23rd Annual Wine & Chocolate Weekend returns February 7-9, 2020
Lodi, CA, November 26, 2019 – Lodi’s beloved Wine & Chocolate Weekend returns on February 7-9, 2020, to celebrate its 23rd year. The weekend is the perfect opportunity to sip a diverse selection of handcrafted Lodi wines and sample delicious sweet and savory chocolate bites while visiting nearly 50 wineries in the Lodi Appellation.
New to 2020 are intimate and exclusive Friday night dinners hosted at select wineries. Kick off the weekend with the winemakers at either Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards, m2 Wines, McCay Cellars or St.Amant Winery. Each will provide a delicious wine-paired dinner and the opportunity to sample rare or reserve wines. Experiences include roasted fennel and apple salad with house-made gnocchi in brown butter and duck confit at Acquiesce and a winemaker-led vertical tasting of vintage ports from the past 30 years at St.Amant. Further details regarding the Friday night dinner experiences may be found at lodiwineandchocolate.com. Tickets for each dinner are extremely limited and expected to sell out quickly.
There will be no shortage of festivities during Saturday and Sunday’s Grand Tasting Tours. The lineup includes live music by The Ryan Hernandez Band at Oak Farm Vineyards, Blues Mechanix at Stama Winery, DJ Rodriguez at Jessie’s Grove Winery, and Phil & da Pinots at Barsetti Vineyards, among others. Food delicacies include truffles and jalapeño chocolate by Capital Confections at Cabana Winery, meatballs with chocolate habañero Zinfandel port reduction at Macchia, homemade chocolate-covered popcorn at Peirano Estate Vineyards, a decorate-your-own-cookie bar at PRIE Winery, chocolate-dipped linguica at St. Jorge Winery, and so much more. Many wineries will have unique vendors and artists on-site and will be offering special wine discounts as well as savory food for sale. For a complete listing of activities and offerings, visit lodiwineandchocolate.com.
“Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend provides a fantastic opportunity to explore our wineries and sample a diverse range of wines in a fun and festive atmosphere,” said Stuart Spencer, Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. “Most importantly, the weekend allows for multiple chances to connect with our winegrowers and vintners.”
Ticket holders to the tours can look forward to receiving a one-ounce custom tin filled with 61% gourmet dark chocolate from The San Francisco Chocolate Company – this year’s official chocolate partner. For the lucky participant who finds the “golden ticket” sticker on their chocolate treat awaits a weekend getaway to Lodi’s ZinFest Wine Festival in May of 2020.
Tickets for all events are now on sale and can be purchased online at lodiwineandchocolate.com. Tickets to any of Friday’s Winery Dinner Experiences are $100 per person and include wine tasting, dinner, a chocolate treat from The San Francisco Chocolate Factory, and entertainment (if applicable). A two-day ticket to Saturday and Sunday’s Grand Tasting Tours is $65 in advance and $75 on Saturday. Sunday only tickets may be purchased for $45 in advance or on Sunday. Tickets to Saturday and Sunday’s Grand Tasting Tours include a commemorative wine glass and a chocolate treat from The San Francisco Chocolate Factory, a brochure, wine tasting, entertainment, and admission to all participating wineries. There is no charge or ticket required for designated drivers to Saturday and Sunday’s Grand Tasting Tours. All attendees, including designated drivers, must be 21 years of age or older to attend.
About The San Francisco Chocolate Factory
Passionate about chocolate and determined to deliver a product produced from the finest cocoa beans sourced worldwide, The San Francisco Chocolate Factory (TSFCF) was founded in 1999 as a family business, by Michael Litton who, today, serves as the company’s CEO.
Since then, while the company has grown, it has not lost sight of its mission: A passion for and desire to provide quality chocolate for all and love and support of the local community.
Introduced in 2001, the Wine Lover’s Collection by TSFCF featured discs of gourmet dark chocolate in six varying percentages, all wrapped in sleek tins. The trend-setting collection was one of the first on the market to specifically pair wine and chocolate in such a distinct fashion. Still considered as the best on the market, today’s collection has grown to include milk and white chocolate offerings – each accompanied by a suggested wine pairing. Each pairing is taste-tested and endorsed by an in-house sommelier. The San Francisco Chocolate Factory also offers a robust, custom tin program – perfect for corporate and promotional clients as well as weddings and retailers.
The San Francisco Chocolate Factory is proud to continue its mission of providing excellent chocolate and supporting the local community by partnering with Lodi Wine for its annual Lodi Wine and Chocolate Weekend in February of 2020. For further information on TSFCF, visit thesanfranciscochocolatefactory.com.
About the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA)
Established in 1986, the Lodi AVA is the most diverse winegrowing region in the United States, cultivating more than 125 winegrape varieties in a classic Mediterranean climate. Located 40 miles south of Sacramento and 90 miles east of San Francisco, the region is composed of seven smaller sub-AVAs whose distinct contrasts in soils, topographies, and subtle climate differences contribute to unique, handcrafted wines from 85 wineries.
Lodi is a leader when it comes to sustainable viticulture. Established in 1992 as an integrated pest management program and certified in 2005, LODI RULES is America’s first 3rd-party-certified sustainable winegrowing program and has received significant recognition over the years, having been awarded the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) in 2006 and again in 2014. Today, there are more than 51,000 certified acres in Lodi, across California, and in Israel. For more information about the Lodi wine region and LODI RULES, visit lodiwine.com and lodirules.org.
For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Kela Driggs at Calhoun & Company Communications at 415-346-2929 or kela@calhounwine.com.
