Lodi Tasting

We celebrated Galentine’s Day a little early with a Floral Workshop featuring Huckleberry Blooms 💐 and a bottle of Michael David’s newest addition...2022 Michael David Rosé . This Rosé is crafted from Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from Phillips Farms Vineyards, and is both delicious and refreshing. It is the perfect bottle to share with your girlfriends or your special someone ♥️

This weekend, Lodi will be celebrating our 26th annual Wine & Chocolate Weekend🍷🍫. To celebrate this milestone, the Lodi Winemaking Community has made a few extra sweet additions to the traditional format!

♥️ Friday, Feb. 3rd: Five local wineries invite you to enjoy an intimate evening where you will have the opportunity to taste carefully crafted food and wine pairings alongside winemakers and fellow wine lovers. This year’s participating wineries are GoodMills Family Winery, Heritage Oak Winery, Oak Farm Vineyards, Rippey at Lodi Vintners, and St. Amant Winery. (Attention: Tickets for all Friday Evening Experiences are Sold Out)

♥️ Saturday, February 4th: Saturday, Lodi Wine Country will host its signature passport-style event, with over 30 participating wineries. Each winery will offer a selection of renowned wines and a variety of chocolate treats.

♥️ Sunday, February 5th: Wine & Roses will host the Winemakers Toast Event, where local winemakers will be pouring white, rosé, and sparkling wines paired with delectable brunch bites crafted by Chefs Jacob Des Voignes, Ian Bens, and Scott Davis of Wine & Roses.

If you have yet to purchase your tickets, make your way to lodiwineandchocolate.com and start planning your itinerary today on the 𝕃𝕠𝕕𝕚 𝕋𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔸𝕡𝕡! 📱

If you haven’t already, download the 𝕃𝕠𝕕𝕚 𝕋𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔸𝕡𝕡 by clicking the link in our bio. Once downloaded, you will be able to filter wineries by the varietals and experiences that they offer, and add them to your very own customizable itinerary for an unforgettable Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend!

Happy Tasting! 🍷🍫

📷: Acquiesce Winery’s Grenache Rosé
Stewart & Jasper Orchards’ Dark Chocolate Razcherries Stewart & Jasper

A double rainbow after some pretty severe storms this week here in Lodi Wine Country 🌈

Happy Tasting! 🍷

🌟🎄🍷 𝒫𝒾𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒩𝑜𝒾𝓇 and 𝐻𝑜𝓁𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈 at Intercoastal Vineyards 🍷🎄🌟

LVVR Sparkling Cellars is back open in their new location, and their bubbles did not disappoint 🥂

GoodMills Family Winery offers quality hand-crafted wines that are produced in small batches using the finest local Lodi grapes. We paired this bottle of 2016 Teroldego with simply seasoned New York steaks and garden fresh golden squash, and it was divine 🌟

“To live, to learn, explore, challenge perceptions, to be.”

Prie Winery is family-owned and focused on producing vintage-driven boutique and small production wines that best express the grape varietal and the terroir of the Lodi Wine Region. On our last visit, we picked up a bottle of the 2018 Incorrigible, which is a blend of Old Vine Zinfandel and estate Cab Franc (hints of dried blueberries, forest loam, green peppers and cherries through the finish).

Prie Winery also produces more unique varietals, such as Dornfelder, Counoise, Alicante Bouschet, and Nebbiolo, so whether you’re looking to expand your palate or enjoy a more familiar glass of Zin, Merlot or Syrah, make sure to stop by Prie Winery on your next visit down the Lodi Wine Trail.

Happy tasting! 🍷

Bokisch Vineyards easily makes our list of Top Wineries in the Lodi Wine Region. The Terra Alta Vineyard and tasting room are tucked away in the Clements Hills and boast panoramic vineyard views, as well as beautifully crafted Spanish varietals such as Albariño, Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha Blanca, Verdejo and Monastrell. 🇪🇸

Markus and Liz Bokisch were inspired by their time living and working abroad in Spain, and were determined to produce domestic Spanish varietals themselves when they returned to California. In 1995, they purchased the Terra Alta Vineyards property and in 1998 they imported budwood from specially selected vineyards in Spain to plant in their Las Cerezas Vineyard. This vineyard is referred to as the “Motherblock” for the Bokisch Spanish varietals (Albariño, Tempranillo and Graciano).

Markus and Liz are an outstanding team that each contribute to making the Bokisch Vineyard tasting experience a very special one. Markus is known as a leader in the wine industry for growing and producing quality diverse varietals while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability 🍇. Liz shares her passion for Catalan culture and food through Liz’s Kitchen, a food and lifestyle blog where she shares her recipes, photographs, party planning ideas, and other tips 👩‍🍳. Spanish Food pairings are also available while wine tasting and during Bokisch’s Wine Club Events.

