Vino Piazza

Mokelumne Oaks Vintners:  This is a small winery producing wines from Lodi AVA grapes.  Winemaker Manual Tavares prides himself on wines made in the style of his homeland, Portugal. The winery is actually a co-op of local growers and currently offers a White Wine Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Cab-Shiraz, Old Vine Zin and a White Port. 

Pasos Vineyards:  Pasos specializes in Mediterranean style varietals based on their affinity for a similar climate to the Lodi area.  Included in that arena is a Sangiovese Dry Rose, Grenache Dry Rose, Lodi Viognier, Sierra Foothills White Rhone Blend and Lodi Dolcetto.  They also produce an Old Vine Lodi Zin as well as a Sierra Foothill Syrah.  The tasting room is beautifully done in an old Italian Villa style and decorated with fine art; well worth a stop in to do some tasting and exploring.

Stama Winery and Kapiniaris Vineyards:  The vineyards cover 200 acres in the Lodi area where Gus Kapiniaris has grown grapes for over 20 years but just released his first wines in 2005 from 2003 harvested grapes.  His origins in the Kalamata region of Greece are celebrated in the tasting room with the sale of great Olive Oils from that region of Greece.  The tasting room is beautifully done with 2 granite tasting bars, one of which is under the watchful guidance of the Kapiniaris family’s Greek patriarch, painted into a picture of the vineyards directly behind the bar.  The winery offers a very nice, well balanced Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, an Old Vine Zin as well as other Zins, a Syrah/Zin Blend and an unoaked Chardonnay.  This is a great place for a little taste of Greek culture and old-world style hospitality.

Watts Winery:  Although the Watts family has grown grapes near the Mokelumne River  for 4 generations, they didn’t produce their own wine until 1999.  They have been producing award winning wines ever since.  Their current wines are an Old Vine Zin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dos Amores, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Late Harvest Zin, Syrah Rose and Chardonnay.  The tasting room is beautifully decorated with paintings and lots of representations of their characteristic Irises that are prominent on all of the wine labels. 

In addition to the wineries you will find Gigolo’s Italian Bistro and Fox Tales Cellar Snack Bar & Banquet Facility.  The winery plaza offers many special events that include such things as comedy nights, art shows, release parties and much, much more. Check the Piazza's event calendar for more information. 

There are more improvements and exciting additions to the Piazza planned so take a trip up there, you won’t be disappointed.  Be sure to check the Vino Piazza website for the wine plaza first as the schedules of the different businesses are not the same.  Some are open just on weekends, others all week.  It’s a great trip, you won’t be disappointed.

Directions:  From Hwy 99 take Hwy 89 four miles east to Locke Road, turn left.  Vino Piazza is ½ mile on left.  For more information go to their website:  http://www.vinopiazza.com.