Good times, cont.: Once upon a time (in 1998), Agustin Huneeus managed to board a couple dozen of the country's top sommeliers on a long flight to Chile, where this one shot was taken (from left): Roger Dagorn MS, Josh Wesson, Rob Constantino (Sante), Larry Stone MS, moi and Raj Parr. #sommelier #sommelierlife #randycaparoso

Speaking of giants: My restaurant career offered many opportunities to walk and talk with industry legends; such as Robert and Margrit Mondavi, who always availed themselves on the most personal level. Extraordinary, even by the standards of our industry, replete with geniality. Photo from a 1998 wine dinner in Honolulu. #sommelierlife #randycaparoso

In The Wine Makers Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPbSXgNUnim0wMLCGtSQ3), Marchelle's Greg La Follette and I taste and talk about Lodi wines from the oldest vines in the appellation, plus lots of Lodi history, terroir, viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking! #randycaparoso #ownrooted #lodiwinecountry #lodiwine #ancientvines #oldvines #zinfandel #cinsaut #carignan #winemakerspod #marchelle

Seems like almost a dream that just over a year ago I was in Hawaii, premiering my 450-page opus, "Lodi!" (buy or read all the great reviews on https://kitchencincopress.com). Much aloha to Chef Roy Yamaguchi, the old Island friends who came out to celebrate with me, and the vintners who flew from California to help talk "Lodi." Hawaii is a state that leaves an indelible mark on anyone who goes. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #lodiwinebook #randycaparoso #roysrestaurants #chuckfuruya

R.C. communicating with elongated Zinfandel over 100 years old. #randycaparoso

A little windy, and a lot rainy: among old vine Lodi Grenache between the deluges. Photo by Melinda Kearney. #randycaparoso #lodiwine

Places to go for last-minute Christmas shopping for the wine connoisseurs in your life: The "Lodi!" book (409 pages of authoritative text, over 400 photographs) is available for retail purchase at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center as well as local wineries such as Acquiesce, Bokisch, Harney Lane, Mettler Family, McCay, or Michael David. Reviews on https://kitchencincopress.com/reviews/?v=7516fd43adaa. #lodiwinebook #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #randycaparoso #randycaparosophotography

Places to go for last-minute Christmas shopping for the wine connoisseurs in your life: The "Lodi!" book (409 pages of authoritative text, over 400 photographs) is available for retail purchase at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center as well as local wineries such as Acquiesce, Bokisch, Harney Lane, Mettler Family, McCay, or Michael David. Reviews on https://kitchencincopress.com/reviews/?v=7516fd43adaa. #lodiwinebook #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #randycaparoso #randycaparosophotography

From 1 Wine Dude to another! Re https://kitchencincopress.com/1-wine-dude-friends-will-be-friends/?v=7516fd43adaa #lodiwinebook #LodiWine #randycaparosophotography #randycaparoso #lodiwinecountry #1winedude

From 1 Wine Dude to another! Re https://kitchencincopress.com/1-wine-dude-friends-will-be-friends/?v=7516fd43adaa #lodiwinebook #LodiWine #randycaparosophotography #randycaparoso #lodiwinecountry #1winedude

Early this morning in the icy cold 33-degree fog, doing what I do, taking photographs of ancient vines in their mysterious element. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #ownrooted #ancientvines #oldvines #randycaparosophotography #randycaparoso

Early this morning in the icy cold 33-degree fog, doing what I do, taking photographs of ancient vines in their mysterious element. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #ownrooted #ancientvines #oldvines #randycaparosophotography #randycaparoso

The message in my Bottom Line column in this month's SOMM Journal: Wine consumers are a lot smarter than what many of us in the wine trade think! #sommjournal #randycaparoso #winetrade #restaurantwine #restaurantindustry #sommelier #sommelierlife

The message in my Bottom Line column in this month's SOMM Journal: Wine consumers are a lot smarter than what many of us in the wine trade think! #sommjournal #randycaparoso #winetrade #restaurantwine #restaurantindustry #sommelier #sommelierlife

Caught in a more serious moment, presenting Lodi-grown ancient vine wines to visiting "global buyers" organized by California Institute this past November 4. Tegan Passalacqua and I are discussing Sandlands and Turley Wine Cellars wines from Kirschenmann Vineyard (where the truck was parked, Zinfandel planted on its own roots in 1915), along with a few other Lodi growths. #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #WineInstitute #ownrooted #ancientvines #oldvines #turleywine #sandlands #zinfandel #randycaparoso

Writes Catherine Fallis MS (Planet Grape's "Grape Goddess) on "Lodi!" (available at https://kitchencincopress.com or Amazon.com): "A 400 page masterpiece on one of the world’s most under-appreciated wine regions, Lodi, formerly known as “the mistress” of Napa Valley. With ten years of photo-journaling, a nose for quality and a passion for all things vinous, Randy Caparoso has created a lavish new template for regional wine books." #randycaparoso #randycaparosophotography #lodiwine

Last night, a phenomenal gathering of winemakers and growers in Victor (Lodi's east side), greeting Eben Sadie (with Melinda Kearney and myself at top left) of The Sadie Family, South Africa's most celebrated winery. At top right I am with Craig Haarmeyer, one of California's coolest winemakers; bottom right, with our generous host Tegan Passalacqua (Turley and Sandlands) #victorbookclub #sadiefamilywines #haarmeyerwinecellars #ownrooted #sandlands #turley #lorenzawine #lodiwine #randycaparoso

Madonna and Zinfandel; Cherryhouse Vineyard, west side of the Mokelumne River-Lodi appellation. #zinfandel #zinfandeladvocatesandproducers #harvest2022 #randycaparoso #winephotography #winewriter #winephotographyday #oldvines #lodiwine #winewriter #californiawine #randycaparosophotography #historicvineyard #historicvineyardsociety

Tegan Passalacqua (Turley and Sandlands) posted this the morning after our first box of "Lodi!" (https://kitchencincopress.com) arrived this past February 2022: "Congratulations to my friend, mentor, sommelier, wine writer and cultural historian @rcaparoso for releasing his amazing book on Lodi, its wines, vines and people." #randycaparoso #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry #ownrooted #lodibook #randycaparosophotography