If you’re looking to experience a little taste of Spain while exploring the Lodi Wine Trail, start planning your next visit to Bokisch Vineyards. Happy Tasting! 🍷

While out exploring Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove for Father’s Day Weekend, we stumbled upon California Seltzer Co. This restaurant and taproom is located on the most picturesque vista directly across from Lover’s Point Park. Whether you’ve been out wandering the coastal nature trails or splashing in the Pacific, California Seltzer Co. is the perfect spot to stop in and grab a refreshing Hard Seltzer and a Wood Fired Pizza while taking in panoramic sea views. Our personal favorites were the Pineapple Lemon🍍🍋 and the Hibiscus Lime 🌺.

Now for the best part…The California Seltzer Company is owned and run by Veronica Camp, the founder of Central Valley Brewfest, as well as Lodi’s very own Five Window Beer Company owners, Charlie Lippert and Joseph Ehlers (we knew those yellow labs looked familiar!). That means that in addition to Hard Seltzers, you can find your favorite Five Window craft beers on tap, as well as Lodi wines from Oak Farm Vineyards, Michael David and Naomi Wines.

The next time you head to the beach, make sure to add California Seltzer Co. to your itinerary. Happy Father’s Day! 🤍

Join us in celebrating Lodi Rosé!

We are just one week away from the “Celebrate Lodi Rosé Weekend”, an event that gives visitors the opportunity to taste a variety of unique, hand-crafted Rosé wines made right here in Lodi Wine Country.

Head over to the website to see a list of the 24 wineries that will be participating this year, and start crafting your itinerary!

📸 2020 Malbec Rosé by Burlington Chandler Wines

Stonum Vineyards prides itself on crafting single vineyard wines in an Old World minimalistic style. From the vine to the glass, Stonum’s wines are treated gently and with very little intervention, which allows for intense and complex tasting profiles that represent the terroir of the vineyard where each varietal is grown.

Our first visit to Stonum Vineyards was for one of their 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕪 ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝔻𝕠𝕨𝕟𝕤, which feature Live Music and wine served by the glass and bottle every Friday from the beginning of April through September.

For a hot Summer evening, we recommend the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, which has floral aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine, as well as hints of melon and pear. On the palate, you will note rich flavors of citrus and dense tropical fruit.

The methods that the winemakers, Mike and Kathy Stonum, used in order to make this wine are quite interesting. First, they used native fermentation, which is when indigenous yeasts from the vineyard are used to cause primary fermentation (the process where the sugar in the grapes turns to alcohol). Then, the Sauvignon Blanc is aged sur lie (French for “on the lees”) in neutral French oak barrels. This means that the wine is kept in contact with its lees during the aging process; this method of aging white wines adds texture, depth and complexity to the wine.

The end result is a very flavorful and drinkable Sauvignon Blanc. Happy Tasting!

Celebrating International Chardonnay Day with a glass of Peirano Estate Vineyard’s 2018 Chardonnay.

This Chardonnay is barrel aged in French and American oak barrels, which helps to create a fuller bodied and more complex wine. An “oaked” Chardonnay also tends to have aromas of toasted vanilla and butterscotch, as well as buttery and caramel notes on the palate. Additional tasting notes for the 2018 Chardonnay include Asian pears, caramel apples, sweet yellow peaches, lemon meringue and melon.

Peirano Estate Vineyard’s 2018 Chardonnay took home a Gold Medal in the 2020 San Francisco Wine Chronicle Competition, and also scored 90 points in the 2020 JerryMead’s New World International Wine Competition.

Cheers!

As if we need an excuse to enjoy Lodi Wine…Today is ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕪 and we are featuring Housley’s Century Oak Winery.

The wines at Century Oak include their Art’s Nemesis Rosé, River Ranch Chardonnay, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and a Field Blend, which is made from Old Vine Zin, Petite Sirah, and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. While the Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Vine Zin and Petite Sirah are made from estate vineyards in the Mokelumne River AVA, the owners also have vineyards, as well as a tasting room, in Napa Valley.

The winemakers strive to produce wines that are approachable and affordable, yet high quality. Century Oak Winery has garnered scores as high as 96, 95 and 94 points in respected competitions around the country, and has been awarded more than 200 medals overall. 🏅

Happy Tasting! 🍷

We had the pleasure of attending the latest cooking class offered by Bordeaux Inn Lodi. 🧑‍🍳

In this hands on class, we learned how to make Spanish Empanadas and Cheesecake Flan, which was then paired with local wine from Hook or Crook Cellars. ¡Buen provecho!

