This past Sunday was a very emotional day in the wine country of Northern California. When the massive 6.0 earthquake centered in southern Napa County hit at 3:20 a.m., I was busy getting ready for bed after a fun night spent drinking wines in my cellar in Petaluma with friends. And although it seemed like our house shook, there was no damage to our house or the cellar. That was not the case in Napa County and a smaller segment of lower Sonoma County as well. Below are some of the pictures that will be remembered for decades to come. To help the cause, buy Napa wines to help get the wineries, the economy, and this great community back on its feet as quickly as possible.
Broken bottles fill a grape bin at Saintsbury winery in Napa after Sundays earthquake. (credit Eric Risberg)A sad ending to some of my favorite wines I purchased when working as sommelier at The Lodge at Sonoma.Toppled wine cases due to Napa earthquake at Silver Oak Winery. (credit David Duncan)A worker removes an earthquake-damaged wine barrel from Napa Barrel Care Monday, Aug. 25, in Napa.
A barrier and caution tape block the entrances to the Ceja Vineyards tasting room and Cult Following wine and beer lounge. (credit Will Kane)Wine crashed onto the floor of a Walgreen in Vallejo after the 6.0-magnitude Napa earthquake.Many bottles and barrels were broken across the Napa Valley winemaking region after Sundays earthquake.Workers move fallen wine barrels at Saintsbury Winery following the large earthquake in Napa. (credit Aric Crabb)Marks on the concrete show how far a large fermenting tank moved during an earthquake at Saintsbury Winery. (credit Peter Fimrite)“Pretty severe tank damage & significant amount of wine loss, but we’re feeling fortunate everyone is safe.” (Twitter/@SebastianiWines)
Here we are a couple weeks into the month of August, a great time to start following the exciting 2014 harvest in the great winegrowing regions of California. With that being said, it’s also time to get ready for California Wine Month, a festive myriad of activities which kick off on September 1st.
So to get you primed for what’s going to be happening around the state, below is a set of photos from my recent visit to Lodi, an important appellation that is home to the highest concentration of old vine Zinfandel plantings in the world, as well as a fantastic grouping of vineyard owners and winemakers who are committed to working with California’s legendary “sweetheart” grape and a hundred other specialized varietals.
Later this month, look for more of my other writings about this fascinating region, including a focus on the exciting Native Lodi program. In the meantime, for more information about the Lodi AVA, Zinfandel, and other festive regional events happening throughout the state, visit www.lodiwine.com, www.Zinfandel.org and www.discovercaliforniawines.com .
Wine writer Randy Caparoso with one of the gnarly old Zinfandel vines at the Noma Vineyard in the Lodi appellation. @Lodi_Wine #LodiNative @alltheswirl.At the Soucie Vineyard, sandy soils and healthy old Zinfandel vines planted by Kevin Soucie’s grandfather in 1916. The fruit is now sourced by Layne Montgomery, owner/winemaker of @m2wines. @Lodi_Wine #LodiNative @alltheswirl @TheZinfandelOrg.Michael MacCay of @MacCayCellars with a bottle of his Carignane made with old vine fruit from the Rausch Vineyard. @Lodi_Wine @alltheswirl.Exploration tour of the Noma Vineyard in Victor, a small town just out the city limits of Lodi: Randy Caparoso; Noma Vineyard fruit proprietor Leland Noma; me; winemaker/proprietor Tim Holder of Macchia Wines; and wine writer/entertainer Ziggy the Wine Gal. @Lodi_Wine #LodiNative @alltheswirl @TheZinfandelOrg.Bursting with fresh and lively aromas and flavors, the #Bokisch 2013 Albarino the Cellar Door Tasting Room in downtown Lodi. @Lodi_Wine @MarkusBokisch @LizBokisch @alltheswirl.The brotherhood of #LodiNative: Winemakers & proprietors discuss the exciting Lodi Native Project, heritage vineyards and the 2012 vintage with me and Ziggy the Wine Gal. From left: Winemaker Chad Joseph and proprietor Todd Maley of Maley Brothers Wines; winemaker Layne Montgomery of @m2wines; winemaker/proprietor Tim Holdener of @macchiawines; Stuart Spencer of @stamantwine; and proprietor Lani Holdener of Macchia Winery, which hosted the tasting. @Lodi_Wine #TheBootlegSociety @alltheswirl @RCaparoso @TheZinfandelOrg.Refreshing white wines by Michael David served with our luncheon at the Phillips Farms Cafe in Lodi. @MDWinery @Lodi_Wine.At Michael David Winery in Lodi: Kevin Phillips (VP of Operations, Michael David Winery & Phillips Farms) and Adam Mettler (GM/Winemaker). @MDWinery @Lodi_Wine.The delectable Earthquake Petite Sirah made by Michael David Winery & Phillips Farms. @Lodi_Wine @MDWinery.The marvelous lineup of the new 2012 Lodi Native wines made from classic old #Zinfandel vineyards without the use of additives (yeast, nutrients, new oak, etc) in order to capture the purity of the fruit from these historic sites. @Lodi_Wine #LodiNative @alltheswirl @TheZinfandelOrg.
