Winemaker Notes
Jet black in the glass, pair this full-bodied wine with equally bold dishes: charbroiled bacon cheeseburgers, spicy sausage gumbo or pork baby back ribs slathered in BBQ sauce.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The year 1924 signifies a dark time for the wine business, as it was in the midst of Prohibition. But a light does shine on this year as well: It’s when Delicato winery planted its first vineyards. Perhaps there were some black-market sales behind the scenes, but times have changed and this tribute wine makes a stand for approachability and food friendliness. Just-juiced black berries are fragrant with a hint of vanilla, while the dense, creamy texture delivers a juicy core of black fruit and black licorice. Dark chocolate tannins make their way to the long finish.
Lodi is justifiably lauded for its old vine Zinfandels, but it is a production powerhouse when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon. Lodi and its surrounding area (San Joaquin County) rank third in the state in acres planted to Cab, behind Napa and Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo County. But in total tons crushed Lodi is number one by a wide margin, surpassing Napa and Paso combined. In other words, Lodi produces more Cabernet Sauvignon than anywhere else in the U.S. This more volume-driven approach to viticulture makes possible the value-oriented bottlings that so many wine drinkers reach for on an everyday basis. These offer the varietal’s classic profile of dark fruit, oak influence, subtle herbal and green pepper notes and solid structure. Try Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon from wineries like Cosentino, Ironstone, Lapis Luna and The Federalist.