Letters from Lodi

An insightful and objective look at viticulture and winemaking from the Lodi
Appellation and the growers and vintners behind these crafts. Told from the
perspective of multi-award winning wine journalist, Randy Caparoso.

April 15, 2015 | Randy Caparoso

2015 Lodi ZinFest – more fun than a barrel of floating winemakers!

2015 ZinFest poster

Where does the time go? Don’t look now, but the 2015 Lodi ZinFest Wine Festival is just 30 days away — happening this coming Saturday, May 16 (12-5 PM)!

Simply put, Lodi wine doesn’t get any funner than this yearly affair, taking place in the gorgeously lush “island” setting of Lodi Lake Park, amidst giant ancient weeping willows bowing beside blue refreshing waters of the Mokelumne River. Also as in previous years, over 40 of Lodi’s finest artisanal wineries will be pouring over 200 different Lodi grown wines — and not just Zinfandel!

Sure, Lodi produces about 40% of California’s Zinfandels – always a juicy, jammy, wine-lustful affair, and today, finer, zestier, more elegant than ever. But Lodi also grows over 100 varieties of the great European wine grapes classified as Vitis vinifera. At Lodi ZinFest, you’ll also be able to taste powerful, rich red wines made from soulful sounding grapes like Touriga and Graciano, sexy winsome whites like Albariño and Verdelho, and o sole mio refreshers like Barbera and Moscato… and more!

When you’re ready for a sit, you’ll be able to enjoy wine-oriented cooking tips under a big tent at the ZinFest Cooking School, or bolster your wine smarts under another tent at the ZinFest Wine School. Then when you’re ready to begin movin’ with the groovin’, you’ll be able to tap your feet at the ZinFest Piano Bar or shake it all over to the sounds of live bands taking to a big stage.

For wine lovers who mean business, there is also the ZinFest Wine Shoppe, where you’ll be able to purchase most of the (otherwise) hard-to-get wines offered at the tasting booths. Then, for more fun-fun-fun-’til-your-daddy-takes-your-wine-glass-away, at one point some of Lodi’s best known winemakers will be taking to the waters: in a friendly race, as part of the 2nd Annual ZinFest Vintners’ Regatta, around Lodi Lake in floating vessels (of sorts) made from wine barrels! If this year’s race is anything like last year’s, it’s either sink or swim for Lodi’s finest… and some of them did indeed sink and swim :).

Tickets are $55 in advance or $65 at the gate ($10 for non-imbibing designated drivers), and can be purchased by visiting zinfest.com (call us at 209-365-0621 for further information or questions).

Every picture tells a story: take a gander (below) at the fun at previous Lodi ZinFests, and block our your May 15-17, 2015 weekend right now!