On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .

12 Tasty Wines

As I have said, after we visited the Lodi W.O.W. museum, Mama Syd graciously took the kiddos so we could go wine tasting with Aunt Cristie.  A transplanted Lodi-an and wine club member, she knows all the best spots and is always up for an adventure.  Off we went.

A visit was made to her favorite place first, Jessie’s Grove and we tasted a few (give or take . . .) of their finest wares in the cozy little pump house-turned-tasting room.

From there we went in search of a place to sit per Jac’s request.  Late in the afternoon, most places were closing/closed and we wondered if we should cut our tasting short this trip.  But then! Lucky day! We had just happened to pick up a local magazine covering the top 10 sandwiches in the county.  On the list was a cafe/winery that was open until 9.  To the Dancing Fox we headed!

Are we ever glad we did! The restaurant was like something out of Narnia or the Shire (if you don’t know what that is, stop reading now and go get The Fellowship of the Ring and start reading NOW.) with open beams, candle chandeliers, hanging tapestries and large, romantic tables.  If you ever go to the Dancing Fox, I heartily recommend the Fox Trot sandwich.  Follow it up with a stop in at the tasting bar.  If you’re lucky, you’ll get a spot on one of the 6 stools. Then Greg, the owner and wine maker, will fill your glass again and again and again and tell you all about his beautiful land and the wonderful grapes and his nice family.

Whatever you do, don’t say the wine is tasty.  You’ll get laughed at.  Instead, say something like “It is a virtual fruit bomb in the mouth.” It’s what’s on the tasting menu, you’ll sound smart instead of half tilted, if you know what I mean.

We came away with 2 bottles of wine – Cherry Blossom made of 100% local bing cherries and Faun’s Folly from 2006.  If you’re lucky, you’ll be at our place when those corks come out.

You want to know a secret?  I’m pretty sure we tasted more than 12 wines between our two visits.  But it’s Christmas and who’s counting?

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