2015 Flora Springs Dashaway

2012 Cairdean Vineyards Merlot

2008 Sleeper Brut Reserve Extended Tirage

2013 Speratus Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Compagni Portis

2015 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine

 

 

 

2015 Flora Springs Chardonnay Dashaway – SRP $45

This wine was a winery supplied sample.

 

This is 100% Napa Valley Chardonnay.  This was fermented in French oak barrels with twice-weekly lees stirring.  30% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation to give the wine a creamy texture.  The wine was aged for 7 months in French oak and concrete tanks before bottling.  There were 200 cases produced.  This wine was bottled with a holiday season label.  If you see it on close-out on a store’s shelf, grab it.  Someone told me they spotted it on a World Market shelf.

 

This is a golden yellow color.  The expressive nose has ripe apples, pears, toasted nuts, baking spices, pineapple, orange blossoms and vanilla.  This has medium to full body with a creamy texture and nice acidity.  On the palate apples, pears and roasted nuts quickly grab your attention on the front end with baking spices and pineapple coming in later.  The finish has good length with orange blossoms and vanilla providing nice depth.  The restrained oak use and limited malolactic allows the fruit to shine but still provide nice spice and a creamy texture.  This would be perfect with a wide array of meals or on its own.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Cairdean Vineyards Merlot – $16

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.  This wine had a suggested price of $50 so the Last Bottle price was over 67% off.

 

This winery changed their name from Cairdean to Brasswood Napa Valley.  That was the reason Last Bottle Wines was able to sell this wine at such an incredible price.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, white pepper, vanilla, dusty minerals, cedar, eucalyptus, baking spices, dark chocolate and a touch of blueberry.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, baking spices, minerals and white pepper take control on the front end with eucalyptus, dark chocolate and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has good length with spicy cedar and a hint of blueberry providing good depth.  This is tasting very nice now and will hold and possibly improve over the next several years.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Sleeper Brut Reserve Extended Tirage – $22

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.  In this case, the wine had an original release price of about $75 from the winery.

 

This bubbly was produced by Robert Hunter Winery.  The family closed the winery after Robert’s death.  Last Bottle Wines bought a lot of their inventory.  Since the wine was ready for market but not yet labeled, it acquired the “Sleeper” label which is Last Bottle’s “in house” label.  This is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the Sonoma Valley.

 

This is a straw yellow color with several streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The bright and appealing nose has tart green apples, minerals, yeasty bread, roasted nuts and lemon zest.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and great inner mouth effervescence.  On the palate green apples and minerals quickly grab your attention with yeasty bread and roasted nuts coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a healthy amount of mouthwatering lemon zest making you grab another sip.  This has 12.56% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Speratus Cabernet Sauvignon – $17.88

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

Following taken from the Last Bottle Wines offer since there is limited information available:

Do you love the wines of Jean Hoefliger (lord knows how many 95-100 pointers at Alpha Omega and others that range from $50-$200)? Do you love the slammin’ good 2013 vintage? Do you love doing good? Well, we are hitting that trifecta today, oh yes!! What a unique find!!

In brief: Speratus is a wine that is made 100% for charity. The proceeds of ALL sales are donated to needy families to attend school. In fact, since the wine is exclusively sold to the mailing list, we didn’t even know it EXISTED! But we’re Napa Valley locals, and it was only a matter of time…in addition, every single part of this wine is donated by wineries and winemakers. This list includes a staggering array of incredible producers — including (blended by Jean Hoefliger): Beckstoffer Vineyards, Sangiacomo, Trefethen, Flora Springs, Antinori.. Not to mention all the barrels, corks, capsules, grapes, warehousing, legal stuff, EVERYTHING is donated. Jean blends something magical, ages in French oak barrels and the wine is released and sold via mailing list. It’s NEVER in stores, never in restaurants, in fact, Last Bottle is probably the only place you will ever see this rarity…and our PRICE?! C’mon!!

