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Summer is prime time for tasting your way through Lodi’s wine country, where vineyards unfurl across the hills of Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. The biggest draw of the region is old vine zin, but the 550,000-acre American Viticultural Area or AVA is also awash in chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.
A scant hour east of the Bay Area, Lodi’s wineries offer all sorts of ways to sip and play — with tasting fees typically in the $10 range. Designate a driver, or hop aboard Lodi’s Sip Shuttle, which offers transportation to four wineries plus a lunch option ($55-$115; https://sipshuttle.com).
Meanwhile, here’s how to craft the perfect wine-tasting day trip to Lodi’s wine country.
Macchia
Town borders blur in Lodi, where many of the most enticing wineries actually lie in the tiny town of Acampo. Among them: Macchia, which means “the spot” in Italian. It’s a perfect spot to hang out for the day and play. The expansive lawn offers bocce and horseshoes, and guests pack picnics and lounge with a bottle of wine under the flowering fruit trees. Slip inside to the tasting bar ($10) for a lineup of award-winning wines, heavy on the zinfandels and Italian reds.
Details: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7099 E. Peltier Road, Acampo; www.macchiawines.com.
Viaggio Estate & Winery
Enter the nearby Viaggio Estate & Winery where an arch reads, “Where Your Journey to Forever Begins.” It feels as if you’ve been transported from the San Joaquin Valley to an Italian villa, whose property sprawls across 23 acres and down to the river banks of — OK, it’s the Mokelumne River, not the Arno, but it’s beautiful.
Pair your wine with oysters or pizza on Friday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. The winery deli offers cheese, crackers and other snacks daily, too.
Details: Open daily from 11 am. to 5 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. Fridays) at 100 E. Taddei Road, Acampo; 209-333-0431; www.viaggiowinery.com. Call ahead; the estate hosts private events that could affect other offerings.)
Michael David Winery
If you’re a zin lover, chances are high that you’ve sipped the popular Seven Deadly Zins, a blend of seven zins in one bottle. Welcome to Michael David wines. The David family has been involved in farming or winemaking in this region for the last 150 years. Sample a variety of wines ($10) in the tasting room, or opt for the lineup of five reserve wines ($15, which includes a keepsake glass) before playing bocce ball outside. Make reservations and you can enjoy those wines pond-side on the expansive grounds.
If you haven’t eaten yet, this is the perfect spot to do so. The breakfast and lunch menu offers locally sourced fare — from chicken and waffles to wood-fired prosciutto and arugula pizza — plus pies made from David family recipes.
They do special events here, too, including Comedylicious comedy and wine mash-up evenings ($25).
Details: Open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 4580 Highway 12, Lodi; https://michaeldavidwinery.com.
Oak Farm Vineyards
One more stop? Step inside the charming, modernized barn at Oak Farm Vineyards for a traditional tasting experience ($10) at the bar, where an illuminated OF sign cries out for Instagramming. Or opt for a private tasting experience ($30, appointment only) of library wines and charcuterie on the East Patio, where towering oak trees provide shade.
Details: Open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 23627 N. DeVries Road, Lodi; www.oakfarmvineyards.com.
