Lodi’s Spanish Maestro

The average wine drinker is familiar with Chardonnay and Merlot, but few know about Spanish varieties from Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, such as Albariño, Graciano, or even Tempranillo.

With many similarities in climate, Spanish wines are a natural fit in Lodi, which is one reason Markus and Liz Bokisch of Bokisch Vineyards decided to bet the farm on their future success.

I’ve been fortunate to get to know Markus and Liz while consulting on their wine club, and from the turnout of new guests to their bi-annual club party on Sunday, it appears their bet is paying off.

A consultant himself to vineyard owners as far as Hungary, as well as winemaker and grower, Markus is developing a following in the academic world, having been a guest lecturer on “Aroma and flavor profiles for Spanish varieties in different California terroirs“ at a symposium on the “Grapes of Iberia” held at UC Davis in May.

Just last week, Mike Dunn, a longtime wine writer for the Sacramento Bee, shined a spotlight on the Bokisch 2007 Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache).

If you are interested in getting a feel for much of the immense detail and thought that goes into producing exciting, organically-grown wines, you ought to give Markus’ lecture a spin.