This is based on wine provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2009 LangeTwins Zinfandel Centennial

2011 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard

2012 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Marian’s Vineyard Lodi

2011 Klinker Brick Bricks & Mortar

2010 Mettler Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown

 

 

 

What you call Crazy,

We call Passion

 

About the tasting

Giving Thanks – A Salute to Lodi’s Multi-generational Families

 

This very special virtual tasting was a prelude to Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays.  During this time of year, we reflect on what we’re thankful for, like family and traditions.  We’d like you to celebrate with us as we taste wines produced from families that have been in the tradition of winemaking and winegrape growing for multiple generations (some for over a century!) and discuss the rich history of the Lodi wine region.

 

Highlighting families that have been in the Lodi wine industry for generations, Stuart Spencer – Program Director for the Lodi Winegrape Commission and second generation Winemaker for St. Amant Winery – hosted this tasting along with Randy Lange, fifth generation winegrape grower and Director of Winery Operations at LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards, and Farrah Felten, sixth generation winegrape grower as well as Tasting Room Manager and Wine Club Director at Klinker Brick Winery.

 

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  The Lodi area has provided grapes for producers all over the world for decades, and many families in Lodi have been growing grapes for six and seven generations.  Today, there are approximately 85 wineries and tasting rooms, over 750 growers and more than 100,000 acres planted to vineyards.  The wines we tasted commemorate the heritage of Lodi and are not only exquisite, but tell a narrative.

 

It is a well-known fact that Lodi is predominantly a red wine region, proudly holding the self-proclaimed title of “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.  What is lesser known is that Lodi’s unique Mediterranean climate allows for over 75 different varietals to thrive.

 

Tons of great and useful information is available on the Wines of Lodi, LOCA website.  I highly encourage you to read about the area by clicking here.  You can also follow Lodi on Twitter at @Lodi_Wine.

 

 

Lodi Green Program

The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program.  Originally launched in 2005, over the past two years the program went through and extensive review to update and make standards more rigorous.

 

The Lodi Rules takes a comprehensive approach to farming that goes beyond just pest management to promote practices that enhance biodiversity, water and air quality, soil health, and employee and community well-being.  This allows us to produce higher quality wines more reflective of the places and people that grow them.  It gives you the opportunity to promote responsible farming by enjoying the great wines from these vineyards.

 

When you drink a certified sustainably grown Lodi wine, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and a community that embraces its responsibility to take care of the environment.

 

Visit the Lodi Certified Green site for more information on the region’s sustainable winegrowing.

 

 

About Charles Communications Associates

CCA is an independent creative marketing firm that employs traditional public relations and new media strategies to assist companies, organizations and non-profits in the creation, development and marketing of interesting and compelling brands.  Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the wine industry, we have an exceptional track record of promoting products in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, from wine and tea to top shelf spirits and luxury goods.  We consider ourselves fortunate to work with clients who share our philosophy of social responsibility in work and everyday life.

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

The Line Up

These wines were provided by the wineries and Charles Communications for the tasting:

 

 

 

2009 LangeTwins Zinfandel Centennial – SRP $60

Produced from a vineyard planted in 1903, the Centennial Zinfandel is elegant with layers of rich brambleberry and intense blackberry with well-integrated oak notes and spice.  The Lange Family has been sustainably growing winegrapes in the Lodi Appellation for five generations.  To learn more about LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards, please visit their site by clicking here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, vanilla, coconut, spicy oak, warm baking spices and some earthiness.  The wine is fairly full bodied, with soft to moderate tannins and has good acidity.  On the palate peppery berries, spicy oak, and cherries hit up front with a touch of earth in the background.  This has decent length with some coconut joining berries and oak.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard – SRP $35

Produced from a vineyard named after Kathy Mettler’s grandchildren, Kirsten Elizabeth and Ian James, this 100% Zinfandel offers lush aromas of raspberry jam, anise and fig compote.  Since 1907, the Mettler Family has been farming vineyards on Harney Lane and surrounding areas.  To learn more about Harney Lane Winery, please visit their website by clicking here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine has 15.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a saturated ruby red color.  The inviting nose has briary berries, scorched earth, raspberries, dried herbs and warm baking spices.  The wine has a full body, moderate tannins and decent acidity.  The palate has jammy berries, pepper, spice, some earthiness.  The finish has nice length with some dark chocolate coming in with dried herbs and earth.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2012 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Marian’s Vineyard Lodi – SRP $24

The product of an 8.3-acre block planted on the Mohr-Fry Ranch in 1901, Marian’s Vineyard Zinfandel exhibits ripe berry aromas.  A concentrated mid-palate delivers a broad range of rich fruit flavors.  The owner of a Stockton Medical Laboratory for nearly 20 years before making a life-changing decision to become a winemaker, Tim Spencer opened St. Amant Winery (named after his wife, Barbara’s, maiden name) in 1990.  To learn more about St. Amant Winery, please visit their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine has 15.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The enticing nose has berries, smoke, tobacco, dried herbs, underbrush and black pepper.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and decent acidity.  The palate is highlighted with jammy, peppery berries and smoke.  The finish has very nice length.  (88 pts)