What’s it like? We think it’s a bit like Bordeaux, with its dusty black currant fruit, but without any rusticity. Rather, we are talking sweet, ripe fruit, medium weight, boysenberry jam, licorice and some dark chocolate, too. At our stupendous price, we instantly thought that this was 6 or 12-pack worthy for sure. We had to offer it on a Saturday, though, because there ain’t much!! Totally cool stuff!!

 

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The expressive nose has cassis, licorice, baking spices, violets, dark roast coffee beans, dusty minerals, roasted herbs, dark chocolate, black cherries and vanilla beans.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate this is a bit more lean than the usual California Cabernet with cassis, baking spices and minerals on the front end and dark roast coffee, dark chocolate and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla beans and more roasted herbs.  At this point there is nothing about this wine that would make it leave a lasting impression.  It is very drinkable but not memorable.  The prominent roasted herbs on the back end and finish are an issue for me.  Perhaps a bit more cellar time will bring some improvement.  That said, for under $20 this is fine for a week night Alexander Valley Cabernet.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Compagni Portis – $25

This wine is a field blend consisting of about a dozen different varietals including Gewurtzraminer, Trousseau Gris, Riesling, Roter Veltliner, Chardonnay and a few others from a vineyard planted in 1954.  This is how wines used to be made before people wanted to see a specific grape on the label.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color.  The exotic nose has apples, lychee, white peach, pear, stony minerals, petrol, honeysuckle, orange blossoms and melon.  This has medium body with nice acidity.  This is rich and luxurious on the palate with nice white orchard fruit, orange blossoms, minerals and lychee nuts on the front end with honeysuckle and a touch of lime zest coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a touch of melon and white peach providing great depth.  This was much smoother and richer as it warmed up a bit, don’t serve this one too cold, just a brief chill in the refrigerator will be perfect.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine – $15.29

Macchia makes the big, full bore Zinfandels that originally put Lodi on wine lover’s radar.  Like most other wineries in the region Zinfandel is still the mainstay of their offerings but other grape varieties are also produced masterfully.

 

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, toasty oak, black cherries, vanilla bean, black peppercorns, charcoal, dark chocolate and dried wildflowers.  This has a full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  This is rich and velvety on the palate with big upfront fruit and barrel nuances coming in later.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but it makes up for that deficiency with a load of fruit on the palate.  This isn’t a wine to sit back and ponder over, pop the cork and just enjoy.  This has 15.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

A few meals paired with a couple of the wines.

 

Other meals that were paired with all the wines for the week are usually posted on my Instagram account, Cliff’s Wine Picks Instagram.  If you want a specific recipe, send an e-mail to Cliff @ CliffsWinePicks . com.  Obviously, remove the spaces.

 

I paired the Flora Springs Chardonnay with Seafood Lasagna and a salad with lettuce fresh from the garden,

 

The Macchia Zinfandel was perfect with a Grilled Wisconsin Jalapeno-Cheddar Brat and fries.

 

The Speratus Cabernet paired nicely with Pot Roast with veggies and rice.

 

 

 

Recipe Requests

 

I received a couple requests for this recipe from a week or two ago:

 

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce

 

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

1 TB Olive Oil

1 (one pound) Pork Tenderloin, trimmed and sliced into 1/2″ thick slices

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t salt

1 cup dry white wine (I like Sauvignon Blanc)

3 TB Whole Grain Dijon mustard

2 TB water

2 t cornstarch

 

Cook noodles per directions (omit any fat or salt), drain

 

While noodles cook, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high.

Sprinkle pork slices with the salt and pepper.

Brown pork in pan for 2 minutes (at most), turning once.  Don’t over cook!

 

Combine the wine and mustard, pour into pan.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes

Remove pork from skillet and keep warm.

 

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Stir cornstarch mixture into pan with the mustard sauce, bring to a boil and cook for one minute or until it gets thick.  This happens VERY quickly, don’t turn your head.

