The Demystified Vine

The 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference in Lodi, California has officially ended, and I can tell you I was left with a little more love for Lodi than I had before.

During wine training courses, lots of knowledge is imparted on eager learners, but one thing I do recall learning about Lodi is that it was the “high production area of California”.

Sure, Lodi is definitely one of the largest grape-producing areas of the sunny state of Cali, but there is so much more to it than that.

Here are my takeaways from the conference that developed my amour for Lodi.

-=It’s not all about Zinfandel!=-
Lodi is well-known globally for its Zinfandel production, however, let’s set the record straight, folks. Lodi also grows amazing grapes like Cinsault, Picpoul, and Grenache Blanc, in addition to other agricultural crops like walnuts and almonds!

-=Lodi is HOT, baby!=-
My goodness, I’ve never felt heat before like in Lodi. The days are sunny and dry – the kind of dry that makes you feel as dry as the sand on the ground. (Well, with only 17″ of rainfall per year {*cough*} it’s no wonder I was consuming H2O as if my life depended on it.) There is less diurnal range (the temperature difference between day and night) in Lodi than other areas of California, but temperatures definitely soar during the day and drop at night.

-=Lodi has more land than you think!=-
With over 110,000 acres of growing land, that makes it easy for there to be over 750 growers in this small area of California. In contrast, Napa, one of the most popular grape-growing areas of California, has only 45,000 acres to make wine from!

-=It’s not all about mass production!=-
While a lot of grapes are grown and sold to bigger producers in the area and beyond, many of Lodi’s growers are doing their own thing and making some fabulous small-batch vino.

-=Lodi is home to some seriously senior vines!=-
Believe it or not, I saw some of the thickest vines in Lodi that I have ever seen in my wine-country travels. This region prides itself on its Zin-tastic grapes, and the stat is that this “Zinfandel Capital of the World” is making more than 40 percent of Zin in California itself.

For more information, make sure to visit the Lodi Wine Commission website. If that doesn’t excite you about Lodi, have a conversation with me!

Have you been to Lodi? What were your experiences or favourite finds? Leave a comment below; I’d love to hear from you!

Cheers!

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