Centennial Zinfandel
What is the name of the vineyard that Centennial Zinfandel is from?
- The Centennial Zinfandel is from the Lewis Vineyard.
Who is the farmer of the vineyard?
- Charlie Lewis is the farmer of the vineyard
How is the LangeTwins family connected to Charlie Lewis?
- Johann and Maria Lange emigrated from Germany to Lodi, California in the 1870s with their son, Albert. The family established their agricultural roots through the cultivation of non-irrigated watermelons and then in 1916, the addition of winegrapes. Wishing to share farming expertise, Albert sought out and developed a working relationship with George Lewis, a like-minded Lodi winegrower and neighbor. The farmers’ long friendship evolved into a family connection which celebrated their hardworking way of life, as well as the simple joys of vacations together at the lake. Albert’s grandsons, Randall and Bradford, have continued the generational friendship with the Lewis Family. Today, Charlie, George’s son, still actively farms the historic Lewis vineyard, exclusively for the Centennial Zinfandel.
What year was the vineyard planted?
- The vineyard was planted in 1903.
What Appellation is the vineyard located in?
- Mokelumne River, Lodi.
What is the size of the vineyard?
- The vineyard spans 26 Acres.
Is the vineyard own rooted?
- Yes, the vineyard is rooted.
How is the vineyard farmed and is it part of a certification program?
- The Lewis Vineyard is sustainably farmed and is Lodi Rules Certified.
What are some challenges the vineyard faces?
- Water Availability. The vineyard is drip irrigated now, but it was dry-farmed, and the water table has significantly dropped. Having water at the right time of the year is going to become ever more important. The cost of staying in business when farming a vineyard that yields 3-4 ton in relation to the price per ton for winegrapes is challenge as well. Also, most notably, Vine Mealybug, which are vectors for Red Blotch and Leaf Roll 3.
Does all the fruit from the 8.26 acres go into the Centennial Zinfandel?
- Yes, all the fruit goes to the Centennial.
When did you begin making wine from this vineyard?
- Our first vintage of Centennial Zinfandel was 2009, however, only those vintages which are of exceptional quality are bottled. To date we have bottled 2009, 2010, and 2014 vintages. The upcoming vintage is 2017.
What thoughts does the winemaker, David Akiyoshi, have about the vineyard?
- The Lewis zinfandel vines carry the wisdom of the ages by surviving for over 100 years, through all the fluctuation of weather from rain to drought, freezing cold winters to hot summer days. In every vintage, the vines persevered with its singular goal of ripening sweet berries for harvest. The 100-year-old vines seem to intuitively know how much vigor and energy to expend to create the foliage and how much fruit to ripen for each season.
Shop our 2014 Centennial Zinfandel
