Lodi Wine on the Water

TREASURE ISLAND WINE FEST

“Lodi Wine on the Water”

by Scott W Clemens

Lodi vintners staged the first Treasure Island Wine Fest in San Francisco on a blustery day in October. For the past 20 years the wineries of Lodi, in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, have produced a sea of affordably priced wines of very good quality. The area has been particularly renowned for its old vine Zinfandel and such Rhone varieties as Mourvedre and Viognier. But at this tasting I discovered a new facet to Lodi’s personality; a few wineries are also producing excellent wines from Spanish and Italian varietals.

Of the more than 40 wineries pouring, four were standouts. I present them here in alphabetical order:

BOKISCH VINEYARDS

Bokisch specializes in Spanish varieties.

2008 Bokisch , St. Clement Hills-Lodi, Terra Alta Vineyard, Albariño:

Lean and minerally with a bit more fruit (neutral and edging toward green apple) than Spanish versions, with an extraordinarily long mineral and spice finish. Excellent balance and very refreshing. 88 points. $16

2007 Bokisch, Lodi Garnacha Rosado:

An excellent dry rosé with plum, clove and black pepper notes and great length. 94 points $18.

2006 Bokisch, Lodi Graciano:

Plum and cranberry with crisp acidity. 87 points. $26

2006 Bokisch, Lodi Tempranillo:

Dry cranberry-cherry flavors with light tannin, a touch of earth, and lovely s tructure. 90 points. $21

CHRISTINE ANDREW

Christine Andrew, a separate label from Ironstone Vineyards, produces an array of French varietals, as well as Tempranillo and Zinfandel, but at the tasting they were pouring:

2007 Christine Andrew, Lodi Viognier:

Complex and subtle with layers of white peach, rose petals, spice and minerals. All stainless steel fermented and a reasonable 13.5% alcohol (on the low end for Viognier). 90 points. $13

2007 Christine Andrew, Lodi Malbec:

Lush, briary, with spicy loganberry fruit, light tannin, light to medium body, with a very long, fruit and mineral finish. Excellent value. 94 points. $15

2006 Christine Andrew, Lodi Old Vine Zin:

Unlike so many Zinfandels these days, this one is not overblown and not high in alcohol, yet it shows intense raspberry fruit, with a mineral and light spice background, soft tannin, firm acidity and excellent balance. 93 points. $15

LUCAS WINERY

A winery making small lots of fabulous wines that are kept in the bottle a few years before they’re released. This is masterful winemaking, as you’d expect from owners Heather Plye-Lucas, former winemaker for Robert Mondavi’s reserve and Italian joint venture wines, and David Lucas, who was responsible for Mondavi’s California vineyards.

2006 Lucas, Lodi Chardonnay:

Just released, the 2006 displays bright grapefruit and pippin apple aromas and flavors, with crispy acidity, silky texture and a long finish. It’s amazingly aromatic. 94 points. $30

2005 Lucas, Lodi, ZinStar vineyard, Zin:

After spending a year in French oak and four years in the bottle, the 2004 offers intense raspberry and allspice aromas and flavors. Light, lively and ridiculously intense. 94 points. $35

UVAGGIO

All Italian varietals.

2008 Uvaggio, Lodi Vermentino:

Uvaggio is the largest California producer of Vermentino, a white variety grown on Sardinia and in parts of Tuscany. This version shows subtle floral notes and melon rind aromas and flavors. Only 100 cases produced. 88 points. $14

2008 Uvaggio, Lodi Moscato:

A lovely and refreshing wine with intense honeysuckle and hawthorn blossom character, crisp acidity yet silky texture. 93 points. $14

2005 Uvaggio, Lodi Barbera:

Lodi is the perfect place for Barbera. This one has a lovely restrained nose, and great varietal definition with its plum and chocolate notes and crisp acidity. A very correct Italian-style Barbera. 90 points. $18