Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida: Feeling the wine culture vibe at Michael David Winery

Lodi's Michael David Winery on that Saturday afternoon was buzzing with excitement. It lived up to the claim It is more than a winery it is a culture. This winery is a sixth-generation, family-owned winery. The Phillips family has been farming since the 1860’s, and cultivating wine grapes since the early 20th century. If you have had Lodi wine, chances are it was a Michael David wine. Michael David Winery is known for putting Lodi on the radar; hence it is a historically important. Michael David Winery is also where there is a strong wine culture vibe. 

Michael David Winery, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Welcome to Michael David Winery

Michael David Winery was our second winery stop for the day. Our visit included a Wine Tasting and a Lunch. Given it was Saturday this winery was quite busy. 

Michael David Winery, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery offers visitors a number of food and wine options. We did a walk-in tasting while we waited for our reservation at the bistro. 

We were treated well by the staff and enjoyed the wines we tasted! Our wine tasting host was fabulous!

Thanks for Making the Wine Tasting Fabulous © Spaswinefood

Below is a glimpse at the wines we tasted:

Michael David Winery Tasting List © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Merlot , Lodi 2022 

Michael David Winery, Merlot , Lodi 2022 © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Michael David Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Misfits & Mavens, Lodi 2022 

Michael David Winery, Misfits & Mavens, Lodi 2022 © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Perhaps a little Misfits & Mavens © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Inkblot Petit Sirah, Lodi 2022

Michael David Winery, Inkblot Petit Sirah, Lodi 2022 © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Zinfandel, Lodi 20 

Michael David Winery, Zinfandel, Lodi 2022  © Spaswinefood

For those white wine fans - we began the tasting with a 2024 Chardonnay but also, you can explore Michael David Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé too.

Michael David Winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Lodi 2024 © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Rosé © Spaswinefood

The winery is well known for wines like the following:

• Freakshow: One of their most popular lines, the Freakshow wines are as bold and unique as their labels. Michael David's Freakshow Cabernet Sauvignon, is known for its rich, full-bodied flavors, and its Freakshow Zinfandel, with its intense berry and spice notes, are fan favorites.

Michael David Winery, Freakshow © Spaswinefood

Michael David Winery, Freakshow Petite Petit © Spaswinefood

• Petite Petit: A blend of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot offers intense, dark fruit flavorsand  its smooth finish and deep, inky color, makes it a standout in their wine portfolio.
  

They also produce wines like, 6th Sense.

Michael David Winery, 6th Sense © Spaswinefood

Let's not forget wines like:

• Earthquake: Named after the 1906 earthquake that struck Lodi, its Earthquake series includes Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah. These wines are celebrated for their bold, powerful flavors, rich fruit, and high alcohol content.
  

• 7 Deadly Zins: A Lodi classic, 7 Deadly Zins is a signature Zinfandel blend, offering lush flavors of dark berries, spice, and a hint of oak, perfect for those who enjoy a robust, full-bodied red. The chances are most folks have definitely heard and /or tasted this wine, which is produced old vines grown in seven different vineyards.

Overall the winery is well known for producing bold, award-winning wines like Freakshow, Earthquake, and Misfits & Mavens. This Family-friendly, dog-friendly winery has deep farming roots and a rebellious spirit. They pour wines with personality and purpose. For sure, the wine culture vibe at Michael David Winery is strong!

After the wine tasting we were off to lunch at the bistro. We were seated near the pond. The bistro offers complete bottle service and access to a full bistro menu.  The winery also has an on-site café, bakery, and seasonal fruit stand. 

Time for Lunch, Michael David Winery © Spaswinefood

Relaxing at Michael David Winery © Spaswinefood

The winery's founders, brothers Michael and David Phillips, 5th generation grape growers, have raised their families in the vineyard, and now the 6th generation (Mike’s daughter Melissa) has joined the team. Their family's legacy and love of Lodi has driven them to focus on sustainability. Michael David Winery combines sustainable farming practices with innovative winemaking techniques, resulting in high-quality, memorable wines, which showcase the best of Lodi's terroir.

