Lodi wines in the news in 2014

December reds in Lodi vineyard

As we come to the end of another year in Lodi wine country, let's look back at some of the highlights of 2014 gleaned through widely read wine publications and blog sites.

Dec 22, 2014 at 11:50 AM Permalink

Estate Crush is Downtown Lodi’s one-stop for numerous finely crafted brands

Barrels during Estate Crush holiday party this week.

Attention, last-minute Lodi wine shoppers: Caught in the usual pre-Christmas time crunch? Then we have the perfect one-stop, direct-from-the-source solution for you: Downtown Lodi's Estate Crush.

Dec 17, 2014 at 11:42 AM Permalink

Match made for December: Twisted Roots Petite Sirah & rosemary lamb shanks

You can look at the increasingly short, dark, dreary days of December in two different ways: as a doggoned shame, or as the perfect excuse to enjoy the type of wines and foods that these days call for.

Mike Hodge, co-owner of Twisted Roots Vineyard & Winery, has the perfect prescription for those who choose the positive course: the 2011 Twisted Roots Lodi Petite Sirah ($25) with rosemary lamb shanks. (Twisted Roots multi-award winning wines are available locally at Downtown Lodi's Estate Crush).

Dec 15, 2014 at 11:59 AM Permalink

A Lodi wine lover’s wish list: Lodi’s 12 most adventurous wines

Christmas in Lodi’s Wine & Roses Hotel

Is there a wiser wine lover than a Lodi wine lover?

Lodi is just beginning to forge its reputation as a source of some America's finest, and most cutting-edge, wines. Many of the leading producers in this respect have been around for less than ten, fifteen years.

Dec 11, 2014 at 12:08 PM Permalink

Three things that matter (when getting the most out of wine)

Comparison of bowl shaped “Burgundy” glass (on left; ideal for Pinot Noirs) with traditional tulip shaped glass (ideal for white wines and reds wines such as Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon)

GETTING SOME FUN OUT OF WINE

When most of us enjoy our wine, we don't like to think about it too much. We don't need to ooh and ah over the "bouquet," and we don't need to take tiny sips and roll the wine in our mouth for 60 seconds before pronouncing it good.

Dec 4, 2014 at 12:26 PM Permalink

How to be your own judge of good wine

Wine journalist Deborah Parker Wong blind tasting Lodi Zinfandels

Burgundy, schmurgundy

I started out on Burgundy but soon hit the harder stuff. Not really. But that line from one of Bob Dylan's classic old songs (Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues) always sounded great.

Dec 2, 2014 at 12:37 PM Permalink

A French style Thanksgiving in Lodi (with Provence style leg of lamb)

French born winemaker Franck Lambert in Lodi

How does a French winemaker named Franck Lambert, with his India-born wife Rekha, celebrate Thanksgiving here in Lodi?

Monsieur Lambert was born in Southern France and educated at University of Montpellier (where he attained a Master's degree in winemaking). He has been a quiet but influential part of the Lodi winemaking community over the past 12 years.

Nov 21, 2014 at 1:05 PM Permalink

Three reasons why you should open a Lodi Zinfandel on National Zinfandel Day

Mighty Mohr-Fry Ranches-Marian’s Vineyard Zinfandel; planted 1901

This coming Wednesday, November 19, 2014 is National Zinfandel Day.

We know, we know: there's a day for everything these days. But National Zinfandel Day holds significance in Lodi because:

Nov 16, 2014 at 1:54 PM Permalink

Having a Lodi Thanksgiving

November colors at Jessie’s Grove Winery

LET YOUR TURKEY BE YOUR THANKSGIVING WINE GUIDE

Is there anything more American than turkey for Thanksgiving, with all the extra delectable accoutrements?

Nov 14, 2014 at 2:32 PM Permalink

Michael Klouda’s Stem Theory is unoppressively contrarian

Michael Klouda

Call the newly released 2013 Michael Klouda (MK) Stem Theory Lodi Cabernet Franc ($26) what you like: confused, contrarian, counter-intuitive, confounding – but you can't call it boring.

It is, in fact, the perfect red wine for wine lovers who like a little bit of wildness, even rawness, in their wine, tingling your nose and scraping your tongue – but in a gentle, unoppressive sort of way. Michael Klouda Wines‘ 2013 Stem Theory does just that: a purplish red wine delivering an array of aromas – fresh raspberry and dried berries mixed with green, leafy/herbal notes – wrapped in a medium body with moderately weighted tannin, coming across as both velvety smooth and a little prickly and, well, a little wild, a tiny bit raw. Like the dashingly dangerous boy that you can take home to mom and dad.

Nov 11, 2014 at 2:48 PM Permalink