 

 

2011 Klinker Brick Bricks & Mortar – SRP $30

Comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petite Sirah and 10% Old Vine Zinfandel, this delicious wine presents aromas of currant and plum, coupled with garden notes of mint and thyme.  Steve and Lori Felten – fifth generation winegrape growers in the Lodi region – along with daughter, Farrah, continue the tradition of cultivating Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards that their ancestors planted in the early 1900’s.  To learn more about Klinker Brick Winery, please visit the winery’s website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The elegant nose has cassis, plum, mint, wild flowers and a hint of leafy herbs.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is rich and elegant on the palate with nice mix of fruit and savory with a pleasing herbal note coming in late.  The finish has very good length and is nicely balanced.  (90 pts)

 

 

2010 Mettler Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown – SRP $25

Aged 22 months in French Oak, the Mettler Cabernet exhibits aromas of black cherry, rose petal and tobacco with a suggestion of mineral.  The Mettler Family has been growing premium winegrapes in the Lodi region for six generations, their roots in the wine industry dating back to the early 1800’s.  The Mettler Family’s inaugural wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, was released in 2001.  To learn more about Mettler Family Vineyards, please visit their website.

 

This wine is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petite Sirah and 1% Petit Verdot.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby color.  The intriguing nose has mint, cassis, warm baking spices, minerals and dried flowers.  The wine has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  There is nice cassis on the palate with mint, minerals and a touch of spicy oak.  The finish is fairly long with cassis and mint leading the way.  (89 pts)

 

 

The video of our Live Chat is available, at least for now, by clicking here.  The entire tasting lasted a bit over an hour.  This is filled with a LOT of great background and information on the region, people, and the wines.

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on samples provided by the winery or another organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

2012 Acquiesce Belle Blanc

2012 Watts Winery “Upstream” Chardonnay

2012 Borra Intuition White

2011 St. Jorge Winery Verdelho Seco Silvaspoons Vineyard

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  Today, there are approximately 80 wineries and tasting rooms, but more than 750 growers and over 100,000 acres planted to vineyards!

 

It is a well-known fact that Lodi is predominantly a red wine region, proudly holding the self-proclaimed title of “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.  What is lesser known is that Lodi’s unique Mediterranean climate allows for over 75 different varietals to thrive, including unique white varieties like Albariño, Kerner, Roussane, Vermentino, Symphony, Verdelho and Viognier.  Over the past decade, creative, new vintners have begun to experiment with Lodi’s many white varieties, resulting in today’s production of exceptional varietal wines and intriguing blends.

 

 

Lodi Links

Tons of great and useful information is available on the Wines of Lodi, LOCA website.  I highly encourage you to read about the area by clicking here.

 

 

Lodi Road Trip Passport

September is the month long celebration of California wine in Lodi.  This is the second annual Lodi Road Tip Passport.  Your purchase of a Passport gets you exclusive discounts toward activities, wine tastings and bottle or case purchases from over 45 Lodi wineries. Get your passport stamped at each winery and be entered to win a Lodi Wine Weekend Getaway!

 

More information is available by clicking here.

 

 

My observations

This was my second opportunity to sample some of the wines coming out of Lodi.  In an earlier post I reviewed four rosé wines from the region.  To check out that post click here.

 

These two tastings were a revelation to me.  Most of the Lodi red wines I’ve had over the years were big, ripe and bold red wines.  I didn’t know how the region would do producing lighter, crisp white and rosé wines.  Based on these two events, you can now count me in as a fan in these two categories.  For the most part, these wines were crisp wines with nice fruit and minerality.  These are exactly the wines we open from late Spring through early Fall in my house and probably yours.  I would proudly open these wines to pour for even the most discriminating wine lovers.

 

As an added bonus, these wines offer tremendous value of your money.  If these wines were produced in other parts of the state, the prices would two to three times higher.

 

If you are not a fan of the big red wines of Lodi, don’t let that stop you from sampling the very impressive whites and rosé wines being produced in the region.

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting event:

 

 

 

2012 Acquiesce Belle Blanc – SRP $24

 

About the winery

Acquiesce Winery is Lodi’s only winery that is dedicated to white wines, though they do produce an occasional rosé.  If you visit their website and check out the wines they produce, the first thing you’ll notice is that all their wines are made with the traditional Rhone grapes.  No chardonnay or sauvignon blanc wines here.  Instead, you will find Roussanne, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, Grenache Blanc, and this wine, a blend of a few of the varietals.  The second thing you’ll notice is their bottles.  Again, they are different and distinctive.

