Winemaker Notes
This wine opens with aromas of black currant, white pepper, dried herbs, and toasty oak. The palate is layered with black cherry, fresh plum, blackberry, dark fruit preserves, and black licorice, offering a full, balanced, and juicy character that remains fruit-forward. The finish is medium to long with lingering notes of vanilla. It pairs beautifully with chicken and dumplings with mushrooms, Tuscan porterhouse steak with red peppercorn jus, or sharp cheddar and aged Gouda.
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.