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Lodi wines continue to grow in prestige
By Ryan Campbell Never before have the words Lodi and wine been so entwined. Wineries in the Lodi region are growing more numerous and trying to appeal to a wider audience. The quality of local labels is up as well and locally made wines are demanding growing acclaim from prominent wine shows. Every year there are new events — new ways to showcase the fine variety of wines grown in Lodi’s backyard. A number of groups have been established to promote the various aspects of locally produced wines. The larger groups are the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Com-mission, the Lodi District Grape Growers Association and the Lodi Appellation Winery Association. “The increasing number of wineries is making Lodi a more prominent wine region,” said LAWA’s Suzie Roget. She touted Lodi’s wide range of wine events held throughout the year as the foundation for local wine exposure. With events like the Spring Wine Show in March, Vines to Wines in May and the Winter Wine Wonder, there is no shortage of attractions to the Lodi area. And who could forget the annual Grape Festival and Harvest Fair? This enduring tradition has been host to all of Lodi’s premier labels since its inception in 1934. In addition, Lodi has a state-of-the-art visitors center at 2545 W. Turner Road. Serving as a home base for the Winegrape Commission, the Visitors Center features a wide array of exhibits and information on the evolution of Lodi into a major producer of winegrapes. The ties between Lodi and wine have always been tight, but in recent years more light has been shed on Lodi as a producer of not just bulk wine, but premium wine as well. Over the past several years Lodi wines have consistently gained recognition in some of the world’s top tasting competitions. Lodi area wines brought home a total of 35 awards from the sixth annual California State Fair Grape and Gourmet judging in late July. In a move that had long been championed by the Lodi wine industry, local wines will be designated in their own separate wine region in the State Fair’s competition in 2004, following the increasing distinction of Lodi area wines in the public eye. In years past, Lodi was lumped into the generic “other” category of wines when compared to areas like Napa and Sonoma. The decision comes largely as a result of last year’s wine competition at the fair which highlighted an ongoing trend toward increasing respect for local vintages. In recent years Lodi wineries have been winning a substantial number of prestigious medals further emphasizing the need for the Lodi category. Lodi wines had a big showing at the recent prestigious San Francisco Chronicle sponsored wine tasting as well. |
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