Virtual Wine Tasting: Lodi Native Zinfandels

Virtual wine tasting is really getting to be a popular pasttime.  Staged by wineries, wine regions or publicity representatives, the events offer wine-loving participants the chance to join like-minded Twitter users, along with winemakers, in a fun, free-for-all forum.

If you are casting about for a virtual tasting event in which to take part, please allow me to suggest the BrandLive event coming up on Tuesday April 22, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. PT.  Staged by LoCA, The Wines of Lodi, CA, and the just-launched Lodi Native project, this virtual tasting event gives you the chance to mingle on the social media platform Twitter with some winemakers from Lodi and some wine lovers from all over.  You can also look in on a video stream.   If you can get one of these Zinfandels, do.  They are available as a six-pack in a commemorative wooden box, through the Lodi Native website.  Even if you can’t put your hands on a bottle,jump in on Twitter and learn a lot about the Lodi AVA.

The Lodi Native Project is a collaboration of six winegrowers - Michael McCay of McCay Cellars, Tim Holdener of Macchia, Ryan Sherman of the Fields Family, Chad Joseph of the Maley Brothers, Stuart Spencer of St. Amant and Layne Montgomery of m2 Wines.  It aims to highlight Lodi's unique sense of place by focusing on single-vineyard Zinfandel selections from the Mokelumne River AVA.  I know, you're salivating already.  Me too.  Each 2012 Lodi Native bottling utilized native yeast fermentation, zero new oak and minimal interference in the vineyards and cellar - so the terroir-driven fruit can speak for itself.

Kira Cooper, of Charles Communications, has provided the details for the event, set for Tuesday April 22, 2014.

Wines (all single-vineyard Zinfandels):

1. 2012 Fields Family 'Century Block Vineyard'

2. 2012 m2 'Soucie Vineyard'

3. 2012 Macchia 'Noma Vineyard'

4. 2012 Maley Brothers 'Wegat Vineyard'

5. 2012 McCay Cellars 'Trulux Vineyard'

6. 2012 St.Amant 'Marian's Vineyard'

Hosts:

Stuart Spencer of the Lodi Winegrape Commission & St. Amant Winery (main host)

Layne Montgomery of m2 Wines

Tim Holdener of Macchia

Michael McCay of McCay Cellars

Todd Maley of Maley Brothers

Chad Joseph of Maley Brothers

Ryan Sherman of Fields Family Wines

Instructions:

"First, sign into your Twitter account and pull up the live stream a little before 5 p.m. PT and get ready to roll!

To access the live stream, please click on the following link: cca.yourbrandlive.com/c/lodinative

Once you click on the link, you’ll see a box on the right hand side that says ‘Questions from the Audience.’ Fill in your name, location and type up your Comment or Question – we’ll be able to view what you say immediately!

Please note Twitter on/off button below the comment field. We encourage you to Tweet your comments and by doing so, you simply have to log into your Twitter account on a separate tab or window. If you do not want a comment or question to show up on your Twitter feed, click the button to “off.”

We welcome you to use the hash tag #LodiLive and Twitter handle @Lodi_Wine during the tasting. We also encourage you to visit http://www.lodiwine.com and http://www.lodinative.com/ to learn more about Lodi and the Lodi Native project prior to the tasting."

So you don't forget, put the virtual tasting event on your calendar for Tuesday April 22nd at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.  We look forward to chatting with you.  To see how the BrandLive tastings have worked in the past, go here.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter