Lodi Wine Region

Early explorers to Lodi discovered a region teeming with wildlife and lush
vegetation. Grapes were always part of the local landscape, growing wild
dangling from the trees along the riverbanks. Early trappers called one stream “Wine Creek.”

Capt. Charles Weber, founder of Stockton, was the first to plant grapes in
the region around his home in 1850. Two years later, a Massachusetts man
named George West, who first came to California to mine gold, saw those
flourishing vines. West got some cuttings from Weber and established the first major vineyard in the region. In 1858, he built the El Piñal Winery and became the region’s first commercial vintner.

The Early Grapes - By the late 1880s more local farmers began focusing on grapes. Several
different varieties did well in Lodi, but Zinfandel and Tokay stood out. Tokay is a versatile table grape with an eye-catching flame color. By 1901 the local newspaper declared that wine production was “the coming industry for this part of the state.”

Prohibition in 1919 posed an initial threat to Lodi winegrape growers. But
it turned prosperous for many as business just changed from making wine to
shipping fresh grapes. Since home winemaking was allowed, the demand for Lodi winegrapes actually increased during Prohibition. Thousands of railcars left Lodi each harvest full of Zinfandel, Tokay, Alicante and many other winegrapes.

Tastes Change - In more recent times consumer tastes changed from sweet wines to table
wines and quality varietal wines. Lodi growers began focusing on producing
quality varietal winegrapes for the blossoming table wine market. Wineries
throughout the state turned to Lodi to supply the growing demand for delicious and affordable table wines.

When the Lodi Appellation (American Viticulture Area) was approved in
1986, Lodi was no longer the wine industry’s best kept secret as awareness slowly began to build for the distinctive quality of Lodi wines.

Today’s Wines - Today, Lodi is home to nearly two dozen wineries and thousands of acres of premium winegrapes. Its growers and vintners combine the best of tradition with modern technology to produce world-class wines that rival the best that California has to offer.

Travels to Lodi - Lodi/Woodbridge is a great California success story, rivaling that of other
established wine regions, even Napa Valley. In the last 10 years, grapes have become the focal point of the region. The area boasts over 800 growers and 80,000 acres of winegrapes.

Lodi is on the banks of the Mokelumne River and offers rafting, boating,
swimming and fishing. When you tire of winery tours, get in a few rounds of golf at one of Lodi's many courses. And there is a zoo, a Japanese garden and several museums.

The state capital of Sacramento is a short drive north of Lodi. There is a
world-famous rail museum that is not to be missed.

Recommended Lodging

Wine and Roses Inn 209-334-6988
2505 W. Turner Rd.
Lodi, CA

BW Royal Host Inn 800-248-7234
710 S. Cherokee Lane
Lodi, CA

Recommended Dining
Wine and Roses Inn 209-334-6988
2505 W. Turner Rd. Breakfast, Lunch
Lodi, CA Dinner

Rosewood 209-369-0470
28 S. School St. Dinner
Lodi, CA

This Month's Wines....

Reisling (rees-ling)
by Sharon Rosenbaum, Senior Wine Buyer

This celebrated, noble grape yields white wine of the very highest
quality. In Germany, where it has been cultivated since Roman times, the grape is responsible for much of the wines produced along the Mosel River Valley and the northern Rhine River. Riesling wines have a distinctive delicate character, generally described as flowery and fruity, and sometimes as peachy. The body is light to medium and the best wines have a cripness to balance any sweetness.

Successfully transplanted to California, Rieslings produced in the Golden
State are now among the best made anywhere. They run the range from bone dry to very sweet, though the typical California Riesling is off-dry (1-3% sugar).

If the label indicates “Late Harvest” or “Selected Late Harvest,” it is an
indication of a higher degree of sweetness and many wineries now list the sugar content on the label.

The better Rieslings come from the sloped vineyards along the coast from
Mendocino County in the north to Santa Barbara in the south. Pair with light
foods, soft cheeses, fresh fruit and Asian-inspired dishes. Serve chilled, but
not too cold.

Villanueva California

The 2002 Villanueva Riesling is a blend of grapes grown in three cool coastal vineyards. One sits in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Highlands, considered a world-class area for crisp, fruity white wines.

The Villanueva offers a balance of ripe fruit aromas and flavors with the
characteristic crispness. The wine is refreshing and vibrant with aromas and
flavors of citrus, mineral and honeydew melon. It is drinking well now and will make a perfect warm weather quencher or accompaniment for seafood with fruit or light poultry dishes.

Enjoy today and over the next 18 months.

Paraiso Springs California

Paraiso Springs is an attractively aromatic, intensely fruity wine with a
touch of creaminess for complexity. It is a lovely expression of a cool climate Riesling. It is a brilliant pale gold color and offers pretty aromas of
honeysuckle and orange blossom, complemented by generous flavors of tropical fruit, peach and melon.

Stainless steel fermentation captures the nuances of fresh peach, pear,
melon and citrus flavors. A hint of sweetness adds balance and just the right touch of natural acidity adds depth and texture to this elegantly supple
Riesling.

Serve with East Indian or Asian-influenced seafood or chicken dishes.

Camille Stagg is a food, wine and travel journalist and author. Her latest book is "The Eclectic Gourmet Guide to Chicago" (Menasha Ridge Press). She was food editor of both the Chicago Sun-Times and Cuisine magazine. 

Grilled Vegetable & Cheese Salad

Ingredients

1 each green, red and yellow bell peppers
2 small zucchini
1 medium red onion
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces Emmentaler cheese, cut into bite-size wedges
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 cherry tomatoes

Preparation

Meanwhile, measure oil into a small bowl;
stir in mustard. Add garlic, herbs and vinegar,
stirring well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover
and let stand at least 20 minutes to blend flavors.

When vegetables are charred, trans-
fer from grill to cutting board. Allow to cool for several minutes. Peel, halve and seed peppers. Trim zucchini. Peel off any tough outer layers of onion; chop coarsely. Transfer vegetables to a salad bowl; add cheeses and toss gently with the dressing. Garnish with the tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings.
• Preparation time: about 22 minutes •
• Cooking time: about 8 minutes •

Quote:

Martin Armstrong, English poet