 

Put the completed noodles in the pan and toss to coat.  The sauce is very flavorful so a light coating is all that is needed, there won’t be excess “sauce”.

 

Serve the pork with the noodles and sauce.

 

I like this with a Pinot Noir or lighter style Syrah.

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

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.

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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 2018 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Click here or on the “Cliff’s Wine Picks On Other Sites” link in the top right corner to see links to other sites that either have my reviews, my thoughts or other posts I have written.

 

 

 

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 always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

2013 McCay Cellars Grenache Abba Vineyard

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc Lodi

2013 Turley Zinfandel Kirschenmann

2013 Mettler Family Vineyards Zinfandel Old Vine Epicenter

2015 Azienda Bologna Cinsault a’Campo Old Vine Rose

2014 Acquiesce Roussanne

2014 Oak Farm Vineyards Barbera

2014 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine

2014 Bokisch Vineyards Albariño Terra Alta Vineyard

 

 

 

These are mostly wines that I purchased, a few were samples that were provided to me.  I have the samples clearly stated as samples.  Some were from my cellar, some were purchased during my recent tour of Lodi and some were purchased after I returned.  I write about wines but I am also a collector and wine consumer.  I may write about some wines that are provided to me but I buy the wines I want to drink.  Here are some of the wines from Lodi that are now part of my cellar.

 

This is my second post on Lodi Wines.  If you missed my previous post, it is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

2013 McCay Cellars Grenache Abba Vineyard – $25.60

Michael McCay and his family moved to Lodi in the mid 1980s.  He started making wine in 1994 and launched McCay Cellars in 2007.

 

This is 100% Grenache that utilized a “native yeast” fermentation and that was aged in neutral oak.  A total of 178 cases were produced.

 

Much more information is on the winery’s website.

 

The wine is a light, translucent ruby red color.  The entrancing nose has raspberries, crushed stone minerals, warm baking spices, plums, white pepper, dry underbrush, fresh flowers and charred wood.  This has medium to full body with medium tannins and great acidity.  On the palate tart berries, white pepper, minerals and under ripe plums quickly grab your attention with baking spices and a nice floral note coming in later.  The finish has very good length with tart cherries and charred wood providing nice depth.  This is on the young side but already tastes great.  This has good balance and is not on the highly extracted/over ripe side of the line.  An outstanding effort!  This tastes more like a Rhone wine than one from the new world.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc Lodi – $19.20

Susan Tipton is the Owner/Winemaker for Acquiesce Winery.  The winery’s vines were sourced from the famous French Châteauneuf du Pape estate, Château de Beaucastel.  The winery produces almost all white wines with only one exception, a delicious rosé.  These are all small batch, hard to find wines.  The best sources for Susan’s wines are direct from the winery or from the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center.  See below for info on the Center.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s site.

 

The wine is a pale yellow with a slight green tint.  The captivating nose has apples, melons, leafy herbs, orange blossoms, white peach, dusty minerals, lemon zest and a hint of roasted nuts.  This has medium body with a creamy texture and crisp acidity.  On the palate apples, under ripe melons, minerals and leafy herbs jump out quickly on the front end with orange blossoms slipping in on the back end.  The finish has good length with lemon zest and a nice, slightly bitter roasted nut element adding nice depth.  This is easy to sip and shows great balance and complexity.  Another great, crisp white wine from Lodi.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the stylish bottle is closed with an agglomerated cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Turley Zinfandel Kirschenmann – $32.00

