Lodi Red Table Wine

Black currant and raspberry aromas, flavors with depth. Info on internet suggest it’s a blend of equal parts Cinsault, Carignane and Zinfandel with flavors of black tea and leather (which I would support) as well as licorice (a hint, later more substantial) violet and black cherry (disagree, at least on initial pour). Spice leather aftertaste. Solid acid with smooth tannin backbone, some skin astringency in aftertaste.

Revisiting the vintage. Good fruit, tart, but the freshness is gone, might be past its peak. Then again, there’s so much fruit…

Fresh and approachable. Berry.

Delicious pop n pour. Plum, black licorice, peppercorn.

Good acid so much fruit with length and character! Mostly plum, cherry and raspberry flavors.

Popped and poured. The 2019 RTW “Lodi” appears a deep ruby color with a slight magenta tinge and a near opaque core. Viscosity is medium with no obvious staining of the tears. There appears to be some very light sediment. On the nose, whoa…this is way funkier that I recall in its youth. It smells like there’s some whole cluster being used and I love it! There is a mix of red and dark fruits; brambles and cherries with purple flowers, garrigue, dried herbs, black pepper, crushed gravel. I just want to keep smelling this. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium (+?) acid. The body is medium. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, peppery and laden with minerals. Brilliant. I knew there was a reason to hold some of these RTW’s back to see how they develop…and now I feel validated. This is so awesome. There is so much soul! Sadly, this is my last 2019. Drink now and through 2030, easy.

Popped and poured. This bottle was consumed over three days and fairly consistent throughout. The 2021 RTW “Lodi” pours a ruby color with a transparent core, moving towards fuchsia/magenta on the edge and a slightly watery rim. No signs of particles. Medium viscosity with very light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is of moderate intensity with a mix of black and red fruits: predominantly blackberries and strawberries that are mostly bruised with some red and purple flowers, fresh basil and sort of crushed gravel and sand aggregate mix. On the palate the wine is dry with medium- tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium and the finish is medium. Overall impression: this is a wine of freshness and balance and a tremendously versatile red wine for food. 25 barrels produced from a blend of 3 varieties from 3 vineyards in 3 equal parts. Cinsault from the Bechthold Vineyard (planted in 1886), Carignane from Spenker Ranch (planted in 1900) and Zinfandel from Kirschenmann Vineyard (planted in 1915 & Teagan’s home ranch in Victor).

Popped and poured, consumed over three days and best on Day 2. No formal notes. This is the third vintage of Sandlands “Red Table Wine” from Lodi and it has become a “must cop” for me. Endowed with lovely fruit and zippy acid, it’s very versatile and a sublime pairing with a variety of meals. A combination of three varieties and three vineyards in three equal parts; Cinsault from the Bechthold (1886), Carignane from Spenker Ranch (1900) and Zinfandel from Kirschenmann (1915); 12 barrels and one 500L puncheon produced.

If I haven’t mentioned it before, I love these Red Table Wines produced by Sandlands. They’re not fussy and deliver the goods when you need a versatile red wine to pair with a variety of meals. The only trouble is, I can never seem to get my hands on enough of them! Some quick notes over dinner: Popped and poured, bright and fresh bramble fruits on the nose with medium+ intensity. On the palate, a mixed fruits set with blue, black and red fruits all playing nicely together. Medium tannin and medium acid. Finish is also medium. Worked well with chicken wings and corn on the cob.

Let me start with a disclaimer: I’m a massive fan of Chateau Musar and a big fan of Tegan’s work with his Sandlands wines. I’m a buyer for both each and every year. So when I learned that he had modeled the 2018 “Red Table Wine” after the wines from Musar, I was like, “Abso-effing-lutely”!! A few nights ago, I couldn’t resist pulling the cork on one to give it the old college try (it is so young after all). I’m happy to report that the wine is tasty and does remind me a bit of Musar, even though the blend uses Zinfandel instead of Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s quite reticent at this stage and it evolved at a glacial pace over four days. A mix of dark and red fruits with exotic spices, red rope licorice and coffee. As typical of Sandlands wines, this gained weight with air and the higher acid gives it a lot of energy. Today, I think these drink best with a meal. I intend to hold my remaining bottle for at least a few years. Equal parts Cinsault (Bechthold Vineyard 1886), Carignane (Spenker Ranch 1900) and Zinfandel (Kirschenmann Vineyard 1915).