On Dec 23, 11:05*am, Ed Rasimus > wrote:
> I've been running into wines from Lodi Valley CA for some reason and
> almost across the board I'm liking what I encounter. Last summer while
> traveling around the mountains of Wyoming (an unlikely venue for deep
> wine lists), I had a syrah that impressed. "6th Sense Syrah" from
> Michael-David Winery in Lodi 2006. The wine was deep bluish purple and
> had a smokey first note that then morphed into a more typical
> blueberry/blackberry fruit. Lucious mouth feel and a lingering need to
> order a case of it were prominent. Since then I've actually been
> through three cases and it has been adopted as sort of a "house wine."
>
> Last night I opened another Lodi wine, this time a petit syrah from
> Windmill Estates 2006. Again a viscous, dark, full-bodied fruit
> forward style which surprised me. I went hunting the wine online today
> and was surprised to find it is a product of the same Michael-David
> group. Apparently he specializes in old vine zinfandels and Rhone
> varietals. About $12 for the Windmill PS and $18 for the 6th Sense.
>
> I've also been drinking some offerings from Lange Twins Vineyard, also
> in Lodi. Not as in-your-face as the Michael-David stuff, but have
> encountered an excellent cab sauvignon and viognier. They also have a
> an unoaked chardonnay and recently released their first attempts with
> pinot noir.
>
> Lodi may be a growing source (excuse the pun) for low-cost/high value
> wines during the next few years. Will be interesting to see how
> vintages vary with weather conditions.

Lodi has long produced some powerful high quality Zinfandel in some
years. I still have 2 bottles of the famous(infamous?) Ridge
California Zinfandel Essence Lodi 1972. It is an extreme type of late
harvest wine. Although not fortified, it is very port-like. It has
14.4% alcohol, total acid of 0.78% as tartaric, and 6.7%sugar(4.9%
fructose and 1.8% glucose) .The grapes came from the Buena Vista
vineyard. Serve it as you would port. It is not for serving with a
meal, unless you like sweet classic port with it.