If you have not been living under a rock for the last couple of decades, you should know Turley Winery.  Turley is one of the first “cult” wineries in California.  The wines are mainly sold via a mailing list but I have seen some of the wines in retail stores.  A lot of people are surprised to know Turley produces a wine from Lodi.  It really shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise since this vineyard that was originally planted in 1915 is now owned by Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua.  Tegan is the winemaker for Turley.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The nose doesn’t lead you to think Zinfandel, this has raspberries, plums, scorched earth, dried herbs, dusty minerals, baking spices, violets and vanilla.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and decent acidity.  Berries, plums, scorched earth and minerals quickly coat your palate with baking spices and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of black pepper and dried leafy herbs providing depth.  This may not be easily identifiable as a Zinfandel, but it easy to recognize the wine as being very tasty and enjoyable.  I wouldn’t stash this one away for more than another couple of years.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90pts)

 

 

 

2013 Mettler Family Vineyards Zinfandel Old Vine Epicenter – SRP $19.99

This was a sample provided by the winery, Lodi Wine & Visitor Center and Calhoun & Company.

 

The Mettler Family is one of the oldest farming families in the region.  The Mettlers have roots in the wine industry dating back to the 1770s and they have been growing wine grapes in the Lodi appellation since the late 1800s when their first Lodi vineyards were planted.

 

This is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine was aged for 18 months in 70% American and 30% French oak; 60% new barrels.  There were 7,186 cases produced.

 

Much more information on their history and wines is available on their website.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, toasty oak, black peppercorns, licorice, tobacco, cola, dusty minerals and dried leafy herbs.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, dark chocolate and toasty oak quickly take control on the front end with tobacco, black pepper and dusty minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and dark chocolate providing nice balance to the rich berries.  This is a big, rich and bold Zinfandel that pushes the ripeness and demands hearty food.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Azienda Bologna Cinsault a’Campo Old Vine Rosé – $14.40

I couldn’t find much information on the winery online.  I assume I’m just looking in the wrong places.

 

The wine is a light pink salmon color.  The soft and laid back nose has cherries, strawberries, stony minerals, orange blossoms, white peach and lemongrass.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate bright red fruit, minerals and white peach jump out on the front end with lemongrass and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with mineral and red fruit.  The is a very flavorful and balanced rosé that pairs nicely with a light meal but also excels sipping on its’ own on a sunny day.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Acquiesce Roussanne – $21.60

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 and Grenache Blanc.  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.

 

The wine is a light yellow color.  The exotic nose has apples, melons, banana, orange blossoms, spice and wet stones.  This has medium body with nice acidity.  On the palate this creamy textured wine has tart apples, melons and spice on the front end with orange blossoms and citrus zest coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with stony minerals providing depth.  This would be perfect with a light lunch on a sunny day.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Oak Farm Vineyards Barbera – SRP $25

This was a sample provided by the winery, Lodi Wine & Visitor Center and Calhoun & Company.

 

When I visited Lodi with a group of fellow bloggers in late September, one of the highlights was a tasting of Lodi produced Barbera wines.  These were all high quality, distinctive wines with considerable merit.  Oak Farm was one of the wines we tasted and I looked forward to being able to spend an evening with a bottle of their wine.

 

Oak Farm Vineyards is a beautiful winery that specializes in small lot/premium wines.  If you ever make it to the region, I highly encourage a visit.  A visit with Dan Panella the Owner/Winemaker and Chad Joseph the Head Winemaker will be an informative and tasty experience.  More information is available on their website.

 

The wine is a deep garnet red color.  The very inviting nose has black cherries, crushed stone minerals, dry underbrush, warm baking spices and dead wood embers.  This has medium to full body with soft tannins and great acidity.  On the palate cherries, spice and minerals jump out on the front end with underbrush and charred wood coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with the cherries and spice lingering nicely.  This has great balance and it very easy to enjoy.  I really liked this wine, a great job!  This has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine – $18.38

In Italian, “Macchia” means “the spot”.  After a visit to the winery, especially their tasting area, you will agree.

