Simply 85 miles from the city by the bay, Lodi offers an under-the-radar wine nation experience on par with– however more accessible than– Napa. The area’s hot days and cool nights create conditions perfect for grape growing, which explains why the crop has been grown there for more than a century. Family services and entrepreneurs who’ve gone back to the small town of their childhood both figure plainly. Today, Lodi produces 120 varieties of grapes; with its more than 100,000 acres of vineyards (that’s more than Napa and Sonoma integrated) and a farm heritage that provides itself to some truly terrific restaurants, Lodi can lure even the most skeptical visitors.
So here’s how to plan an ideal food and white wine weekend in Lodi. Keep in mind that while beer is a popular activity with Lodi Beer Co., Highwater Developing, and 5 Window Beer Co., the focus here is to highlight the wine scene. Without more ado, a guide to a best food and wine-filled weekend in Lodi.
Friday
2 p.m. kick things off at this kid-friendly winery
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” data-original =” https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266505/IMG_7942.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman Michael David Winery makes the perfect very first drop in town with its popular position right on Highway 12 just after you cross the Lodi border. Sibling and founders Michael and David Phillips are the 5th generation of the farming household that’s grown crops on the website since the 1860s, and their sense of humor is evident throughout the library of white wine labels, all of which are like a Where’s- Waldo video game for grownups. The Freakshow series is most famous, with depictions of traditional circus icons and secret code tags that recall pop cultural recommendations from the ’80s. (For example, the Freakshow chardonnay features a mermaid with a code on the back that understands on a phone keypad to spell Madison, a la Daryl Hannah in Splash.) The teensy on-site coffee shop serves an appropriate breakfast and lunch seven days a week, showcasing country classics like sweet potato hash with Brussels sprouts and Sriracha maple syrup. Make certain to snag a slice of pie.
Michael David Winery, 4580 West Highway 12, Lodi, 209-368-7384
4:30 p.m. hit the bar for happy hour
The culinary pedigree behind this British-style bar appertains: executive chef Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan helmed Michelin-starred Taj Campton Location in San Francisco prior to providing his competence to the Oxford. Focused on the range of foods discovered in London street markets, the menu features a soothing chicken tikka masala bowl, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips with mushy peas, bangers and mash, and, apparently, the only beef Wellington in Lodi. But it’s the little plates– Scotch eggs, crispy cauliflower with romesco, and a variety of packed flatbreads with tzatziki– the batched cocktails, soccer on the big screens, and Fuller’s and Old Speckled Hen on tap that make the place a go-to for the work wind-down crowds.
The Oxford, 110 W. Oak Street, Lodi, 209-263-7234
7:30 p.m. have a proper farm-to-table pizza night
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” data-original=” https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266512/IMG_8158.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman Naturally leavened dough, close relationships with farmers and winemakers, seasonal specials that focus regional fruit and vegetables, and a personnel comprised nearly totally of family members are the winning ingredients behind Guantonio’s pizzeria. Nick and Marissa Guantone are the husband-and-wife group that lead back and front of your house respectively, with Nick’s parents and business partners– Nick Sr. and Shelly– mixing dough and frying fragile cannoli shells outdoors cooking area. There’s an individual quality to the entire dining experience from the tiny bottle store including favorite local white wines to the handwritten indication at the host stand plugging “Noni’s cannoli.” With blistered, chewy crusts and toppings like pepperoni with ricotta and hot honey, the pizzas sustain all taste buds predispositions.
Guantonio’s, 600 West Lockeford Street, Lodi, 209-263-7152
Saturday
8 a.m. caffeinate in carb heaven
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” data-original=” https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266508/IMG_8163.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman At Ruby’s, Tartine alums Fausto and Lynn Echeverria have actually produced a pastry mecca in their hometown. Beautiful sourdough bread, flaky croissants, iced ginger cookies, scones, coffee cakes, sweet early morning buns, turnovers, and danishes with seasonal fillings shine from the wrap-around glass case as you stroll inside the six-day-a-week cafe called after their child. Daily brunch includes loaded toast, tender pieces of quiche with super flaky crusts, and a conventional breakfast plate of bacon and eggs. Lunchtime brings a cafe menu that includes soups, sandwiches, salads, and pizza, with certain offerings available on dedicated days of the week.
