Bokisch was the second winery we visited during our tour of the Lodi Wine region, and we were pleasantly surprised at its location on the crest of a small hill overlooking a vast vineyard. While the majority of Lodi vineyards are planted on the flat sandy soil of the Delta, Bokisch is located in the Clement Hills AVA. Here the elevation can range from 100 to 450 feet above sea level, and provides beautiful views of undulating hills covered with vineyards and wildflowers.
Liz Bokisch welcomed us, and we followed her to a beautiful outdoor seating area of bright red patio furniture with red sun umbrellas to match. The view of the rolling hills was stunning, and we caught our breath at the magnificent 80 acre Terra Alta Vineyards spread out in front of us, with massive oak trees dotted throughout. As it was a cool Spring day during the Covid-era, we wore both coats and masks as we relaxed back into the comfortable sofa.
“Welcome to Bokisch,” said Liz. “My husband Markus will join us soon, but please try a glass of our Albarino wine.”
We gladly accepted because we knew of Bokisch Winery’s fame as producing Spanish grape varieties, such as Albarino and Tempranillo. They were even the first winery in America to plant the Graciano grape. As we sipped the delicious wine, Liz described the story of the winery.
Liz Bokisch, Co-Owner of Bokisch Winery
The Story of Bokisch Winery
“Markus and I met at UC-Davis, and then decided to move to Spain and tour around in our Volkswagen bus. It was there that we fell in love with Spanish wine and food. So when we came back to the US in 1995, we decided to plant a small 3-acre vineyard of Albarino, Tempranillo and Graciano. We named it the Las Cerezas Vineyard.”
Eventually they purchased more land, built the winery, and started making wine in the year 2000. Today the 80-acred Terra Alta Vineyard, which is located in front of the winery tasting room, is also planted to Albarino, Tempranillo and Graciano. But the Bokisch’s didn’t stop there with their love of Spanish varieties, because they soon planted other vineyards with Garnacha Blanca, Verdejo, Garnacha and Monastrell. More recently, they started a second label, Tizona, and purchase grapes to produce Old Vine Zin, Malbec, Rose, and Petit Verdot.
Today Bokisch is very famous for its award-winning Spanish varietal wines, and hosts thousands of visitors throughout the year who visit from the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, and beyond. They produce around 6000 cases of wine per year, selling 75% directly to consumers, with the rest going to select restaurants, wine shops and other retail establishments.
A Delicious Lunch and Wine-Tasting at Bokisch
Over the course of the next hour, we were able to taste 10 different Bokisch wines and pair them with a delicious lunch of organic greens, creamy burrata cheese, prosciutto, Jamon, fruit, and freshly baked bread. We found that the Albarino paired beautifully with the salad and burrata, whereas the tempranillo seemed to fall in love with the Jamon and prosciutto. We also discovered that Liz is an expert in Spanish cuisine from the Catalan region of Spain, and has a food blog on this very topic, called Liz’s Kitchen.
Though all of the wines were delicious, some of the highlights of the tasting for me were:
- Bokisch 2019 Albarino Terra Alta Vineyard (Clements Hills AVA) – brimming with mineral, apple, and lemon. Wow – like being in Spain.
- Bokisch 2019 Albarino Family Estate Las Cerezas Vineyard (Mokelumne River AVA) – exhibiting ripe pear, apple, and honey. A rounder mouthfeel with crisp acidity.
- Bokisch 2019 Picpoul – like drinking a lemon-lime popsicle. Light, delicious and fun!
- Bokisch 2017 Tempranillo Jahant AVA – Enticing rose floral nose with rich raspberry, cherry, violets and earth on palate; soft seductive tannins and long finish. 18 months on 15% new French/American Oak. A true crowd pleaser.
- Bokisch 2017 Graciano Family Estate Las Cerezas Vineyard (Mokelumne River AVA) – a complex wine with violets and mixed berry nose, followed by dense black cherry, lavender, and dark cocoa, sandalwood, and earth on palate; fine-grained tannins, and long elegant finish.
Visit Bokisch Winery and Picnic with Tapas in the Vineyards
Bokisch is open on the weekends from 11am to 5pm, each day. During the Covid-era, online reservations are required, but visitors are allowed to schedule a picnic in the vineyard with Tapas to pair with the exquisite wines. The winery is only 15 minutes from downtown Lodi, and is pet-friendly.