The tasting room at Block 21 Winery is nestled between the vines, and has a lovely patio for sipping in the sunshine ☀️

The standouts for us were the 2021 Symphony, which is a semi-sweet wine with notes of honeysuckle, apricot and ripe mandarin, and the estate grown 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a fruit forward wine with notes of cherry cola, baking spice, mocha and currant.

Cheers to another beautiful weekend in Lodi Wine Country!

If you’re looking to grab a bite along the Lodi Wine Trail, make sure to stop by Spenker Family Farm to enjoy small-batch fresh goat cheeses that pair perfectly with Spenker Winery’s estate grown wines. 🐐 🍷

🌟Bonus🌟
Swipe to see one of their adorable baby goats!!!

Chardonnay is having a 🌟 moment 🌟 in Lodi Wine Country, and we are loving it!

We stopped in to for the first time today, and we already can’t wait to come back. We enjoyed a bottle of their 2019 Reserve Chardonnay, which offers light oak tones, layers of vanilla, baked apple and pear, and creme brûlée. Truly delightful 👌

Did you know that Oak Farm Vineyard’s Red Blend, Tievoli, spelled backwards is ✨𝕀 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼 𝕀𝕋 ✨? We certainly do…especially when paired with the Prosciutto Di San Daniele D.O.P. with Burrata from . Buon appetito! 🍷a

We are coming up on one of our favorite weekends in Lodi Wine Country…

𝕃𝕠𝕕𝕚 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕖 & ℂ𝕙𝕠𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖🍷🍫

This weekend offers a variety of tasting experiences, including seated multi-course dinner and wine pairings, barrel tastings, and the traditional passport-style event where you can participate in a self-guided tour amongst participating wineries. Each winery will have a selection of renowned wines and an assortment of chocolate treats to taste along the way.

Interested in a preview of what some of our wineries will have to offer? Take a look!

*Calivines: Blood orange olive oil chocolate brownies, Olive Oil & Vinegar Tastings
*Cellar Door by Michael David Winery: Baked treats from Michael David Bakery
*D’Art Wines: Chocolate Chili & Barrel Port Tastings
*Harmony Wynelands: Chocolate & Zinsation port with s’mores by the fire pit, Zin Bomb tasting, and more
*Jeremy Wine Co.: Chocolate Port & Lodi’s Super Tortas handmade chocolate Tamales (Lockeford location)
*Macchia: Meatballs with chocolate habanero Zin port reduction
*McCay Cellars: Wine-infused cherry chocolate brownies
*Spenker Winery: Chocolate bite & Spenker Family Farm goat cheese sampling plate

Are you drooling yet? The best part is that this is only a sampling of the participating wineries. If you haven’t already, head on over to the Lodi Wine & Chocolate website to see the full list and to purchase your tickets! ♥️

Celebrating International Cabernet Franc Day all weekend long with a bottle of Berghold Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Franc🍷

We continued our Wine Country Black Friday with a visit to Stama Winery, a family-owned winery on the west side of the Lodi Wine Trail.

At Stama, you may choose any 5 wines from their Tasting Menu in order to fully customize your experience. The flight featured in our photo included the 2019 Chardonnay, the 2018 Pinot Grigio, the 2019 Rosé, the 2018 Curvaceous Red Blend and the 2005 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Dessert Wine (right to left). After tasting, we decided to take advantage of the Black Friday Sale and purchase a case of the 2018 Curvaceous Red Blend. The Curvaceous Red Blend offers tasting notes of dark plum, cranberries and cherries with hints of cocoa and vanilla.

We hope you enjoy a beautiful holiday weekend in Lodi Wine Country! 🍷

While family is in town visiting for the holidays, we decided to indulge in a wine country style Black Friday with an afternoon of wine tasting. Our first stop was Calivines Winery and Olive Mill where we tried both the Classic Wine Tasting Flight and the Sommelier’s Choice Tasting Flight. While we tasted, we enjoyed small bites curated with a variety of Calivirgin flavored Olive Oils. Our family’s favorites were the Hummus and Mock-a-Mole Duo, the Pesto Popcorn, and the Seasonal Charcuterie Board.

Calivines Winery features a stunning indoor tasting bar with an array of gift options for your loved ones to enjoy over the holidays. In addition to wine, the tasting room offers Calivinegar Balsamic and Calivirgin Olive Oils to taste. Cheers! 🍷 🫒