Thou shalt covet thy neighbor's grapes (handcraft brands flock to Lodi for distinctive fruit)

West Sacramento's Craig Haarmeyer of Haarmeyer Wine Cellars celebrating his Lodi Chenin blanc harvest.

In recent years, the roll call of winemakers  based outside the Lodi appellation who are producing wines from Lodi grown grapes has been getting bigger and bigger. 

This, if anything, is a far cry from just twenty or thirty years ago when many vintners openly ridiculed the very idea of making wines from Lodi grapes. Many winemakers, magnanimously, used to dismiss the region without comment⏤they simply didn't buy grapes from Lodi. 

One example of both a journalist and vintner who couldn't resist making comments can still be found in the 2007 book called New Classic Winemakers of California, in which Steve Heimoff asked Mark Aubert, the acclaimed Napa Valley consulting winemaker, if he could be "happy making wine in Lodi." Aubert laughs (according to Heimoff), saying:

Oh, sure. It would be like a gulag, right? Like the Russian front for the poor soldiers. But I would say, I could elevate Lodi! I wouldn't want to, but if it was my destiny, I'd make wine there. I love a challenge. I seem to have a natural ability to elevate things and make them better, being a steward of the land. I walk a fine line. I like to think I have good karma. It's almost a cosmic belief.

The older way of marketing Lodi grown wines: In this ad for Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi—founded in 1979 by Robert Mondavi in Lodi's Acampo area (notwithstanding the erroneous mention of "Woodbridge, CA" in the ad)—there is no mention of Lodi. To this day, Woodbridge bottlings carry a "California" appellation, despite the fact that over 90% of the grapes going into the brand's wines are grown in Lodi.

In the introduction to his book, Heimoff poses a different interpretation of Aubert's comments⏤in terms of a winemaker's impact on his or her vineyard sources. Wrote Heimoff:

Another thought-experiment way of looking at it is to imagine a winemaker known for mastering a particular estate working somewhere else under far different circumstances. I asked Mark Aubert if he thought he could make great wine in Lodi⏤an appellation not known for great wine⏤and he answered, "I could elevate Lodi!" which, broken down, is Aubert's way of suggesting the primacy of the winemaker over place.

In both his introduction and interview of Aubert, Heimoff clearly uses Lodi as an example specifically because he was going under the assumption that great wine couldn't possibly be made in Lodi, thereby giving the vintner the most extreme example of an unlikely scenario that he could think of. Such was the reputation of the region just 17 years ago.

Further evolution of marketing of Lodi grown wines: Although the Napa Valley based Neyers brand has been sourcing fruit from Lodi vineyards for the past fifteen years (their current vintage of Vista Notre Zinfandel is composed entirely of two old vine Lodi blocks), the winery has never identified "Lodi" on their labels. By way of contrast, Turley Wine Cellars (also based in Napa Valley), has stamped "Lodi" on labels since the late 1990s on all their Lodi grown wines, believing that the appellation adds distinction, even prestige, to their bottlings.

I recently had a conversation about this very same passage with the Sonoma-based winemaker Greg La Follette, another universally celebrated consultant. La Follette, who has been has been spending a lot of time in Lodi over the past ten years, strongly disagrees with his colleague Aubert, saying...

Anyone who thinks they are better, stronger or more powerful than the land is misguided. The land itself has primacy over the winemaker, and the best winemakers are the ones who realize that, and truly partner with the land.

Acclaimed Sonoma-based winemaker Greg La Follette paying proper respect (i.e., on bended knee) to ancient vine Zinfandel (planted in 1889) in Lodi's Jessie's Grove.

Like one of his own original mentors, the late, great André Tchelistcheff (1901-1994), La Follette frequently refers to Mother Nature when talking about vineyards. He is also fond of quoting Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) who, legend has it, referred to one of France's greatest wines as something you drink "on bended knee, with head bared." I have seen La Follette do exactly that in Lodi's Jessie's Grove, from where he sources Zinfandel and Carignan from the region's oldest vineyards, as well as the world's oldest block of Cinsaut (Bechthold Vineyard) on the other side of the stand of ancient oaks in Jessie's Grove. 