 

Macchia is owned by the husband and wife team of Tim and Lani Holdener.  The winery started operations in 2001 using grapes they sourced from California’s premium vineyards.  The winery specializes in Zinfandels, they produce 7 or more different Zins.  They also produce some very nice wines from Italian varietals.  Tim is one of the “characters” in the region.  He always seems to be smiling and have a joke or gag ready.  The first time I met him, he was walking around on the dusty road we were having a tasting wearing a “tuxedo T-shirt”.  Much more information on the winery is, of course, available on their website.

 

A potential source for Macchia wines is Total Wine.  I know my local store carries a few of their wines, including this one.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The open and bold nose has blackberries, baking spices, black pepper, licorice, scorched earth, dried wildflowers, plums, dusty minerals, cherries and vanilla bean.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, black pepper, scorched earth and baking spices quickly take control with plums and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has nice length with cherries and a dried floral note providing good depth.  This is big and rich with plenty of fruit and enough savory elements to provide some complexity and depth.  I wouldn’t stash this one in the back of the cellar, I’d probably open this one over the next two to three years or the alcohol may start poking through.  This has 15.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Bokisch Vineyards Albariño Terra Alta Vineyard – $16.20

I was a fan of Bokisch wines before I met Marcus Bokisch and visited the winery.  Afterwards, my love and appreciation went up even more.  Marcus is one of the most knowledgeable and well spoken people I have ever met.  If you ever make it to Lodi, Bokisch is a “must stop”.  If Marcus is there, ask him about “fairy shrimp and vernal pools”.   Marcus and Winemaker Elyse Egan Perry are a top notch team producing world class wines.

 

Much more information, including recipes from Liz Bokisch, is available on their website.

 

The wine is a light yellow color.  The very appealing nose has apples, orange blossoms, lime zest, crushed stone minerals and a hint of white pepper.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples, lime zest and orange blossoms quickly grab your attention with minerals and orange zest coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with just a hint of white pepper adding nice depth before the mouthwatering citrusy acidity forces another sip.  This has great balance and is a world-class Albariño.  I really like this wine.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

These are all wines made with pride by families that either grow their own grapes of buy them from “friends”.  The over riding thing I learned during my visit is this region performs like one big team.  Everyone from the grape growers to the winery owners are equals when it comes to producing these world class wines.

 

 

If you want to plan a trip to Lodi, which I highly recommend, your first step should be to visit the Lodi Wine Site.  If you find yourself in Lodi and want to sip some wine, buy some wine or look for recommendations, I encourage you to visit them at:

Lodi Wine & Visitor Center

2545 West Turner Road

Lodi, CA 95242

Phone: (209) 367-4727

Email: lwwc@lodiwine.com

 

This is also a great place to buy Lodi wines.  They have an extensive inventory of wines that you can have shipped to your home.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Calhoun & Company enjoys a diverse portfolio of wine and spirits clients. From family owned to corporate managed, luxury to everyday priced, small lot wines to nationally distributed, Napa to Oporto, we thrive on the varied media opportunities each of these categories presents. We are exceptionally proud of the breadth and depth of our practice, as illustrated by this partial list of brands we have worked with over the past 13 years.  For more information, visit their website.

 

 

 

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 2017 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Click here or on the “Cliff’s Wine Picks On Other Sites” link in the top right corner to see links to other sites that either have my reviews, my thoughts or other posts I have written.

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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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 always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Kirschenmann

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc

2014 McCay Cellars Viognier

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé

2013 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine

2013 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard

2012 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard

 

 

These are all wines I purchased, none are samples that were provided to me.  Some were from my cellar, some were purchased during my recent tour of Lodi and some were purchased after I returned home.  I may write about wines but I am also a collector and wine consumer.  I may write about some wines that are provided to me but I buy the wines I want to drink.  Here are some of the wines from Lodi that are now part of my cellar.  The prices noted are what I paid without tax or shipping.  Most of the wines were discounted due to case or multi-case purchases, or store related percentage off coupons from Total Wine.

