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Don's Lodi Red

Don's Lodi Red Wine Details
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Description: Carignane, Syrah, a splash of sweet Symphony and a dash of love are the main components of this wine, which was produced to honor and surprise our father, Don Phillips, on his 75th birthday. This is an atypical blend of red and white wines, with lovely fruity characteristics of Symphony added in order to please Don's amiable palate. This is an easy-drinking, everyday, great quality, red table wine. Or, in the words of Wine Today.com, the three stars Lodi Red is "a great quaff at a bargain price."

Varietal Definition
Carignane:
Carignane is one of the world’s most prolific wine varieties. Thriving in warm climates, Carignane was until the late 1970s, the most widely-planted red variety in California. Hailing from Aragon, Spain, this grape is capable of deeply-colored, extracted and tannic wines of considerable alcohol. It is a late-budder and does not ripen until late in the season. Highly prone to mildew disease, it requires long, dry growing conditions. It is often used as a blending component with other, more anemic, hot-climate varieties, like Grenache and Cinsault, which typically lack the deep pigment and extract which Carignane brings to the blend.
Syrah:
Syrah is the eight hundred pound gorilla of Rhone grapes! In the vineyard and the winery, Syrah is typically an easy grape to work with - healthy, early ripening, resistant to mildew and rot; suitable for winemaking in a variety of styles. The wines from Syrah are tannic without being harsh. The wines will have a taste and smell of dark blue fruit like blackberries and blackcurrant, with a strong spicy side where one can find freshly ground pepper and other spices. Syrah is famous for its part in the French blends, such as Côtes du Rhone and Châteauneuf du Pape.
Symphony:
The Symphony Grape was developed in California in the 1960's by Dr. Olmo at U.C. Davis. It is a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris. The fragrances and pleasant fruit flavors make it suitable for a white wine.


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