Lodi Tour of Albariño spotlights Lodi’s wine diversity

Nearly five months into a pandemic, would you welcome a weekend of divergence and diversity? If so, the 5th Annual Lodi Tour of Albariño awaits Aug. 1416.

The event will have a different flair this year in order to accommodate social-distancing protocols aimed at keeping customers safe but getting them out of the house.

The Lodi Tour of Albariño spotlights Spanish and Portuguese white wine produced from a number of wineries in the Lodi region. Local growers pride themselves on a diversity of wine grapes, with over 100 different varieties grown in Lodi.

Albariño has been grown in the region since 1999, and while it may be better known by wine bloggers and Spanish wine aficionados, it is catching the attention of American consumers.

Albariño is a dry white wine produced from a white grape variety that is best known in the Iberian Peninsula countries of Spain and Portugal. Albariño is typically found in the Rias Baixas area of Galicia in northwestern Spain and known as Alvarinho in Portugal. It is thickskinned and small-berried with aromatics similar to a Riesling.

There are over 30,000 acres of Albariño in Spain and over 14,000 acres in Portugal. Its popularity in California is on the rise with grapes being planted in Lodi, Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast.

The wineries participating in this year’s Lodi Tour of Albariño include:

• Bokisch Vineyards, 18921 Atkins Road, Lodi

• Dancing Coyote Wines, 3125 East Orange St., Acampo

• Harney Lane Winery 9010 E. Harney Lane, Lodi

• Klinker Brick Winery 15887 Alpine Road, Lodi

Visit https://lodispanishwinetour.com/ to get a description of what each winery will be offering, from tastings, Spanish food pairings, Facebook and Instagram Live events and more.

Calivirgin Olive Oil wins Good Food awards

Lodi-based Calivirgin had all three of its entries recognized at the Good Food Awards on July 14 in San Francisco.

Calivirgin’s Lavish Lime, Bountiful Basil and Jalapeno olive oils were all winners in the blind taste competition, marking the fifth straight year Calivirgin has had a winning oil in the competition.

“Our family is humbled and honored to win three Good Food Awards this year. This validates that the extra time we spend on our craft is worth it all,” Julie Coldani said of the strong showing. “Crushing fresh produce with the olives, instead of using extract or flavoring makes all the difference in the end product.”

Pairing suggestions

Lavish Lime Olive Oil — Add this to guacamole, any fish or Mexican dish to add a punch of freshness?.

Bountiful Basil Olive Oil — Toss this oil with pasta and add a little parmesan for a quick dinner, or drizzle over ripe tomatoes and mozzarella for a Caprese salad that you won’t soon forget.

Jalapeno Olive Oil — Drizzle this over corn on the cob, baked potatoes or try cooking your eggs in this oil. Even try this over popcorn