Lot 860 2020 Lodi Malbec
When we went to source Lot 850 for our program – the spiritual successor to Lot 540 – we were presented with the opportunity to taste some additional wines that could possibly be added in to augment the juice, most notably some Petite Sirah (which became Lot 861) and some Malbec. Both were identified by our in-house team as awesome expressions, and as they say, the rest is history!
Lot 860 is as equally nurtured by our Napa team and barrel program as its sister wines and showcases a more Bordelaise lean than one would expect from traditionally fruit-forward Lodi wines. In part, this was achieved by an early harvest due to the 2020 fire season (and a deft field team knowing to cut before the onset of smoke), however, the real magic was the 12+ months in French oak, making for a more Bordeaux-styled expression in bottle with plenty of nuance and character. This is not like the high-altitude expressions from Argentina, nor is it trying to be like those. This is wonderfully dirty, dusty Malbec with a strong sense of place.
Watch or listen as Chris Lafleur, Sommeliers Creed for Cameron Hughes walks us through a tasting.
Tasting Video Highlights:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Lodi and Malbec
00:51 The Color
01:07 The Nose
02:08 The Palate
02:53 Oak Program
03:29 Where in your cellar?
Lot 850 2020 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
When one speaks about a cult following, usually things like the movie Blade Runner, or the “Marquee Moon” album from the band Television come up in context; in our world certain Lots come to mind: 200, 609, 643, 717, just to name a few. It’s been quite some time since we finished the incredible run of fan favorite and often asked about (still, today) Lot 540. Today, we finally bring you the spiritual successor to that cult followed Lot, and considering the inflation we’re all faced with nowadays, at an outstanding price for the members of this list!
Lot 850, much like its predecessor Lot 540, is a Lodi fruit-bomb Cab that we brought in and amped up with a more-refined barrel program (Napa barrels with Lodi fruit – a tried and true pairing, just ask the cult fanbase of the predecessor). Nurtured and completed in-house by our Napa winemaking team, the result is a very approachable Cab that’s just as at home with takeout as it is with a slab of Wagyu direct from Japan (the idea of all that buttery steak umami with a wash of this vanilla-flecked, fruit-forward Cab has a few stomachs rumbling around these parts).
Watch or listen as Chris Lafleur, Sommeliers Creed for Cameron Hughes walks us through a tasting.
Tasting Video Highlights:
00:00 Intro
00:20 Lodi and Cab Sauv
01:16 The Color
01:33 The Nose
02:24 The Palate
03:23 Drink now or lie down?
04:02 Where in your cellar?
Lot 951 2020 Lodi Zinfandel
If we could tell you who made this Lodi Zinfandel and where it was supposed to end up, you’d be RUNNING, not walking to the Lot 951 purchase page. The winemaker has produced iconic labels from Oak Knoll in Napa, and Kenwood in Sonoma, and did a stint with Orin Swift Cellars. He knows Zinfandel like the back of his hand and Lot 951 2020 Lodi Zinfandel shows you exactly why he’s one of the best.
You’ll want to pop the cork on this Zin repeatedly and at this price point (only $15!) we highly suggest six bottles to start because the delicious factor is through the roof, courtesy of 50-year-old vines from Lodi, one of California’s premiere regions for growing Zinfandel. Everyone knows that Lodi is famous for Zin for a reason – they consistently bring out the best of the varietal in their old vines.
Back to Lot 951. This Zinfandel might steal the spotlight on your Thanksgiving table. It will assuredly upstage the Turkey. It might even outshine dessert. You will be delighted as it ushers you from chopping onions and peeling potatoes to washing dishes after your meal. The entire time you’re socializing with family, as you swirl this Zin, you’ll release a heady bouquet into the air of bright strawberry and cherry fruits laced with vanilla and sweet cedar.
Gorgeous, lifted, highly aromatic strawberry and cherry fruits mingle with notes of vanilla and sweet cedar. Medium-bodied and generous with silken red berry fruit, refreshingly tart acidity, stony minerals, and nuanced baking spices. Structured, energetic, and above all, delicious. This is an ideal Thanksgiving red with the kind of balanced acidity that makes it a perfect wine to cut through the richness of gravy-smothered side dishes, the char of roasted veggies, and to match the juiciness of a perfectly prepared turkey—or roast beef or glazed ham. If you go with glazed ham, you’ll find the meat brings out a kind of toffee and espresso note in the wine. Not a parlor trick, but you can take credit for it anyway!
Watch or listen as Wanda Mann, Wine Writer and Educator, walks us through a tasting and discusses this exciting sparkling wine.
Tasting Video Highlights:
00:00 Intro
00:35 Lodi wine region
00:46 The Color
01:26 Nose and Palate
Malbec Facts
If you didn’t know better, it would seem in the last decade a new varietal wine had been magically invented or finally discovered. During the last American recession, a new standard for structured reds just magically appeared in the marketplace hailing from Argentina, and its name? Malbec. The…