 

Some of the bloggers have already posted blogs on our visit to the area.  I’m sure there will be more posted in the coming weeks, a few will be from me.  For this post, I wanted to highlight a few of the world class wines bearing the Lodi name on the label.

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot – $33.24

This is a wine I tasted during a visit to the winery as part of a group of bloggers with Snooth and the Lodi Wine organization.  I liked it enough to include a few bottles in a case of Lodi wines purchased when I returned back home.  For more information, visit the Michael-David Winery website.

 

This wine has a “touch” of Petite Sirah included with the Petit Verdot.  The grapes for this wine came from Jon Wetmore’s vineyard on the northeast side of Lodi.  This wine is always put into new barrels early in the harvest season due to the high level of tannin, color and concentration.  The wine was aged 19 months in French oak.  This is the first varietal bottling of Petit Verdot by the winery, there are very few other Lodi wineries producing Petit Verdot labeled wines.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The impressive nose has crushed berries, baking spices, licorice, black cherries, dusty minerals, dark chocolate, scorched earth and a touch of cedar.  This full bodied wine has moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate loads of crushed berries, baking spices and dusty minerals grab control on the front end with licorice, black cherries and scorched earth coming in later.  The long finish is full of berries, spice and a touch of cedar.  This is an impressive Petit Verdot.  The wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Kirschenmann – $28.00

I have been on the Bedrock mailing list since the inception several years ago.  Bedrock is owned by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of former Ravenswood owner and Zinfandel visionary, Joel Peterson.

 

This is from a vineyard now owned by Tegan Passalacqua (Turley winemaker) and his wife Olivia.  This is an “own rooted” Zinfandel vineyard that was planted in 1915.  The “own rooted” vines had survived because the soil is very sandy which is a natural deterant to pests and diseases they plague vines in other soil conditions.  The wine is a deep ruby color.  The very inviting nose has brambly berries, cherries, warm baking spices, dusty minerals, black peppercorns, dried leafy herbs, licorice and violets.  This has a medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  This is rich and voluptuous on the palate with juicy fruit, minerals, black pepper and dusty minerals on the front end with dried herbs and dry earth coming in later.  The spicy finish has nice length.  This is a very easy Zinfandel to sip and enjoy.  The wine has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé – $16.20

We met Michael MaCay and his Syrah grower Phil Abba and had a “side of the road” tasting at Phil’s Abba Vineyard.  Just like every grower we met you could “feel” Phil’s dedication and pride in the grapes that come out of his vineyard.  I bought this wine as well as McCay Cellars’ Syrah and Grenache wines make from the fruit from Abba Vineyard.  This was fantastic on the side of the hot, dry and dusty road and I could not wait to open a bottle to sip at home.

 

McCay Cellars is owned by Michael McCay.  McCay moved to Lodi in the mid 1980s and started to grow grapes.  He started making wine in 1994 and launched McCay Cellars in 2007.  Much more information is available on the winery, history and most importantly their wines by visiting the McCay Cellars webpage.

 

This wine is mainly Carignane (from 102 year old vines) with Grenache.  The wine was produced with a “native fermentation” in stainless steel.  The wine is a bright salmon color.  The fresh smelling nose has strawberries, peaches, dusty minerals and lime zest.  This has a medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate strawberries and minerals immediately grab your attention with peaches in the background.  The finish has nice length with a hint of lime zest leading you to grab another sip.  This has just a hint of sweetness making it an easy to enjoy companion to a warm day in the sun.  (90 pts)  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

 

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc – $9.49

Ironstone Vineyards is a family owned winery that we visited during our Lodi excursion.  The Kautz family were gracious hosts during the visit.  I enjoyed their entire line-up of value priced wines.  The quality of the wines far exceeded the “low price of admission”.  To me, their Petite Sirah and this Cabernet Franc were the standouts.  I like the wine enough to include a few bottles in the case I bought soon after returning home.  Visit the Ironstone Vineyards website for a ton more information on the winery, family and the wines.

