"Oh lord, a blog from Lodi" is the title of my first (in 2010) and last Lodi Wine post (today's!). Re https://www.lodiwine.com/blog/Oh-lord--a-blog-from-Lodi-2025
After 15 years, and over 1,200 entries, I am off to further adventures!
#lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #randycaparoso
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Roy Andries de Groot's original 1969 Esquire magazine article entitled "Is There Great wine In California?" is transcribed in its entirety on my The Wine Clarion page (re https://caparoso.substack.com/p/is-there-great-wine-in-california). It's important because it gives historical context to how we appreciate wine today, and is also one of the last gasps of wine journalism viewed through the lens of culinary or gastronomic values.
#randycaparoso #royandriesdegroot
Magazine portrait of young Honolulu sommelier, 1987, nine years into full-time wine career.
#randycaparoso #SommelierLife
Woke up to a surprise: Wine Business Monthly listed me among their 2024 Wine Industry Leaders, grouped as a "Regional Evangelist." Writes WBM: "Some regions wouldn't be what they are today without those who champion them... We would be remiss to ignore efforts to spread the word, provide new tools, and show the wine world at large that they are growing incredible grapes."
#winebusiness #winebusinessmonthly #wineindustry #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #randycaparoso
Last night at the Lodi Grape Festival, enjoying all the displays of ribbon-winning grapes, displays of past Grape Festival royal courts, while sipping Zinfandel in a safe plastic cup. #lodigrapefestival #randycaparoso #lodiwine
"About time" department: This morning at UC Davis' Peter J. Shields Library, presenting two copies of "Lodi!" to Archivist Audrey Russek PhD, accepting one signed copy for the Food and Wine Archives, and one for circulation. I learned, while there, that the library is home of the largest (bar none!) collection of wine, enology, viticulture and research books in the entire world... I guess I just made it a miniscule fraction bigger! #ucdavis #ucdavislibrary #kermitlynch #lodiwine #randycaparoso
It's here! Re https://youtu.be/vt_Du-3fl0A The YouTube clip on "Let's talk about why there are more old vines in Lodi than any other region in America," sponsored by Circle of Wine Writers and featuring yours truly. Practically everything you wanted to know about old vine viticulture and wines. #CircleOfWineWriters #lodiwinecountry #lodiwine #oldvines #ancientvines #zinfandel #cinsaut #cinsault #ownrooted #randycaparoso
He speaks! In today's lodiwine.com/blog, personal thoughts on the start of another new year (2024!) as a career wine professional... https://www.lodiwine.com/blog/Personal-thoughts-on-the-start-of-another-new-year--2024--in-Lodi
#lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #Terroir #terroirwines #oldvines #historicvineyards #historicvineyardsociety #oldvineregistry #randycaparoso
Good times, cont.: Once upon a time (in 1998), Agustin Huneeus managed to board a couple dozen of the country's top sommeliers on a long flight to Chile, where this one shot was taken (from left): Roger Dagorn MS, Josh Wesson, Rob Constantino (Sante), Larry Stone MS, moi and Raj Parr. #sommelier #sommelierlife #randycaparoso
Speaking of giants: My restaurant career offered many opportunities to walk and talk with industry legends; such as Robert and Margrit Mondavi, who always availed themselves on the most personal level. Extraordinary, even by the standards of our industry, replete with geniality. Photo from a 1998 wine dinner in Honolulu. #sommelierlife #randycaparoso
I've been surprised by the number of people who have listened to The Wine Makers Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPbSXgNUnim0wMLCGtSQ3) where I talk "Lodi" with my old friend, Marchelle's Greg La Follette. If you missed it, tune in to get lots of fun stuff on Lodi history, terroir, viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking! #randycaparoso #ownrooted #lodiwinecountry #lodiwine #ancientvines #oldvines #zinfandel #cinsaut #carignan #winemakers #marchelle #winemakerspodcast
In The Wine Makers Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPbSXgNUnim0wMLCGtSQ3), Marchelle's Greg La Follette and I taste and talk about Lodi wines from the oldest vines in the appellation, plus lots of Lodi history, terroir, viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking! #randycaparoso #ownrooted #lodiwinecountry #lodiwine #ancientvines #oldvines #zinfandel #cinsaut #carignan #winemakerspod #marchelle
Seems like almost a dream that just over a year ago I was in Hawaii, premiering my 450-page opus, "Lodi!" (buy or read all the great reviews on https://kitchencincopress.com). Much aloha to Chef Roy Yamaguchi, the old Island friends who came out to celebrate with me, and the vintners who flew from California to help talk "Lodi." Hawaii is a state that leaves an indelible mark on anyone who goes. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #lodiwinebook #randycaparoso #roysrestaurants #chuckfuruya
R.C. communicating with elongated Zinfandel over 100 years old. #randycaparoso
A little windy, and a lot rainy: among old vine Lodi Grenache between the deluges. Photo by Melinda Kearney. #randycaparoso #lodiwine
Places to go for last-minute Christmas shopping for the wine connoisseurs in your life: The "Lodi!" book (409 pages of authoritative text, over 400 photographs) is available for retail purchase at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center as well as local wineries such as Acquiesce, Bokisch, Harney Lane, Mettler Family, McCay, or Michael David. Reviews on https://kitchencincopress.com/reviews/?v=7516fd43adaa. #lodiwinebook #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #randycaparoso #randycaparosophotography
Early this morning in the icy cold 33-degree fog, doing what I do, taking photographs of ancient vines in their mysterious element. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #ownrooted #ancientvines #oldvines #randycaparosophotography #randycaparoso
The message in my Bottom Line column in this month's SOMM Journal: Wine consumers are a lot smarter than what many of us in the wine trade think! #sommjournal #randycaparoso #winetrade #restaurantwine #restaurantindustry #sommelier #sommelierlife
Caught in a more serious moment, presenting Lodi-grown ancient vine wines to visiting "global buyers" organized by California Institute this past November 4. Tegan Passalacqua and I are discussing Sandlands and Turley Wine Cellars wines from Kirschenmann Vineyard (where the truck was parked, Zinfandel planted on its own roots in 1915), along with a few other Lodi growths. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #WineInstitute #ownrooted #ancientvines #oldvines #turleywine #sandlands #zinfandel #randycaparoso