To La Follette's way of thinking, it is winemakers who come and go, whereas great vineyards are forever. In Lodi, he finds "greatness" in both the land and the people who cultivate it. Asked to elaborate, he says:

Far from being an outer Siberia, Lodi is a favored place where good soil and climate meet good people. There are many regions on our planet that are great for growing grapes. Not many of them also have folks who not only collaborate with the land and with each other, they are humble enough to know that the land is the primary driver of quality. These are the best stewards of vineyards, who are unpretentious and hold the land in their hearts, generation after generation. Lodi is not just about a place, it is about the people who remain true to their heritage, many of them for over 100 years.

Melinda Kearney of the the Napa Valley based Lorenza brand, who first came to Lodi in 2008 specifically for the quality of Lodi's Mediterranean climate grapes, harvesting Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut (own-rooted vines planted in 1886).

The news is, more vintners than ever have been finding the exact same things. Winemakers who see right through the old stock image of Lodi as being a place where good wine, let alone great wine, couldn't possibly be made. It is no coincidence, in fact, that many of these winemakers are associated with brands known for minimal intervention techniques, employed for the express purpose of preserving the natural beauty of the grapes, reflecting a heritage and terroir that are distinctly Lodi, as much as possible.

That said, the following is a current list of wines made by wineries based outside the region, all of which we would strongly recommend to anyone with a yen for distinctive, handcrafted styles of wine that could even be considered "great." In almost all the cases, not so much because they're made by a great winemaker, but because they come from great grapes, a great vineyard... a great wine region in its own right!

Silvaspoons Vineyards owner/grower Ron Silva, who farms over a dozen different varieties (including the Alvarinho in this photo) for wineries in and out of Lodi, producing numerous award winning vineyard-designate Alta Mesa-Lodi AVA wines each and every year.

The list of outstanding bottlings by these handcraft wineries:

Arianna Wines, Silvaspoons Vineyards Torrontés
Arianna Wines, Silvaspoons Vineyards Torronté Riojano

Arnot-Roberts, Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel

Avivo (by DeVero Farms), Ledbetter Family Red (Sangiovese)
Aviivo (by DeVero Famrs), Ledbetter Family Rosé (Sangiovese)
Avivo (by DeVero Farms), Ledbetter Family White (Vermentino)

Bedrock Wine Co., Katushas' Vineyard Zinfandel
Bedrock Wine Co., Noma Vineyard Zinfandel

BIRICHINO Winery, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut

Harvest of Lodi's monster-sized Mission grapevines in Somers Vineyard, sourced by about half-dozen non-Lodi wineries each year.

Box Wine Co., Hills and Valley Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Kerner

Cinnabar Winery, Lewis Vineyard Cabernet Franc
Cinnabar Winery, Zinfandel

Enfield Wine Co., Abba Vineyard Grenache

Found Wine Co., Somers Vineyard Mission

Friendly Noise, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Bacchus

Gallica Wine, Albariño

West Sacramento's Haarmeyer Wine Cellars Blaufränkisch, grown by Lodi's Mokelumne Glen Vineyards.

Guthrie Family Wines, "Le Lush" Bourboulenc
Guthrie Family Wines, "Neon" Vermentino

Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, "Blau-Blau" Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Blaufränkisch
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, Cresci Vineyard Chenin Blanc
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, Cresci Vineyard Moelleux Chenin Blanc
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, Potrero Vineyard Nebbiolo
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Victor Weisser Gemischter Satz
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, Stampede Vineyard Zinfandel
Haarmeyer Wine Cellars, "SRV" Cherryhouse Vineyard Zinfandel

Nebbiolo in the Anaya family's Potrero Vineyard, Clements Hills-Lodi AVA.