 

This wine is 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alta Mesa and Sloughhouse AVAs in Lodi.  The wine gets a brief 2 month aging in new French oak.  The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very approachable nose has crushed berries, stony minerals, dried leafy herbs, vanilla, cedar and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate juicy berries, vanilla and dried herbs dominate the front end with toasty cedar coming in on the back end.  The fruit laden finish has nice length.  This isn’t a wine to lay down, I’d drink this one on the younger side while the fruit is crisp and fresh.  Open this one with a juicy burger hot off the grill or even better with a platter of cheeses and meats with a few friends.  This wine is a steal if you can find it for around $10.  (90 pts)  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an artificial cork.

 

 

 

2014 McCay Cellars Viognier

Information and links dealing with McCay Cellars is above with my review of their rosé.

 

The wine is a golden straw color.  The inviting nose has apples, peach pits, honey, orange blossoms, dusty minerals, lime zest and lemongrass.  This has medium body with nice acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  Apples, lime zest and peach pits immediately coat your palate with richness, on the back end minerals and lemongrass enter the picture.  The finish has nice length with honey and orange blossoms adding depth.  This is an easy drinking wine that would be a hit with friends.  (90 pts)  This wine has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc – $19.20

I was already familiar with Acquiesce wines before the Lodi trip from earlier tastings.  Acquiesce Winery was not visited on this trip but one of their wines, the 2015 Belle Blanc, was included in an online Snooth Tasting and chat while we were there.  If you want to see the session, it is available online.  I bought this wine as well as their Roussanne while in Lodi and had them shipped back home to me.

 

The wine is a very light golden yellow color.  The fresh and lively nose has green apples, white peach, flinty minerals, pineapple, lemon zest and a hint of spice.  This has medium body with great acidity and it seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples and flinty minerals take control quickly with white peaches, pineapples and spice coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with mouthwatering lemon zest leaving you reaching for another sip.  Another great example of the white wines made from Rhone grapes that excel in Lodi.  (92 pts)  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

 

 

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé – $12.00

LangeTwins is another winery we did not visit.  The winery was still well represented, this wine was included in our “Welcome” dinner the day we arrive in Lodi.  I tried a small taste of the wine, took a sip and wanted more.  Needless to say, with a large table full of people, the bottle was empty.  I bought a few bottles of the wine while in Lodi and had them shipped to me back in South Carolina.  More information on LangeTwins Winery is available on their website.

 

This wine is a bright salmon color, a bit darker than a typical rosé.  The refreshing nose has strawberry, cherry, dry earth, stony minerals, orange blossoms and a touch of lime zest.  This has light to medium body with nice acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate nice fruit and minerals hit first with orange blossoms and a touch of dry earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with mouthwatering lemon zest providing nice balance to the slight sweetness.  This is not sweet but there is just enough residual sweetness to add some body and keep the fruit at the front.  This is VERY easy to sip while relaxing.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

2013 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine – $16.99

This is a bottle from my cellar.  I am fortunate enough to have a local Total Wines and More that carries several Lodi wines.  This wine and the St. Amant covered later in this post are almost always in my cellar.

 

In Italian, Macchia, means “the spot”.  The owner/winemaker for Macchia is ever dapper, Tim Holdener.  I’ll post a picture of Tim in his “tuxedo” shirt in a later post.  We had a great visit to the winery which included tastes of several barrel samples.  Time hosted a “Barbera tasting” that included several wineries in his outdoor tasting area which would be better called a “man cave”.  The area was outstanding.  Again, pictures and tasting notes will be included in a later post.  During the event, when asked about the aging potential of Lodi Barbera wines, Time grabbed a bottle of his 2003 Barbera from his personal stash.  Spoiler alert – it was outstanding.  Much more information is available on the Macchia website.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to maroon color.  The open and inviting nose has brambly berries, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, black cherries, chalky minerals, black peppercorns and dried violets.  This has a fairly full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, spices, black pepper and cherries jump out quickly with vanilla and minerals coming in later.  The finish has good length with a dried floral note providing nice depth.  This is on the young side but already drinking very nicely with some air.  Load up if you can find this one.  The wine has 15.8% alcohol that is well concealed and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard – $16.99

This is a wine I always have in my cellar from the local Total Wine.

