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

Lodi’s Coup de Grâce is a red wine blend to end all blends

Coup de Grâce Lodi Red Wine

The expression coup de grâce technically means putting someone out of his or her misery, in a most violent fashion. But here in Lodi, it is now means a gloriously rich and original red wine – a thick, bloody red, if you will.

Nov 4, 2014 at 2:56 PM Permalink

Discovering your own taste in wine beyond 100-point scores

Visiting wine lovers enjoying barrel tasting at Lodi’s St. Jorge Winery

100-point scores for rating wines: not every retail store features them as their "shelf talkers," but it seems like most of them do. But let the wine buyer beware: 100-point numerical scales – which strongly suggest some kind of authoritative mathematical precision – are, in fact, rarely accurate in terms of assessing true quality, and are more likely to provide you with a totally hit-and-miss idea of what wines you may enjoy most.

Oct 28, 2014 at 10:42 AM Permalink

Beauty of whole berry Sangiovese fermentation at Sorelle Winery

Sorelle’s 2014 Sangiovese harvest

We want to revisit our video taken of Sorelle Winery estate's 2014 Sangiovese harvest this past September 19 because it

Oct 24, 2014 at 10:52 AM Permalink

Oak Farm Vineyards opens its ambitious new winery and tasting room

Oak Farm Vineyards’ new winery/tasting room among magnificent ancient oaks

This Saturday, October 25, 2014, one of the Lodi AVA's most ambitious producers ever will be opening the doors of its new tasting room and winery for the first time.

Oct 21, 2014 at 11:14 AM Permalink

Bokisch Vineyards on all you need to know about Graciano, Garnacha and “egg” fermentations

It’s old news around here: Bokisch Vineyards‘ Markus Bokisch is one of the most interesting men in the (wine) world. We especially like him for the erudite ways in which he files his harvest reports.

Oct 16, 2014 at 11:25 AM Permalink

Winemakers praise 2014 harvest’s brimming purple beads in this video round-up

This time of year, to borrow a little from John Keats‘ phraseology, is when beaded bubbles are brimming in the bins, and winemakers are smiling with purple stained mouths. Wine flows so much like poetry in California, you almost forget that it is still an agricultural product, and that Mother Nature always has the first, and last, word on everything.

Oct 14, 2014 at 12:15 PM Permalink