My weekend visit to Lodi Wine Country with friends was priceless!  Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) is most famous for its Zinfandel; however, there are over one hundred grape varieties planted in the Lodi Appellation, so there is something for everyone. In case you are wondering, other wines, than Zinfandel, that you will find in Lodi include: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Petit Sirah, Albariño, Grenache, and more.  Lodi Appellation has seven Sub-Appellations ( Mokelumne River, Clement's Hills, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Sloughhouse, Alt Mesa, and Cosumnes River). Lodi,  the largest wine growing region in California (twice the size of Napa Valley!), is one of the west coast’s most underrated wine regions. Lodi, a source for many grapes added to the blends of Napa and Sonoma wines, is building a reputation as, a must-visit wine region. Given its seven sub-AVA’s, each with unique microclimates and soils, we would get to experience some of Lodi's uniqueness during our wine country adventure. YES, Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida!

Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

We began our visit with an introduction some of Lodi’s wines at the Lodi Wine Visitor Center.

Lodi Wine Visitors Center © Spaswinefood

Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida! You will fall in love with Lodi’s hospitality, and discover wine gems, like Michael David Winery. While my wine country travels takes me to wine regions around the world, it was priceless to have this wine adventure with friends in Lodi. I invite you to join me in my travels in Lodi,  California, and elsewhere in the sharing of these adventures at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Bluesky  and Facebook. 

CHEERS!!

Sharon

Lodi, California

September 2025

Lodi Wine Country with Friends © Spaswinefood

Follow me on  Bluesky and Facebook

Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida: Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards for Rhône-style wines

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards is Lodi’s only all white wine winery featuring estate grown Rhône varietals in a sea of Zinfandel grapes. Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) is most famous for its Zinfandel; however, there are over one hundred grape varieties planted in the Lodi Appellation; so there is something for everyone. Acquiesce is a boutique winery specializing in Rhone-style white and rosé wines.

Let's Acquiesce, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Welcome to Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards © Spaswinefood

Our Lodi Wine Country Travels Acquiesce

The tasting room is in a  restored 100 year old barn on an 18 acre property surrounded by wine grapes. Susan began planting her estate grapes in 2008 which include Picpoul Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Claire Blanche, Bourboulenc, Viognier and Roussanne.  Acquiesce Winery has garnered numerous Double Gold, Gold and Best of Class awards. YES, Lodi Wine Country travels includes a visit to Acquiesce with friends is pura vida!

Lodi Wine Country's Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards © Spaswinefood

After breakfast at our hotel we headed out for a wine tasting at Acquiesce Winery and Vineyard, Acampo, California.

Acquiesce, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Susan Tipton is the owner and founding winemaker of Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards. These days Christina Lopez is the winemaker and vineyard manager on the Acquiesce team.

We were welcomed with a glass of 2022 Grenache Blanc.

Welcome to Acquiesce, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

After the welcoming pour of 2022 Grenache Blanc we were off to our table for the wine tasting.

Time to Acquiesce © Spaswinefood

Acquiesce, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

We loved the Acquiesce wine tasting experience. It was amazing. I would highly recommend booking an appointment for an Acquiesce wine tasting. You will love it!

Loving Acquiesce, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Each of the wines we tasted were paired with small bites of food. As we sat around the table we loved getting to know Acquiesce's Rhône-style wines.

Loving Acquiesce © Spaswinefood

Time to Acquiesce © Spaswinefood

Now, let's take a closer look at the wines we tasted.

Loving Acquiesce Wines © Spaswinefood

Besides the 2022 Grenache Blanc the wines included (from left to right):

1. 2023 Ingénue 

2. 2023 Clairette Blanche

3. 2023 Grenache Blanc (yes, I kept the 2022 Grenache Blanc for a side by side tasting of 2022 & 2023)

4. 2022 Sparkling Clairette 

Acquiesce Wine & Food Pairing © Spaswinefood

There were also a few surprise wines at the end of the tasting.

All of us loved the tasting experience at Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards. I would highly recommend it for  for their Rhône-style wines.

