San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Lodi homes offer riverfront views, equestrian amenities
Much has changed in Lodi since March of ’69, when a Creedence Clearwater Revival song lamented being “stuck in” the sleepy farm town, “again.” Since then, scores of wineries, many of them winners of prestigious awards, have sprouted throughout the Central Valley city that’s about 90 miles east of San Francisco.
More than 80 wineries reside in Lodi, and its American Viticultural Area sees more acreage of wine grapes planted than Napa Valley’s and Sonoma County’s AVAs combined.
Once derided as a jugwine region, Lodi also has a reputation for bold, fruitforward Zinfandels. However, wine grape growers have experimented over the decades and found Spanish varietals take quite well to Lodi’s hot summer days, cool breezy nights and sandy loam soil. These days, it’s not uncommon to drive past a vineyard with several acres dedicated to Tempranillo, Garnacha and Albariño.
A charming collection of boutiques, secondhand stores, restaurants and wine bars highlight Lodi’s reimagined downtown, while Lodi Lake brings the opportunity for kayaking, paddle boarding or wandering along nature trails.
A farmers market hosted by the city’s chamber of commerce takes place on Thursdays during the summer. Spread across multiple blocks in the heart of downtown, the market showcases a bounty of produce, artisanal cheeses and meats sourced from various points throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta.
Tucked in the northwest corner of the city, the Wine & Roses resort caters to decadence by offering a wealth of indulgent spa services in a serene setting, while a small airport four miles north provides a place to stash a private plane.
The city founded in 1906 also holds an iconic place in the annals of Americana’s fast food culture, as A&W Root Beer started in Lodi. Founder Roy W. Allen poured his first cup of from a walkup stand near the Missionstyle Lodi Arch on Pine Street a little more than 100 years ago. Though that stand is long gone — currently home to a boutique dog grooming salon — a plaque in the street commemorates the spot where the now internationally known brand first began.
Below are two properties worth considering, especially if you’re seeking an equestrian property with substantial acreage or something along the shore of the Mokelumne River. 1312 Rivergate Drive, Lodi Price: $1.425 million Features: Offering more than 4,300 square feet of living space, this fourbedroom twostory opens to a landscaped backyard with a pool, hot tub, outdoor kitchen and access to a private dock along the Mokelumne River, a placid, meandering waterway that’s great for kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and fishing. Though built in 1986, the home enjoys modern upgrades like solar panels, a new roof and a contemporary chef ’s kitchen equipped with Dacor appliances. The inviting owner’s suite includes a walkin closet, a sitting room and a private, covered terrace overlooking the backyard, as well as a spa bathroom with dual vanities, a rain head shower and soaking tub.
Listing agent: Janna Peterson Adams, Peterson Adams Real Estate, 2096257414, janna4 property@yahoo.com.
15944 E. Kettleman Lane, Lodi
Price: $3.995 million. Features: With its two barns, covered horse arena and a vet room with its own Xray machine, the estate known as Trinity Ranch South clearly stands out as an equestrian estate at first glance. However, a closer look reveals the listing’s more than 130 acres of land provides plenty of potential for someone looking to plant a Tempranillo vineyard or olive orchard. The house, barns and pool are powered mostly by solar panels, though the property is linked to the electrical grid as well. The home also includes a 60 kilowatt backup generator for emergencies. Anchoring it all is a threebedroom, threebathroom boasting gourmet kitchen and modern floor plan that segues to a pool patio accented by mature palm trees.
Listing agent: Sandy Ballou, California Outdoor Properties, 9162618162, sballou4@ gmail.com.