Sommelier Journal Terroir Experience

Spring Break in Lodi

I can’t really say that thought I would be spending Spring Break in Lodi, California. It is certainly far from any tropical or exotic destination I hear most of my friends embarked upon (Argentina, Paris…) but for a person fully invested in the study of the wines of the world, when an educational opportunity presents itself, however random the destination, one goes.

There is a wind farm on I-580 heading out of the East Bay and when I used to live in the area, I called coming upon this landmark as the gateway to the middle of nowhere. I must admit, I’d never continued due east before, I’d always hung a right and made my way through the San Joaquin Valley on my way to LA.

The weekend of California Delta wines began with a workshop from the Lodi Rules council. This is not simply a declaration of how “rad” Lodi wines are but a list of sustainability practices that local winemakers have collaborated in writing and voluntarily follow.

It’s this kind of straight lecture and presentation that really tests my patience when I know I’m an experiential learner. I glaze over when there is just too much blah, blah, blah. I do find the concept commendable for such a small region.

As my travels become more extensive and the more I get to talk to winemakers face to face without the pressures of giant trade tastings in NYC, I’m discovering that the wines I seem find of the highest quality come from those who are the most insanely enthusiastic in person.

For this trip, the winemaker I remember the most from the wines in the glass and the enthusiasm in the vineyard is Markus Bokisch from Bokisch Vineyards.

Although I can spew some sarcasm, I don’t think I will ever get over being very literal. I had noticed that Markus had his first few rows of Albariño in his backyard vineyard were quite a bit lower than the rest and of course, I started thinking about all the viticultural reasons for such low training. Someone else beat me to the question about this and I prepared myself for a lengthy explanation.

“I wanted to be able to see my property from my porch,” he said. And my literal, overthinking self was put right back in my place. Read Randy Caparoso's account of the entire weekend on the Sommelier Journal website.