Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/859549
108 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 "Our approach in making this wine is traditional and hands-off; we want the natural richness and complexity of this historic vineyard to shine through," explains Akiyoshi. "When we talk about winemaking styles and managing vin - tages, there are really two different sides to consider here in Lodi: On one hand, you have old-vine Zinfandel, which has this genetic memory of a hundred years of weather that has tempered the vines, and it just does what it does; on the other hand, you have new vineyards that come into play where the vintages present themselves in very different ways, each vintage being unique." On the Subject of Vintage While the rainy winter and spring of 2017 gave California a much-needed respite from a crushing three-year drought, grape-growers statewide are cautiously excited about the 2017 vintage. Akiyoshi smiles when I ask for his opinion. " Every year the vines are reacting to something different, whether it is a rain event or poor set or something else. I used to say, 'Well, you know, if we were given a normal vintage. . .' and one of the twins reminded me that when it comes to weather, there's no such thing as normal. Which is true, so I stopped saying 'normal.'" He laughs. "In 2017 we've had an incredible rainy season, thankfully—and a big contrast to the last three years, where very droughty conditions created a struggle for us to get enough water to the vines—so we've seen a dramatic flush of growth. We have a wonderfully established canopy, and we are starting to see lignification of the shoots." Given that we are perusing the vineyards just before the Fourth of July, things are right on track. Lignification is an important shift in the physiological development of a grape vine during the growing season, signaling that energy is being redirected from vegetal growth to the ripening of the fruit. When you live and die by weather reports, every day has the potential to change a vintage. But, all things being equal, Akiyoshi confides that 2017 is shaping up to be a pretty spec - tacular year in Lodi. { lodi } Insights from a Winemaker Viticulture, enology and Lodi aren't the only obsessions of the LangeTwins winemaker. For many years, David Akiyoshi and his wife, Trisha, owned a restaurant in downtown Lodi (recently sold to make more time for actually enjoying food and wine). His tenure as a restaurateur, as well as a wine - maker, has honed his palate and given him some pointed insights to wine and food pairing. "For me, having a glass of wine with your meal is really about changing the pace of the day," explains Akiyoshi. "It's about taking the time to slow down and relax a little bit, because this is actually your reward. I've always said that wine speaks to you sotto voce—it's a quiet voice, and you really have to pay attention to hear it. Take away all the noise of the day with a nice glass in front of you—have a glass with a friend, with your spouse—and really just talk about it. It's a very different experience, and much more rewarding, too. "In regard to pairing, when you look at the wine- producing nations like Italy and France, the wines con - sumed and enjoyed with food are those that are made regionally. Regionality has a lot to do with the style of the wines they produce. That's where a lot of wine-and-food pairings originally came about—which is great—but at the same time this sometimes creates a barrier to wine enjoyment, because people feel like they are supposed to have this par ticular food with that par ticular wine for a par ticular experience. "It's actually more fun to be a rule-breaker than it is to follow the paradigm of wine-and-food pairing. And I think from that, you understand your palate more; that to me is more important for people to understand than the whole mythology of wine-and-food pairings." LangeTwins 2011 Centennial Zinfandel is the 105th vintage crafted from the celebrated Lewis Vineyard's old-vine Zinfandel. "It's actually more fun to be a rule-breaker than it is to follow the paradigm of wine-and- food pairing." —David Akiyoshi