Van Ruiten Vineyards – 57
Thursday, March 31st, 2005
Across the board, what I began to discover during my Lodi excursion is that more than a few decently-produced wines are being made on par with those in Napa and Sonoma. However, the price points of these wines tend to be considerably lower. It is thus that I present my findings on Van Ruiten Vineyards.
One of the many great experiences I am discovering about Lodi which has
thus far been remarkably different from "the bigger valleys," is the
propensity of the winery owners to be extremely accessible. Of the six
wineries I visited in one day, I met the owners of half of them. There
is no pretension whatsoever as even in his most crowded tasting room,
John Van Ruiten wandered in just to say hello…
The history is an intriguing one; John Van Ruiten arrived in Lodi from
Denmark just over fifty years ago after World War II and planted
Zinfandel grapes but it took those fifty years before Van Ruiten was
able to build his winery which was constructed just before the 2000 harvest. In general, the architecture, decor, and presentation of Van Ruiten is such that if it were to be plucked from its roadside location and place it against a small hillside in Sonoma, it would be right at home. But first you would have to double the price of the wines…
2002 Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County – Classic bright, fruit-forward offering with grapefruit and melon qualities. Mellowed a bit in that 50% of the wine saw some American oak. Pretty decent wine for $10.00
2002 Vioginer – Sweetened honeysuckle and distinct rose petal aromas do not prepare for the creamy apricot and tropical fruit flavors. $10.00
2002 Reserve Chardonnay – 40% of this wine was stored in French oak. Classic butterscotch bouquet gives way to a more elegant apricot. Surprising lemon peel finish punctuates with a bright note. $12.00
2001 Reserve Syrah – An opaque, magenta purple wine which is full-bodied and plummy. Enticingly spicy with a finish that was a tad hot with alcohol. Great flavors suggests that cellaring for five years would diminish the alcohol and expand the lovely spice. $12.00
2001 Cab-Shiraz Blend – 52% Cabernet and 48% Shiraz, an upfront aroma of jalapeno and green bell pepper did not anticipate the mouth entry of plummy dark fruit. A mid-palate of red cherry complements the secondary spicy notes. A surprisingly velvety finish. $15.00
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – More green bell pepper aromas also demonstrated earthy, green notes. 22 months in French oak provided some darker rich tannins in the black cherry mouthfeel. $15.00
2002 Petite Sirah – Layered, earthy bouquet also provided enticing floral notes and a hint of green herb. Exciting and concentrated, spiced include allspice and clove with a long, fabulous finish of oak, vanilla, and more dark cherry. What a great deal for the price! $18.00
2001 "Old Vine" Zinfandel - From 54-year old vines. Hues of cherry with hints of coffee. A very smooth, rich entry into the mouth with a port-like mid-palate. Full and rich, a touch of licorice on the finish. $18.00
2002 Late Harvest Zinfandel Reserve – Intense and concentrated dark fruit flavors including black raspberry, black berry, and black cherry. Touches of BBQ meat with a sweet, meaty finish. $20.00
Van Ruiten Family Winery ~ 340 West Highway 12 ~ Lodi ~ CA ~ 95242 ~ 209-334-5722