Book an Appointment for Tasting Acquiesce Wines  © Spaswinefood

Acquiesce's Tasting Experience © Spaswinefood

Of course during the visit I enjoyed taking in those September vineyard views.

Vineyard at Acquiesce, September 2025 © Spaswinefood

Lodi's Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards for Rhone-style white and rosé wines is a must! Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) is most famous for its Zinfandel; however, there are over one hundred grape varieties planted in the Lodi Appellation, so there is something for everyone. In case you are wondering, what other wines, than Zinfandel, that you will find in Lodi include: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Petit Sirah, Albariño, Grenache, and more.  Lodi Appellation has seven Sub-Appellations ( Mokelumne River, Clement's Hills, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Sloughhouse, Alt Mesa, and Cosumnes River). For wines made in Rhône style then Acquiesce is a must.

After a most wonderful tasting at Acquiesce off we went for our second winery stop for the day at Michael David Winery. 

Michael David Winery, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

We ended our second day in Lodi with dinner at Pietro’s Trattoria, one of the most popular spots in Lodi.

Pietro’s Trattoria, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

More on Lodi Wine Country 

California wine country is home to 139 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas). Lodi is the largest wine growing region in California (twice the size of Napa Valley!). Lodi is one of the west coast’s most underrated wine regions. Lodi, a source for many grapes added to the blends of Napa and Sonoma wines, is building a reputation as, a must-visit wine region. Given its seven sub-AVA’s, each with unique microclimates and soils, we would get to experience some of Lodi's uniqueness during our wine country adventure.

Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

There is no shortage of possibilities for further Lodi wineries (see link) and activities, just checkout Visit Lodi and Lodi Wine.

Our weekend visit to Lodi Wine Country with friends was priceless! 

Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

For those planning to visit Lodi Wine Country Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards should not be missed.

Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida! You will fall in love with Lodi’s hospitality, and discover some of its wine gems like, Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards. While my wine country travels takes me to wine regions around the world, it was priceless to have this wine adventure with friends in Lodi. I invite you to join me in my travels in Lodi,  California, and elsewhere in the sharing of these adventures at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Bluesky  and Facebook. 

CHEERS!!

Sharon

Lodi, California

September 2025

Exploring Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Lodi Wine Country with Friends © Spaswinefood

During our weekend visit we were able to checkout some of Lodi’s wines. Our first stop was the Lodi Wine Visitor Center.

Lodi Wine Visitors Center © Spaswinefood

Follow me on  Bluesky and Facebook

The Wine Visitors Center, 2545 W Turner Rd, Lodi, CA 95242 is a must-visit for wine enthusiasts. It is located on Turner Road, next to Wine & Roses. The center offers a comprehensive introduction to the Lodi Appellation. Visitors can learn about the region's winemaking process and the impact of night breezes from the Sacramento Delta on vine growth. There are over 200 Lodi bottles available, including those from small-batch vintners without their own tasting room. There is no shortage of options to explore from the large collection of Lodi wines. It is also a very inexpensive tasting ($12 for 4), and the wine tasting menu changes weekly. It is nice to hang out there and learn a bit about the different wineries, before heading out to the wineries.

Tasting Lodi Wine Country Wines © Spaswinefood

I would highly recommend a visit to the Wine Visitors Center.

Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida: Bokisch Vineyards for a taste of Spain

Our Lodi Wine Country adventure took us to Bokisch Vineyards, a family-owned winery specializing in wines produced from Spanish grape varieties. The husband and wife team, Markus and Liz Bokisch, began production in the early 2000’s as tribute to Markus's Spanish heritage. It was their love for Spanish food and wine inspired them to produce domestic Spanish varieties. We were delighted to discover their wines!

Bokisch Vineyards, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

Bokisch Vineyards is thriving, as Markus and Liz champion Spanish grape varieties, including Graciano, Verdejo, Albariño, and Garnacha. They are pioneers, being among the first to produce a Gran Reserva Tempranillo, and to cultivate and vinify the Catalan varieties Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada. They released their first Cava, the traditional Catalan sparkling wine, in 2025. During our Bokisch Vineyards visit we did a wine tasting of Spanish varietals, and enjoyed a charcuterie with the wines.