 

There is nothing wrong about being predictable other than being predictable and boring.  I love wineries that think outside the box and are distinctive.  Being different and distinctive is only a good thing if you are good at it, and Acquiesce excels at what they do.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

The Belle Blanc is a blend of 60% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, and 10% Viognier from estate vineyards.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in the Mokelumne River AVA of the Lodi Appellation.  The clones used are from Tablas Creek cuttings from the famous French winery, Chateau de Beaucastel.  All grapes were hand harvested in the morning to preserve acidity and whole cluster pressed to capture the fresh, flavorful character.  The wine was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks.  There were 150 cases produced of this 13.5% alcohol wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light straw color.  The sensuous nose is full of honeysuckle, pear, spice, orange blossom, honey, apricot, pineapple, and stony minerals.  This has light to medium body, is dry, and has crisp acidity.  On the palate spicy pears, honey and minerals can be found up front with pineapples and citrus on back end.  This has nice length on the finish with a nice floral note closing the show.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Watts Winery “Upstream” Chardonnay – SRP $15

 

About the winery

Watts Winery is a small “mom and pop” winery in Lodi.  If you visit their tasting room, you will be dealing with the owners, Craig and Sherri Watts.  For four generations the Watts family sold their grapes to the larger, well known, bulk wineries.  Those grapes were used to produce some of the inexpensive, non-distinct wines a lot of us consumed to start us on our vinous journey.  Eventually the family decided it was time to take the next step and produce their own wine.  Their first wine was a 1999 Old Vine Zinfandel.

 

The winery now produces several award winning wines and recently added this label, Upstream.

 

For more information on the winery, including the story behind their Butterfly wines, please click here to visit their site.

 

About this wine

After harvesting the grapes are pressed into stainless steel vats and cold fermented.  The wine is slowly fermented and cold filtered over the winter.  This unoaked Chardonnay is from the Delta, about 60 miles from San Francisco Bay.  The warm to hot days are offset by the cool nightly delta breezes to ensure the grapes ripen and maintain their natural acidity.  The final alcohol is 13.6%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly bright yellow color with some straw.  The clean and fresh nose has green apple, pear, lemon zest, spice, stony minerality, white peach, and a touch of tropical pineapple.  This has medium body, is dry, and has nice citrusy acidity.  On the palate, nice up front apples, pears and minerals hit first with lemon zest kicking in on the back end.  This has decent length on the finish with apples, minerals, and closing tart lemon zest with just a hint of pineapple.  This could use a touch more complexity, which may develop over time.  (89 pts)

 

 

2012 Borra Intuition White – SRP $22

 

And now for something totally different.

 

About the winery

After making wine for his family for almost a decade, Steve Borra stepped out on his own to start Borra Vineyards.  The winery was started in 1975 and Steve produced Barbera and Carignane wines from his vineyards in Lodi.  In 1992 the family purchased 200 acres of land along the north bank of the Mokelumne River.  The property is now called the Gill Creek Ranch.  The vineyard is now home to Viognier, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

 

Much more information on Borra Vineyards and its history is available on their website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

This wine is different and is nothing like any wine you’ve had in the past.  Winemaker Markus Niggli, from Switzerland, set out to do something different by breaking all the rules.  He took cool climate German grapes, heavily reduced yields to one ton an acre and allowed them to fully ripen in the warm Lodi climate.  Next Markus barrel fermented the grapes with no added acidity until it was dry and aged the wine 9 months in 50% new American oak and 50% once used French oak.  To most people this is a recipe for disaster or at least a wine oddity.  In the end, this blend of 60% Kerner, 20% Riesling, and 20% Gewürztraminer is a racy success.  Did you notice the predominant grape in the blend?  Kerner was a new one for me too.

 

There are 200 cases of this wine and it has an alcohol level of 13.3%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw to yellow color.  The exotic nose has butterscotch, coconut, apples, white peaches, white pepper, minerals, white flowers, mint, spice, pineapple, and citrus zest.  This has a medium body, is dry, and has good acidity.  This is luscious on the palate with apples and white peaches sprinkled with coconut and a few drops of butterscotch on the front end.  The back end introduces minerals, spice, and a floral note.  This has nice length on the finish with the addition of a minty note.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 St. Jorge Winery Verdelho Seco Silvaspoons Vineyard – SRP $18

 

About the winery

This will be a little sketchy; there isn’t a lot of information on the winery’s website.

 

St. Jorge Winery is owned by a Portuguese family that has been growing food and making wine for hundreds of years.  The family tree has its roots on the Azores Island of St. Jorge.  The growing winery planted five additional acres of grapes in 2012.

 

Some additional information on the winery is available on their website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

The Verdelho Seco (dry) joins the off dry Verdehlo in the winery’s portfolio.  Verdehlo is a white grape native to Portugal.  The grapes come from the Silverspoons Vineyard in the Alta Mesa region of the Lodi Appellation.

 

The wine was supposedly aged for 6 months in “neutral” oak barrels but I picked up considerable oak influences in the wine.  The final alcohol is 14.8%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw to yellow color.  The nose has apples, vanilla, spicy oak, white peaches, citrus zest, and some minerality.  This has medium to full body and decent acidity.  On the palate there is some nice up front fruit and minerals then some oak kicks in adding layers of spice and vanilla that slightly obscures the bright fruit.  There is nice length on the finish where a touch of citrus zest breaks through the oak influences.  This is very well made, just not my preferred style.  If you prefer a creamy, oak influenced, fuller body white wine, this will exceed your expectations.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!