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.
Our favorite Lodi wine country photos of the year (January through July)
Plush carpets of moss growing on ancient vine (over 100 years old) Lodi Zinfandel in the dead of winter.
To me, Lodi wine country is like a gigantic canvas for Mother Nature: There is no end to the beauty capturable, to some extent (although it's always more compelling seen through your own eyes!), by a camera.
Yet the pictures tell a story; more often than not, more vividly than how it can be described in words. So here are some of our photographic stories of the past year. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
JANUARY
The back straining work of pruning old vines on cold gray winter mornings in Lodi's Mokelumne River appellation.
Persimmons hanging on leafless tree on a misty winter morning in Lodi's Mokelumne River region.
The Ripken family's iconic sign on their Lodi equipment shed.
FEBRUARY
Winter sundown, old silo and shed in Lodi's Heritage Oak Winery estate.
Classic own-rooted, head trained Zinfandel dating back to the 1890s in Lodi's Peirano Estate.
Whitewash crooked roof old shed on the east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River appellation.
MARCH
First bud break in Lodi's oldest vineyard—Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut, dating back to 1886.
Budding ancient vine Zinfandel—planted on its own roots in 1901—in Lodi's iconic Marian's Vineyard.
Foudres—oversized oval shaped French oak barrels—filled with Lodi grown wines in West Sacramento's Haarmeyer Wine Cellars.
Sexy ancient vine Carignan (planted in 1901) in Spenker Ranch on the west side of Lodi.
APRIL
Typically colorful graffiti on boxcar rolling along the historic railroad tracks going through Lodi's Jahant appellation.
Emerging cluster of old vine Zinfandel on a bright, cool April morning.
Brilliant swaths of wild roadside California poppy on the west side of Lodi's Mokelumne River appellation.
The old Roma Winery water tower (dating back to 1915) looking down over a 1929 block of own rooted Zinfandel.
MAY
Muscular arm of trellised Zinfandel on the east side of the Mokelumne River-Lodi AVA.
Zinfandel in bloom on the east side of the Mokelumne River-Lodi AVA.
Vineyard drone dropping populations of beneficial insect larvae in Vino Farms' sustainably farmed Grand Vin Lands vineyard (Clements Hills-Lodi).
JUNE
Morning light and colors on the Mokelumne River waterway running into Lodi Lake Park.
Lodi Delta vineyard, planted at least 15-ft. below sea level on the far west side of the appellation, with a clear view of Mount Diablo.
Typically spectacular sunset on east side of Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA.
JULY
July veraison—the annual changing of colors—in a block of old vine Mokelumne River-Lodi Zinfandel, also demonstrating the variety's typical "hens-and-chicks" (i.e., uneven sized berries) cluster morphology.
"Dragon head" shaped dead arm on 100-year-old Zinfandel on Lodi's east side.
Golden orbs of Assyrtiko—a grape of Greek origin eminently suited to Lodi's Mediterranean climate terroir.
Well muscled arm of ancient vine (over 100 years old) Zinfandel on Lodi's east side.
On a July day hitting 100 degrees, old vine Grenache being furrow irrigated in the "old style" on Lodi's east side.