 

During the trip, we had a marvelous tasting of St. Amant wines in Marian’s Vineyard which is part of the Mohr-Fry Ranch with grower Jerry Fry and Stuart Spencer, the winemaker for St. Amant.  The vineyard is well over 100 years old and produces wonderfully rich and concentrated fruit.  I highly recommend visiting St. Amant’s website and reading about the people and wine, but especially about the vineyards that are used by the winery.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, charred wood, crushed stone minerals, cracked black peppercorns, baking spices, black cherries, tobacco, earthy underbrush and dried wildflowers.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, baking spices, crushed stones and black pepper jump out quickly with black cherries and subtle charred wood coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a pleasing dried floral note entering the picture.  This could use a bit of time in the cellar but with a bit of air it is already stunning.  Stock up on this one.  (93 pts)  This wine has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2012 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard

This is another bottle from my personal cellar.

 

We visited Harney Lane Winery during our trip.  The Mettler family has been farming the vineyards for over 100 years.  After many decades selling the grapes, in 2006 the family decided to start making wine.  The grapes for this wine come from the Lizzy James Vineyard that was planted in 1904, making this truly an “old vine” Zinfandel.

 

Our visit to Harney Lane provided us a nice tasting of their wines including barrel samples.  We had to “work” for the samples by doing “punch downs” of their fermenting Petite Sirah.  Thankfully there was no mishaps for those wearing light colored clothes.  Pictures of a few of us doing the punch-downs will be provided in a later post.  Much more information on the winery’s history, family and wines is available on the Harney Lane website.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberry compote, black peppercorns, crushed stone minerals, warm baking spices, scorched earth, ripe plums and vanilla bean.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate jammy berries, black peppercorns, baking spices and crushed stones jump out first with plums and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with dark roast coffee entering the picture.  This wine has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

 

Some other wineries that merit your consideration are Bokisch Vineyards, m2 Wines, Borra Vineyards, Markus Wines a sub venture of Borra Vineyards, Oak Farm Vineyards and Mettler Family Vineyards.

 

 

If you want to plan a trip to Lodi, which I highly recommend, your first step should be to visit the Lodi Wine Site.  If you find yourself in Lodi and want to sip some wine, buy some wine or look for recommendations, I encourage you to visit them at:

Lodi Wine & Visitor Center

2545 West Turner Road

Lodi, CA 95242

Phone: (209) 367-4727

Email: lwwc@lodiwine.com

 

This is also a great place to buy Lodi wines.  They have an extensive inventory of wines that you can have shipped to your home.

 

 

 

I was included as part of this blogger trip by Snooth, one of the top wine related sites on the internet.  I highly recommend visiting their site.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Whether one is just a beginner, or a total pro, Snooth offers its 1 million+ users countless opportunities to learn, taste, share and shop in the world of wine.

 

Members are able to interact with wineries, stores, fellow wine lovers, and wine professionals from all over the globe with Snooth’s daily newsletters, wine search, social forums and interactive media tools.

 

Since its launch in June 2007, Snooth has become one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive online wine destinations, featuring millions of price listings and wine reviews. Snooth also powers wine & food pairings for major sites including Epicurious.com (Conde Nast) and myRecipes.com (Time Inc).

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

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.

 

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Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

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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

 

 

 

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Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Click here or on the “Cliff’s Wine Picks On Other Sites” link in the top right corner to see links to other sites that either have my reviews, my thoughts or other posts I have written.

 

 

 

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 always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!