Lodi Cinsault

Popped and poured; enjoyed over two days. Fairly consistent throughout but best on Day 2. The 2022 “Lodi” pours a bright ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with juicy ripe cherry and red plums. Strawberry/watermelon, red ripe licorice, red flowers, crushed gravel minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The texture is silky smooth and finish is long. Overall, this comes across so fresh and juicy; and unbelievably quaffable. I would drink these now or over the next several years.

Popped and poured. The 2021 Cinsault pours a bright ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine has moderate intensity; fresh with ripe red fruits mostly raspberry, some confected cherry, Earl Grey, purple flowers and crushed gravel. On the palate, the wine is dry, medium(-?) tannin, medium acid pretty much medium, across-the-board confirming the notes from the nose with a very mineral finish. Super easy to enjoy. Drink now and through the next 5-ish years.

Popped and poured; no formal notes. This vineyard was planted in 1886. Bright cherry and bruised strawberry fruits with some orange curaçao, espresso a light kiss of spices. Overall, there’s an impression of freshness that’s super attractive. Forget what you think you know about Lodi; wines like this flip the script. A lovely accompaniment with burgers on a summer night. Only 5 barrels produced.

Popped and poured, the 2020 Cinsault pours a bright ruby with a transparent core; slight staining of the tears. Medium viscosity. Redolent of red and purple flowers, strawberry, orange, coffee, dried herbs, spices. It’s dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. The finish is savory. Fresh. Juicy. Awesome. This is what Sandlands is all about.

Ruby red, excellent clarity, moderate pigment extraction. Violets in nose, cherry and red berries in mouth. Spice and seed finish with mild skin astringency. Light body, fruity, complex, like your great grandparents might have enjoyed it. Another heirloom wonder from Sandlands.

Unbelievable! Epic cinsault.

Planted in 1886 and currently under the stewardship of the Phillips family. Popped and poured; consumed over two days. The 2019 Cinsault currently pours a bright, brilliant ruby with a translucent core. Medium viscosity. Whoa…this wine is fresh and juicy! Flavors of Blackberry Izzy, bruised apple, Clementine mandarins, boozy pineapple, and Laughy Taffy. Medium tannin with medium, maybe medium + acid. A really pretty wine and quite delicious. This is a fabulous summer red! I found this to be even more enjoyable the second day so a little patience will be rewarded. 8 barrels produced.

Fresh, easy, carries enough complexity and transparency in aroma and flavor to geek out on but also just very charming and quaffable in the best sense. Haven’t had an iteration of Betchold I have not liked yet. Crushed red berries, watermelon, lavender pastille, hibiscus, red apple, balm.

The vines for this wine were planted in 1886 in the heart of western Lodi by Joseph Spenker and farmed for decades by Al Bechthold. Now, under the care of the Phillips family, this vineyard is providing the material for this beautiful wine from Tegan and Olivia Passalaqua. Possibly the most striking magenta color I have ever beheld in a wine. Gorgeous aromatics of bruised Red Delicious apple, red cherries and...even a touch of the stickiest of the icky? On the palate, it’s red cherries, plums, watermelon and violet pastilles. This wine stimulates the mind in the most wonderful of ways. A svelte 12.3% ABV, I’m completely smitten. While there is balance and structure to last for several years, this is too delightful to not drink now.

Bright red fruit, earthy core, silky, light bodied