Hatton Daniels Wine Cellars, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Blaufränkisch
Hatton Daniels Wine Cellars, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Dornfelder
Hatton Daniels Wine Cellars, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Rosé of Dornfelder

Iconic Wines, Cinsaut Nouveau
Iconic Wines, "Old Gods" Schmiedt Vineyard Zinfandel

Vividly colored label for Icon's "Old Gods" Zinfandel, made from an own-rooted Lodi vineyard well over 100 years old.

Jeff Runquist Wines, Silvaspoons Vineyard Grenache
Jeff Runquist Wines, Silvaspoons Vineyard Tannat
Jeff Runquist Wines, Miravet Vineyard Tempranillo
Jeff Runquist Wines, Silvaspoons Vineyards Touriga

Landsman (by Covenant Wines), Zinfandel

Lewis Grace Winery, Silvaspoons Vineyard Albariño
Lewis Grace Winery, Silvaspoons Vineyards Chenin Blanc
Lewis Grace Winery, Silvaspoons Vineyard Torrontés
Lewis Grace Winery, Silvaspoons Vineyard Touriga Rosé
Lewis Grace Winery, Silvaspoons Vineyard Verdelho

Amador County based vintner Jeff Runquist, who has been producing multiple award winning Lodi grown wines each year for nearly twenty years.

Little Trouble Wine Co., Stampede Vineyard Heritage Red Blend (Zinfandel)

Lorenza Wine, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut
Lorenza Wine, Carignan
Lorenza Wine, Picpoul Blanc
Lorenza Wine, Sparkling Picpoul Blanc
Lorenza Wine, Rosé
Lorenza Wine, Rosé Bubbly

Lucid, L. 17 "Flying Lesson" Albariño
Lucid, L. 01 "Skin Contact" Chardonnay
Lucid, L. 18 "Visitation" Grenahe Rosé
Lucid, L. 02 "Urban Flora" Mission Rosé
Lucid, L. 11 "The Source" Mourvèdre
Lucid, L. 10 "The Lover" Picpoul Blanc 
Lucid, L. 21 "The Lady In Gold" Viogner
Lucid, L. 23 "Freya's Tears" Viognier

One of several imaginative labels produced by Sacramento's Voluptuary + Lucid brand each year.

Marchelle Wines, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut
Marchelle Wines, Jessie's Grove Carignan
Marchelle Wines, Family Cuvée Red (Carignan/Cinsaut/Zinfandel)
Marchelle Wines, Royal Tee Block Jessie's Grove Zinfandel

Mensch (by Covenant Wines), Zinfandel

The Berkeley based Covenant Wines owner Jeff Morgan (left) and winemaker Jonathan Hajdu, who craft several premium kosher certified wines from Lodi vineyards each year.

Monte Rio Cellars, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut
Monte Rio Cellars, Jessie's Grove Carignan
Monte Rio Cellars, "Chandler" Flame Tokay
Monte Rio Cellars, French Colombard
Monte Rio Cellars, Somers Vineyard Mission
Monte Rio Cellars, Petite Sirah
Monte Rio Cellars, Primitivo
Monte Rio Cellars, River's Edge Vineyard Sangiovese
Monte Rio Cellars, Teresi Vineyard Red
Monte Rio Cellars, The Bench Vineyard Vermentino
Monte Rio Cellars, Zinfandel
Monte Rio Cellars, Carbonic Zinfandel
Monte Rio Cellars, Faith Vineyard Zinfandel
Monte Rio Cellars, Marian's Vineyard Zinfandel
Monte Rio Cellars, Royal Tee Vineyard Zinfandel

Neyers Vineyards, "Vista Notre" Zinfandel

Trail Marker owner/winemaker Drew Huffine harvesting Zweigelt in Lodi's Mokelumne Glen Vineyards.

Onesta Wines, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut
Onesta Wines, Bechthold Vineyard Rosé of Cinsaut

Pax Wines, The Bench Vineyard Syrah
Pax Wines, The Bench Vineyard Vermentino

Precedent Wine, Spenker Ranch Carignan
Precedent Wine, Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel

Red C (by Covenant Wines), Viognier

A Clements Hills-Lodi Syrah by Pax Wines that is intense in both varietal spice and terroir-related complexity.

