Southern Rhone Wine Tasting By Ken Levy
Lodi is wine country and our Knights and Gentle Ladies are fanatical about supporting the hometown team. The members of our chapter include growers, winemakers, and raving fans who are unapologetic for being Lodi-centric when it comes to wine. At the same time, the feedback we were getting from our membership indicated there was a desire for more educational events, especially as it relates to international wines; the point being that if we want to know where Lodi fits in the world of wine, we need to know and understand the world of wine.
The highlight of the evening was a tasting that focused on the 2016 vintage of Southern Rhone. We learned about the varietals predominately grown in the area, the aromas and flavor characteristics associated with those varietals, and how a wine judge would systematically evaluate these wines. Five wines were selected with variations of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, Merlot, and Marselan. Given the relatively cool climate of Southern Rhone, we found the wines to be lighter, more delicate, acidic and, arguably, more food-friendly than many of the bold, stand-alone wines often associated with the sunshine state of California.
Lodi
In keeping with our low-cost, friendly event structure, we kept the charge very low, bought some wine for the event while attendees also brought appetizers and a bottle of wine to share. What a friendly and happy atmosphere! Everyone learned something new, there were plentiful and delectable dishes, and the wine flowed. Given the success of this internationally-focused event, we are already planning our next one ‌ a focus on the wines of Argentina!
On Thursday, September 26, Knight Gordon MacKay and Annette MacKay hosted a special tasting and educational presentation on the wines of France that included a focus on, and tasting of, wines of the Southern Rhone region. Gordon did a fantastic job of simplifying the designations used by France to demarcate the regional classifications, crus, and quality tiers. He started with a map of France, then transitioned to Southern Rhone. From a map that included latitude coordinates, we could see that most of France is located between 45 and 50 degrees which puts it well above California, along the same latitude of the state of Washington. The Southern Rhone region would most closely lay in line with the Willamette Valley of upper-Oregon.
continued >>> Winter/Spring 2020
15
