Lodi Zinfandel: LangeTwins Centennial Zin

Lodi wines were explored in modern fashion recently as a public relations firm offered to include me on a virtual tasting session of Lodi wines, an offer I was happy to accept.  The wine described here was provided to me for the purpose of the virtual tasting.

The Lange family has been farming Lodi dirt for five generations, although grapes have been their focus for only the past 30 years.  Twin brothers Randall and Bradford Lange opened the winery in 2006, and winemaker David Akiyoshi works closely with winegrower Charlie Lewis to craft the winery's product.  See a previous Now And Zin article about them here.

The LangeTwins Centennial Zinfandel 2009 is all Zin, from 104-year-old vines which are sustainably farmed.  Alcohol is way up there, at 15.2% abv, although it doesn't drink like it.  The wine was aged for 24 months in new American oak.  It shows, but the oak is integrated very well and the wine is quite balanced.  Less than 200 cases were produced, and the sell at a lofty $60 per bottle.

In the virtual tasting event for which this wine was supplied, there was much support for the LangeTwins Zin, some of which seemed fairly incidental.  "Cantara - Mike Brown's winery in Camarillo," tweeted one participant, "using Lodi fruit! He went to school with Lange twins."  That's one of those bits of knowledge that may come in handy someday, but who knows how?

The wine has a medium ruby hue and a delightful nose full of brambly black cherry and nutmeg.  The palate is rustic and fruity, with vibrant acidity and toothy tannins.  Notes of coffee grounds and lavender mix it up and keep it going into the finish.  It's really a fantastic Zin - at the price, it had better be.


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