Bokisch Vineyards

This review is for their new location on Atkins Rd. We came here during W&C 2106 and I must say I was impressed. It is a new winery so they are still doing some landscaping, but what they have done is nice. The tasting room is nice and the wines are very yummy! I think this is the best tasting Spanish varietals I tasted all weekend! We had such a nice time and will definitely come back and enjoy a bottle or 2!

I assume there is a tasting room in downtown Lodi as I went to the Bokish Vineyards in Lockeford. The practical, spartan set up clearly shows they are just getting started, but I won’t be back, at least not until they’ve had a chance to learn how to make good wine. I wish them luck and do hope them success in the future.

Located within Cellar Door in downtown Lodi. Great place to do some wine tasting with friends and enjoy some quality wine.

Great Wines, great atmosphere. Lodi Zin at its best.

This is a fabulous little wine club! They have two pick-​up parties each year, so it is not overwhelming. Each party has a fun event tied to it – mostly Spanish themed fiestas featuring awesome tapas y paellas. Typically, the parties are in the back yard of the home of the winery owners, which is surrounded by a vineyard. It creates a fun, relaxing environment. They also usually have a Spanish guitar player, which makes the afternoon quite festive.
Did I mention, all of the wines are great, too??? They have something like 10 different wines to choose from — split between reds & whites. All Spanish varietals — all solid wines. My fave changes from vintage to vintage. We have been wine club members for 4 years now and haven’t had a wine we haven’t liked yet!
Their wines are featured at Cellar Door in downtown, Lodi. That place is kinda quiet most times I go there, so probably not the best environment in which to display the wines… However, they are all great wines and the winery owners are very nice, too.
Also, for those of you that are interested in sustainable wine growing practices, this grower is on the cutting edge of creating environmentally-​friendly trends — as is the wine grape growing region of Lodi. Also a plus!
Cheers!

Tasting: Free
Wines:16−22
I found this winery showcasing at Clements Ridge at the wine and chocolate festival. I’d recommend these wines to anyone with a medium to light palate. I’m not a typical fan of Spanish varietal but all the wines (Albarino, Garnacja, Albarino and Graciano) were well made and enjoyed by our party. My favorites were the graciano and Tempranillo (the first tempranillo I had in Lodi that wasn’t too harsh and young). I bought both at Clements Ridge and on the recommendation of the winemakers I will indeed be attempting to make duck with a cherry sauce with the graciano and beef tenderloin to pair with my new wines. Wish me luck!

Last night was a great little wine tasting at one of my hang outs California Wine Cheese with Markus and Liz Bokisch of Bokisch Vineyards. They Specialize in Spanish Varietal wines produced in Lodi. Lodi is starting to garner some great appreciation in just those grapes like Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Albarino. All 3 of these grapes are some of my favorites. Lets face it! I am Cuban, and my Great Grandparents on both sides of my family come from Spain. So Spanish Vino has to be running thru my veins. But the real truth is that I always try to pair foods with the proper wines and grapes like Tempranillo, Garnacha and Albarino work so well with Latin Cuisine.
Wine Tasting with winery owners sometimes can be nerve racking because what if you don’t like the wines. How do you approach them and explain that. I did not have any problems like that because all of the wines offered were pretty good and very reasonably priced.
The first wine tasted was the 2007 Albariño from Clement Hills in Lodi. The wine was crisp and clean as an Albarino should be. Medium bodied with a pretty long finish. At $ 16.00 per bottle a very good buy.
The Second Wine another 2007 Albarino from the Mokelumne River in Lodi exhibits more distinct varietal characteristics. The wine ages 6 months in stainless Steel giving it beautiful golden hue. This wine also is $ 16.00 per bottle. Both wine are perfect seafood starter wines. Especially shellfish!
The third Wine was the Garnacha (Grenache). This was my favorite wine of the evening. The wine showed balance, fresh acidity and perfect smoky flavors. Some Cuban Staples like Picadillo or Ropa Vieja would benefit from the wine. At $ 18.00 per bottle this is a steal.
The fourth wine was the Tempranillo. The wine was very full bodied in flavors, colors. Had a good amount of Tannins with a soft finish which is a Tempranillo style. Definite ageing wine and a good buy at $ 22.00 per bottle!
The Last wine the Graciano is a varietal I never had by itself. Usually graciano is used for blending so you don’t see any 100% graciano wines out there. I wine reminds me of a Syrah in the glass. Real dark and inky in color. The wine has an interesting acidity on the palate. I would love to try this wine with food. Latin American of any kinds. $ 26.00 per bottle.
Overall the experience was really great both Markus and Liz Bokisch were very nice and fun to chat with. We talked about how the soil in Lodi is perfect for growing these Spanish varietal grapes. They are working on a 100% Monastrell or Mourvedre wine. I will look forward to trying the wine in the future.
All wines are available for purchase at California Wine and Cheese. I have to plug Tom Dugan’s shop as well. They do such a great job bringing new wines and wineries into his shop.
Give these wines a try!
Cheers