Sabelli-Frisch, "El Aliso" Angelica
Sabelli-Frisch, "Agnes" Chardonnay
Sabelli-Frisch, "Milk Fed 7" Chandler Vineyard Flame Tokay
Sabelli-Frisch, "Lanterna" Blodgett Vineyard Flame Tokay
Sabelli-Frisch, "Hernan" Somers Vineyard Mission
Sabelli-Frisch, "Marina" Somers Vineyard Mission
Sabelli-Frisch, "Milk Fed 9" Somers Vineyard Mission Rosé
Sabelli-Frisch, "Mission del Sol" Late Harvest Mission
Sabelli-Frisch, "Bund" Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Riesling
Sabelli-Frisch, "Biograf" Knowles Vineyard Syrah
Sabelli-Frisch, "Alcott" Cherryhouse Vineyard Zinfandel
Sabelli-Frisch, "Faun" Lauchland Vineyard Zinfandel
Sabelli-Frisch, "Anchia" Stampede Vineyard Zinfandel
Sabelli-Frisch, "Eserra" Lauchland Vineyard White Zinfandel
Sabelli-Frisch, "Mariedam" Stampede Vineyard White Zinfandel

Sabelli-Frisch's Flame Tokay, crafted from Chandler Vineyard's Flame Tokay (historic vineyard planted in the 1890s).

Sandlands Wines, Assyrtiko (Perlegos Family Vineyard)
Sandlands Wines, Carignan (Spenker Ranch)
Sandlands Wines, Cinsaut (Kirschenmann Vineyard)
Sandlands Wines, Lodi Red (Bechthold Vineyard/Spenker Ranch/Kirschenmann Vineyard)
Sandlands Wines, Zinfandel (Kirschenmann Vineyard)

Ser Winery, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut

Santa Cruz County's Nicole Walsh of Ser Winery, who dotes on her ancient vine Lodi Cinsaut.

Sierra Star Vineyard, Cosmic Reserve Chardonnay

Six Hands Winery, Palmero Family Vineyard Chenin Blanc

Sunce Winery, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Dornfelder

Two Shepherds, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut

Tegan Passalacqua—Turley Wine Cellars winemaker and Sandlands owner/grower/winemaker—in Perlegos Family Vineyards, where he now sources Lodi grown Assyrtiko each year.

Turley Wine Cellars, Bechthold Vineyard Cinsaut
Turley Wine Cellars, Dogtown Vineayrd Zinfandel
Turley Wine Cellars, Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel
Turley Wine Cellars, Steacy Ranch Zinfandel

T-Vine Winery, Cherryhouse Zinfandel

Trail Marker Wine Co., Kid Sister Mokelumne Glen Vineyard Blaufränkisch
Trail Marker Wine Co., Kid Sister Mokelumne Glen Vineyard Pétillant Naturel of Blaufräukisch
Trail Marker Wine Co., Mokelumne Glen Vineyard Kerner
Trail Marker Wine Co., Kid Sister Mokelumne Glen Vineyard Zweigelt

Alta Mesa-Lodi Mencía by Ursa Vineyards, an El Dorado winery specializing in Basque inspired wines.

The Tribe (by Covenant Wines), Cabernet Sauvignon
The Tribe (by Covenant Wines), Chardonnay

Ursa Vineyards, Silvaspoons Vineyards Cabernet Franc
Ursa Vineyards, Silvaspoons Vineyards Mencía
Ursa Vineyards, Silvaspoons Vineyards Tannat Rosé

Vino Farms' Craig Ledbetter (right) with Avivo's Ridge Evers and the Ledbetter family's Courtney Lyons in the biodynamic/sustainable farmed The Bench Vineyard in Lodi's Clements Hills AVA, now sourced by several wineries based outside the region.