We started making this wine, having a little fun after a typical blending session @ Nine North. We wanted to see if we could create a solid red blend from the remaining barrels and and tank samples from the 2015 vintage. And what we landed on was an unusual blend of Grenache, Tannat and Lagrein that tasted exception and made it stand out from all the rest. We like to joke the “red blend” is code for Zinfandel and Merlot that a winery cannot sell. 🙂
Lodi: has a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights. The soil, unlike many other appellations, varies within the AVA, though in most places it is a deep loam and occasionally is covered with large rocks, like the French region of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Mokelumne River: The AVA is named after the Mokelumne River, which drains out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the San Joaquin River and passes through the heart of the appellation. The wine region includes a portion of the lower Mokelumne River and the Cosumnes River, a tributary. The soil in the area is alluvial fan deposits of sand and Loam. Ample rainfall and soil moisture retention allow most grape growers to farm without the use of irrigation.
ACRES: 5
ELEVATION: 50 feet above sea level
SOILS: Tokay fine sandy loam
ASPECT: Southwest
VARIETALS: Zinfandel
FIRST VINTAGE: 2006
