Berghold Estate Winery selected as Visit Lodi’s winery of the year
After more than a decade of attracting visitors to Lodi with a wide selection of wines and unique Victorian antiques, Berghold Estate Winery has been named Visit Lodi’s 2017 Winery of the Year.
The winery is owned an operated by Joe and Kay Berghold along with their son, Miles Berghold, and daughter-in-law, Julia Berghold. Joe said it an honor to be chosen as the winery of the of the year and appreciates the recognition the winery is receiving.
“Joe and Kay made a significant investment in Lodi tourism by being the first to build a grand wine tasting room in Lodi,” Visit Lodi! President and CEO Nancy Beckman said “Berghold Winery is a must see for our wine tasting visitors and keeps people coming back to Lodi for more.”
The Bergholds have been grape growers in Lodi for over 30 years and built their winery in 2006 after moving to Lodi from the Bay Area in 2000. They have 85 acres of grapes and are in their 31st year of harvest. The vineyard is being managed by Miles, a winemaker who holds an advanced degree from Fresno State in horticulture.
Berghold specializes in the production of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Viognier, and also produces a Merlot, Zinfandel, and Cabernet-Syrah blend. All wines are estate vintages, made using artisan techniques combined with state-of-the-art technology.
While Berghold wines are not sold in stores, they are available online. The winery also has over 700 wine club members and manages a very busy tasting room.
“We are a direct sale winery,” Joe said.
Berghold Winery is known for its vast collection of antiques from the American Victorian era that reflects the beginning of Lodi wine history. The Berghold antique collection has been featured on several TV shows and has been the topic of several news articles.
“The winery is a Victorian winery and all the antiques are some of the most famous American antiques in existence,” Joe said. “Our winery has antiques all authentic from the 1800s. It’s a winery museum. It’s our philosophy that wine and fine antiques and art go together.”
After working as an executive at Six Flags, Joe said he took the park’s concept of amusement and incorporated it into the wine scene.
“I think it’s one of the most beautiful wineries in California and people come to see the art and the antiques as well as sip the wine,” Joe said, adding that he believes the business will remain open for generations to come.
“I didn’t build a winery to sell it. The next generation is already managing it,” Joe said. “We’ve owned the vineyards here for 31 years and we’re here to stay. So we’re going to be a Lodi attraction for a long time.”