Tags
California, Cooking, Food, Lodi, Lodi California, Rhone Style, wine, Zinfandel, Zinfest
“WINNER, WINNER ZINFANDEL ZINNER”
What do you call a full day of 82 degrees with a lakeside park, food and snacks for under $10, live bands, piano bar, cooking demos, wine classes and all the wonderful wine you can sample? It’s called Lodi Zinfest 2013!
The Lodi Zinfest has been around since 2005 and it gets bigger and Zinner every year! The festival was this past weekend and started with a Vintners Grille on Friday evening at Lodi Lake Park. 
Lots of wonderful food and Zinfandel. A great way to pair multiple Lodi Zinfandels with different grilled foods. As most know….Zinfandel + Grilling = Match Made in Heaven! Saturday is the big day of festivities. Also held at Lodi Lake Park, the lake perimeters are covered with white tents selling wine wares; food and of course, pouring delicious Lodi wine! 
There is also lots of music; cooking demos with wine pairings and several wine school sessions to get your palate and mind educated.
Lodi, California is truly coming into its own on wine. It’s not just the land of Zinfandel. (although they continue to produce top selling Zins) Many different varietals are grown now in Lodi. I had the opportunity to taste several new releases and many were springtime Roses and whites. Rhone varietals are becoming increasingly popular in Lodi and I was surprised and pleased to see so many! 
All of the wines I tasted (almost something from every winery represented) were fantastic. It’s what makes the festival so enjoyable; there isn’t any “bad wine” in Lodi. From Zinfandels to Rose to Viognier – wines from Lodi are delicious and versatile. 
Make sure when you see Lodi wines on the shelf at your local wine shop to give them more than a glance. They are stellar wines and amazing values. Next wine country trip you plan…include Lodi’s Zinfest. Usually held the 3rd weekend of May, it’s worth your time. Besides, there’s no better place to be a Zinner and get away with it!
Cheers!
D' Vine Wine Time 
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