Bokisch Vineyards has carved a niche in the Lodi winery landscape.
Over the past 20-plus years, Liz and Markus Bokisch have built a legion of followers driven to their award-winning red, white and sparkling wines made from Spanish grape varieties that have flourished in their certified-sustainable, estate vineyards that bask beautifully in Lodi’s Mediterranean climate.
Their choice to craft Spanish wines was a nod to Markus Bokisch’s Spanish heritage on his mother’s side (his father was German). Markus brought Spanish wine grape cuttings to California and planted them in Lodi to start his vineyard management company and the couple’s eponymous winery, Bokisch Vineyards.
Though rightly considered pioneers of Spanish wine grape growing and Spanish-style winemaking in California, Liz and Markus expanded their portfolio by launching a passion project, Tizona by Bokisch, a brand of wines made exclusively from French varieties.
Tizona was the sword renowned Castilian knight, El Cid, wielded during battle in the 11th Century. Tizona wines symbolize the Bokisch’s pursuit to showcase some of their favorite cutting-edge French varieties.
Their passion project does beg the question: “What in the heck are the Bokisches doing messing around with French wine grape varieties?”
Well, it turns out, Markus started his winemaking career in the Napa Valley focused entirely on French varieties. Liz lived for a year in Montpellier, France, in the heart of Languedoc-Roussillon, where she fell in love with French varieties.
The couple met at UC Davis and eventually lived in Spain, where Markus worked in the wine industry and Liz taught English. They spent their down time exploring wine regions in France and Spain in their 1967 Volkswagen bus that you can see at their winery on Atkins Road in Lodi.
So, their passion project, Tizona, makes perfect sense.
Here is the lineup:
2020 Tizona Syrah ($36)
This is the second release of their estate syrah from the Sisu vineyard, the first vineyard Markus and Liz planted on Liz’s family estate in Lincoln. This wine has complex flavors of cranberry, spruce and ripe fig. Best enjoyed fireside with your closest friends and with seared duck breast with fig and port sauce.
2022 Tizona Cinsaut ($36)
Their first cinsaut is sourced from the Bechthold vineyard in Lodi, planted in 1886 by Joseph Spenker, whose descendants own Jessie’s Grove winery in Lodi. This wine grape is a noted player in red blends and rosès in the Rhone Valley and Provence. Cinsaut has aromas and flavors in the red berry spectrum (raspberries, cherries) backed with delicate floral notes and hints of spice. It’s wonderful with foods that call for a lighter red.
2020 Tizona La Colada Bordeaux Blend ($36)
Malbec, petit verdot and cabernet sauvignon come together to create a dark, inky blend with fervent aromas of licorice, pepper and orange that melt into a long, bright finish. Liz suggests pairing with espresso spice rubbed flat iron steak.
2020 Tizona Petit Verdot ($36)
Petit verdot is one of Bordeaux’s five noble varieties. This wine is purple in the glass and purple on the taste buds, think plums, blueberries. It’s rich, deep, dark and serious, kinda like Keanu Reeves in the “Matrix.”
2023 Picpoul Blanc ($28)
Shucking oysters? Peeling shrimp? Sautèing flounder? Any dish that needs a squeeze of citrus, such as the aforementioned delicacies, goes beautifully with this crisp white. Picpoul translates to “lip stinger” due to its high, refreshing acidity. Picpoul blanc is more common in the Rhone and Languedoc. But you don’t have to travel that far to enjoy a bottle. It’s right here in Lodi.
Bokisch Vineyards’ portfolio of Iberian-variety wines are: Tempranillo Family Estate (Las Cerezas Vineyard), Rosado Family Estate (Las Cerezas Vineyard – rosé blend of Tempranillo and Graciano), Albariňo Family Estate, Graciano Family Estate, Sparkling Rosado, Sparkling Albariňo, Graciano (Terra Alta Vineyard), Tempranillo (Liberty Oaks Vineyard), Albariňo (Terra Alta Vineyard), Reserva Spanish Blend, Trencadis White, Rosado (Terra Alta Vineyard), Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), Garnacha Blanca, Graciano (Terra Alta Vineyard), and Tempranillo Gran Reserva.
In addition to great wine, Liz and Markus are avid foodies. Their delicious wines are crafted to pair with delicious food. In fact, Liz offers recipes and pairing ideas on her lifestyle blog, Liz’s Kitchen. Check it out at LizBokisch.com.
All of Bokisch Vineyards’ wines are certified by the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing program. You can find Bokisch Vineyards wines in their tasting room at 18921 Atkins Road in Lodi, or at select retail outlets, including the Lodi Wine Visitor Center (2545 W. Turner Road, Lodi), or on line at Bokischvineyards.com.