Warm Days & Cool Nights

Lodi sits on the edge of the San Francisco Bay; where cool evening temperatures moderate the summer's sun as cooling breezes drawn off the Pacific Ocean venture through the Golden Gate, up the Carquinez Straights, and into the Lodi Appellation. The Zinstar vineyard is unique in developing full ripe flavors at low sugars. Thus, avoiding high alcohol and overripe jammy wines. This results in balanced, food friendly wines that evolve with time. All of Zinstar's wines are aged in French Oak barrels, from five coopers, for 11 to 16 months and bottle aged for up to three years prior to release. How often does one have the opportunity to taste wines with bottle time? A visit to the Lucas Winery will provide this unique opportunity.

Our Chardonnay wines reflect the three vineyards located a “stones throw” from Zinstar. In order to understand the characteristics, which we feel truly reflect the Lodi Appellation; we discovered these vineyards by tasting the fruit at harvest. If you are with us, popping the fresh grapes in your mouth, you will note flavors of lemon-lime from one vineyard, Pippin Apple in the other, and Bartlett pear in the third. These three vineyards come together to provide a wine that reflects their crisp and lively flavors; with a slight hint of barrel fermentation in new French Oak. Our goal is to create a Chardonnay that will continue to age gracefully with time.