail, marketing, media, restaurants, etc.) take out their crystal balls and weigh in on the imminent direction of consumers. Even if you already know exactly what you'll be buying or selling, it's good to know what everyone else is up to...

Feb 5, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Appreciating California Zinfandels for what they are and where they're grown, not for what you're told they're supposed to be

Winter scene: Lizzy James Vineyard, a certified Historic Vineyard Society block on the east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA.

To truly grasp Lodi grown Zinfandels—or Zinfandels from anywhere else, for that matter—it helps to understand how they compare with Zinfandels from other California wine regions.

The problem is, you cannot trust everything you read or are told about Zinfandels. While geneally well meaning, many journalists simply repeat what they themselves are told about the varietal, rather than thinking for themselves, so they end up repeating erroneous information and ideas...

Feb 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

The Japanese American experience in Lodi and California documented by Dorothea Lange

1942 photo by acclaimed photographer Dorothea Lange: Old vine Lodi vineyard and home forcibly taken from Japanese American family.

The single most famous photograph in the annals of Americana is undoubtedly that of the "Migrant Mother," taken in 1936 by Dorothea Lange (1895-1965). Not so famous are the few photos taken by Lange of Japanese American faces and farms in Lodi, for a brief time in 1942...

Jan 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink

Lodi's 2025 Wine & Chocolate Weekend is the opportunity for adventurous wine lovers to experience the region's sumptuous wines in leisurely settings

During a recent Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend, Klinker Bricker owner Steve Felten—almost unbelievably, a fifth generation grape grower (his family farming in Lodi since the 1890s)—personally serving wines and chocolates to an enthusiastic wine lover.

A sensory celebration

Look out, it's that time of year again! The 2025 Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend takes place Saturday/Sunday, February 15-16...

Jan 25, 2025 at 7:00 AM Permalink