Bokisch Vineyards, September 2025 © Spaswinefood

Bokisch Vineyards Wine Tasting with Cheese & Charcuterie Platter

We choose to explore Bokisch Vineyards Cava and Spanish wines.

Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

 Bokisch Vineyards farms organically and sustainably in the Clement Hills AVA of Lodi. 

Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

That September afternoon we sat outside in the shade, overlooking the vineyard.

Our wine tasting began with a rose.

Time for Rosé, Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

Some of the other wines we enjoyed included:

Bokisch Vineyards, Garnacha, Clements Hills, Lodi 2017 

Bokisch Vineyards, Garnacha, Clements Hills, Lodi 2017 © Spaswinefood

Bokisch Vineyards, Monastrell, Sloughhouse, Lodi 2020 

Bokisch Vineyards, Monastrell, Sloughhouse, Lodi 2020 © Spaswinefood

For sure enjoying these wines with friends made it extra special.

Bokisch Vineyards Moments © Spaswinefood

Enjoying the Moments, Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

Vine-Inspired Moments, Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

For sure sipping wines around the table with friends made our reunion in Lodi special!

CHEERS! Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

We were also well treated during our visit.

Excellence Service, Bokisch Vineyards © Spaswinefood

We enjoyed learning about Bokisch wines and appreciated the excellent service. Bokisch Vineyards' goal for its Spanish wines is to reflect the rich winemaking traditions of his (Markus) family's homeland, blending Old World influence with California's unique terroir.

After the wine tasting we checked in at our hotel for the weekend. Next, we were off to dinner at The Gypsy Bistro.

The Gypsy Bistro, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

The Gypsy Bistro is located in the historic town of Lockeford, California. It is housed inside a former 150,000-gallon concrete wine tank, a remnant of the Old Lockeford Winery. The winery was established in 1946, and served local grape growers until the 1970s.

It was after reading the above description that I made dinner reservations at The Gypsy Bistro. I would highly recommend making a reservation well in advance to avoid disappointment.

The Gypsy Bistro, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

The Gypsy Bistro, Lodi Wine Country © Spaswinefood

We totally loved our dining experience at The Gypsy Bistro. It was delightful ending to our day in Lodi Wine Country. While Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) is most famous for its Zinfandel however, there are over one hundred grape varieties planted in the Lodi Appellation, so there is something for everyone. If you have a passion for wines produced from Spanish grape varieties then put Bokisch Vineyards on your list.

Lodi Wine Country travels with friends is pura vida! You will fall in love with Lodi’s hospitality, and discover some of its wine gems. Bokisch Vineyards is the perfect stop for a taste of Spain. While my wine country travels takes me to wine regions around the world, it was priceless to have this wine adventure with friends in Lodi. I invite you to join me in my travels in Lodi, California, and elsewhere in the sharing of these adventures at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Bluesky  and Facebook. 

CHEERS!!

Sharon

Lodi, California

September 2025

Lodi Wine Country with Friends © Spaswinefood

Follow me on Bluesky and Facebook

For those planning to visit Lodi Wine Country I would highly recommend stopping at the Wine Visitors Center, 2545 W Turner Rd, Lodi, CA 95242. The Lodi Wine Visitor Center is a must-visit for wine enthusiasts. It is located on Turner Road, next to Wine & Roses. The center offers a comprehensive introduction to the Lodi Appellation. Visitors can learn about the region's winemaking process and the impact of night breezes from the Sacramento Delta on vine growth. There are over 200 Lodi bottles available, including those from small-batch vintners without their own tasting room. There is no shortage of options to explore from the large collection of Lodi wines. It is also a very inexpensive tasting ($12 for 4), and the wine tasting menu changes weekly. It is nice to hang out there and learn a bit about the different wineries.

Tasting Lodi Wine Country Wines © Spaswinefood

Follow me on  Bluesky and Facebook