Ruby’s Pastry shop & & Cafe, 11 S. Church Street, Suite B, Lodi, 209-400-7972
10 a.m. educate yourself about the local wine scene
A perfect stop for a general orientation to the Lodi red wine world, the Lodi Wine Visitor Center uses to discover and taste what Lodi wine is everything about. Developed by the Lodi Winegrape Commission, the center carries wine from the majority of the winemakers running in the area, whether they have public tasting rooms or are hyper-small operators. The personnel is friendly and experienced, extremely ambassadors for the rich history of the region. There are three set tasting flights to choose from and bottles are available to buy. The group can tailor your tasting or your upcoming winery lineup to your preference– zins, rare varietals, whites, you name it. You might even consider a subscription: the visitor center provides a wine club.
Lodi Wine Visitor Center, 2545 West Turner Road, Lodi, 209-365-0621
11:30 a.m. get a taste of France
Winemaker and businesswoman Sue Tipton is an invaluable part of the Lodi wine scene. Wine making is her later life career after her other half’s job took them all over the United States and Sweden. When they ultimately picked a ranch in Lodi, they called it Acquiesce, influenced by an old KD Lang song about giving up to where life took them. It was a taste of a white Chateauneuf du pape that set her on a path of acclaimed wine making with white Rhone varietals. Her picpoul blanc, roussanne, grenache blanc, and “belle blanc” blend top the lists of instant fixations. Importantly, hers is one of the only wine tastings in the area that consists of a real food pairing, kept existing and seasonal through a strenuous monthly tasting session where she, her husband Rodney Tipton, assistant winemaker Christina Lopez, and culinary director Rebecca Forrest evaluate all possible pairings with a brand-new lineup of Forrest’s meals.
Acquiesce Winery, 22353 North Tretheway Roadway, Acampo, 209-333-6102
1:30 p.m. drop in for a household lunch
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” data-original=” https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266506/IMG_8101.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman If you’re craving a journey to old Europe and a few of the best bread pudding you’ve ever had, the Dancing Fox is a must. Patriarch Gregg Lewis is a grape grower by trade and a winemaker by enthusiasm. Matriarch Colleen Lewis, a previous speech pathologist turned expert baker, directs the food side of the business and makes a shocking variety of bread. Her pretzels, sourdough loaves, English muffins, focaccia, hamburger buns, brick oven pizza dough, and countless sandwich ranges are famous– the tri-tip green chile melt on jalapeno sourdough is a family favorite. Their oldest boy Dustin manages the dining establishment and, with his siblings Jared and Gabriel, brews your home beer in the exact same place where their dad makes the wine. The kids likewise have a distillery in the works, set to open in the next year to produce their own brandies and whiskies.
The Dancing Fox, 203 S. School Street, Lodi, 209-366-2634
3:30 p.m. view the sundown with a glass of old vine zinfandel
The way the sun sets over the vast farmlands and vineyards of Lodi is something to witness, and the perfect place to take in the light while drinking fruity old zinfandels is from the patio area of Klinker Brick winery. The winery is the life’s work of fifth-generation grape growers Steve and Lori Felten. They are an everyday presence on the farm and in the tasting space and keep a routine of retiring each afternoon to the center for a glass of their favorite white wines– a gleaming for her and a cab for him. Head winemaker Joseph Smith has actually been with the winery for nearly 15 years. His skill with old vines– those at least 50 years old, though lots of in the area are more than two times that– results in deeply fruity and smooth zinfandels. The Old Ghost zin, Klinker Brick’s most well-known white wine, represents what Smith considers to be the best of the old vines’ grapes each year.
