In contrast to the reviewed in the first installment , this one is oozing with obviousness and power. However, just as the Uvaggio Vermentino does, it represents such extraordinary value as to warrant being on your shopping radar. Scratch that - put it/them at top of your list. That such different wines hail from the same appellation is proof of Lodi's versatility.
Before we go to this incredible wine, a couple more interesting facts about Lodi (aka LoCa):
- Lodi has over 100,000 acres of land planted to vinifera. By comparison, the super-densely planted Napa Valley has only 45,000 acres planted.
- Volume is not everything, nor is it all this region is capable of as demonstrated again by today's wine. The climate here is ideal for a diversity of warmer climate-loving varieties, including Spanish and Italian grapes like Tempranillo and Barbera. But if you like power and extraction, Lodi is also capable of producing unbelievable Syrah.
2010 Klinker Brick Syrah Lodi "Farrah" $20
Our love affair with Klinker Brick's wines is well documented on these pages. Consider this another chapter of rapture. The 2010 vintage for the Syrah brings more of the same intoxicating, swoon-inducing syrup that we first fell in love with in the 2007 vintage. Bold to the verge of overwhelming, it took a good four-plus hours of decanting to approach this beast without being bowled over. The density of this wine packs so much into a beverage as to confound even the most adventurous of wine intellectuals. Deep, dark, Shiraz-like fruit takes center stage, savory high notes ride fast and loose along side, and the strong toasty cedar flavors round out the attack. Folks, that is just the beginning. With a mid palate that interrupts conversation and a finish that traverses time zones, this could be too much wine for many delicate consumers, but an irresistible draw for anyone with a weakness for the dark side. Serious contender for best value in California.