Klinker Brick, 15887 North Alpine Roadway, Lodi, 209-333-1845
7 p.m. dine at a local preferred
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” data-original =” https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266510/IMG_8275.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman “Everyone does their stint at Pietro’s,” one winery tasting space partner discussed of a common high school task in town.” It resembles a rite of passage here in Lodi.” And for excellent factor. Everybody appears to like Pietro’s. The Murdacas first started the household dining establishment in the 1950s in Vacaville; a few decades later on, in 1985, Pietro Murdaca and his kid Jim opened the Lodi area, and it’s been going strong ever since. The timeless Italian dining establishment features regional wines, pasta, and hearty southern Italian dishes. A lovely presentation garden welcomes visitors out front and supplies herbs and vegetables for the dining room. In winter, start with tender housemade meatballs in a bed of chunky tomato sauce, and stay comfortable with a primi of tagliatelle in pork sausage, veal, and porcini bolognese. Definitely do not miss dessert, from the butterscotch budino to the salted caramel-mocha gelato pie. The latter, a layered ice cream discussion with a crispy crust, is impossibly light for something so rich.
Pietro’s, 317 East Kettleman Lane, Lodi, 209-368-0613
Sunday
9:30 a.m. Sunday brunch by the fire
Towne House at Wine & & Roses, the house dining establishment at the expensive hotel in the area, is an equal cooking partner to the lodgings and popular day spa. Lots of stylish dinners are served here, but the relaxing fireplace in winter and selection of salads, sandwiches, and carbonated mixed drinks with fresh fruit purees and housemade muscovado syrups make it specifically indulgent. And due to the fact that the area is so beautiful for a daytime meal, a breakfast of superlative crunchy fried chicken with waffles or a burger with Kewpie mayo on a brioche bun might set the stage well for some midday, bon voyage white wine tasting. Ask to sit near the fireplace.
Towne Home at White Wine & & Roses, 2505 West Turner Road, Lodi, 209-334-6988
12 p.m. enjoy an urban flight
Jeremy Trettevik invested about twenty years in the white wine market before releasing his own label Jeremy Red wine Co. and his breadth of understanding programs in his approach. His wines, mainly Italian red varietals and zins, are enjoyable and delicious, and the Jeremiah’s Jug program is one of simply a couple of like it in the area: Clients can buy a 1-liter container and fill it at the downtown tasting space with Jeremy’s newest blend. (He’s currently on mix number 38 and has actually never made the very same one twice.) Folks can experience Jeremy red wines in 2 unique environments– either the downtown tasting space with a spacious, dog-friendly patio or the barrel room in the nation setting of Lockeford, just a few miles from main Lodi. The former is open daily from midday to 5 p.m., and the latter deals snacks like cheese and charcuterie. Relevant for sweet red wine drinkers, the Sweetheart collection, marked with a heart, shows sweeter blends like an indulgent chocolate port-style red wine that consumes like a complete dessert.
Jeremy Red wine Co. downtown tasting space, 6 West Pine Street, Lodi, 209-367-3773
2 p.m. finish up your visit with a last glass
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https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24266513/IMG_8039.jpg” > Laura Smith Borrman Most of Lodi is rather flat, but Bokisch has the unbelievable fortune of having sensational terrain at its foothills locale. This, integrated with the concentrate on Spanish varietals, friendly service, and free breadsticks with estate olive oil, are all winning reasons to make the winery your last stop in town. Although the tasting space opened in 2016, the winemaking imagine Liz and Markus Bokisch began long in the past, with a post-college journey and eventual move to Spain, where they settled in the homeland of Markus’s Catalan mother. Ultimately, after returning to California, the Bokisch duo released their first vintage in 2000 and for many years managed many acres of vineyards for other wine makers through their ranching company, which they have actually because sold. Now, they have the distinction of owning the earliest albariño vineyard in America and being the first to bring the Spanish red varietal graciano to the country.
Bokisch Vineyards, 18921 Atkins Road, Lodi, 209-642-8880