Pale gold color; melon, coconut, white peach, wet stone on the nose; lemon, pear, pineapple, peach on the palate.
Dry; virtually no tannins, excellent acidity (3.39 pH). Light-plus body. Nine months in neutral French and American oak with sur lie aging rounded this without adding significant oakiness. The certified sustainable vineyard is tucked along the edge of the Jahant Slough in the heart of the Jahant AVA. Musqué sauvignon blanc planted in 1997 in rolling terrain. With a size of 28,000 acres, 9,000 in vineyards, the Jahant AVA is the smallest of Lodi’s seven AVAs. Classic Mediterranean climate with Delta fog influence.
The 2021 vintage offered Lange Twins challenges as fruit matured sooner than normal for both red and white varieties. High temperatures made balancing brix—sweetness, fruitiness—and acidity an exacting chore. Lange Twins rose to the occasion, delivering a wine with intriguingly rich mouthfeel and deliciousness while achieving the acidity that is essential to quality sauv blanc character and food friendliness. Impressive balance. 13% ABV
Identical twins Randy and Bradford Lange brought generational tradition of wine growing to their winery and vineyards in 2005. Their story begins with the California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century, bringing their German ancestors to northern part of the San Joaquin Valley to grow wheat and watermelons. Wine grapes soon followed. Today, the twins are “guardians” over more than 67 vineyards in four of Lodi’s distinct sub-appellations and the Clarksburg appellation.
The family is passionate about sustainability, both in the vineyard and maintaining their family-focus on passing their land legacy generation to generation. They received the Leopold Conservation Award in 2006, BRIT’s International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing in 2014, and were named California Association of Winegrape Growers Grower of the Year in 2017.
Today, the twin’s children run the family operation. Not only have generations of Langes worked the land, there are third generations of family who have worked for the Lange twins and their children. They note: “We are generational. We do think generationally. We farm generationally. When my grandchildren are here, we go on walks. I think of my great-grandchildren and what they will do.”
LangeTwins participates with nakedwines, a marketing operation that supports smaller, family winemakers. Nakedwines helps fund the winemakers up front, then sell directly from the winemakers to customers. It is sort of a wine club, but with substantial difference, and worth investigating through the link below.
LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards Fume Blanc, Jahant Woods 01 Vineyard, Lodi 2021 delivers ripe, tangy, tasty sauvignon blanc fruit. Excellent acidity but avoids the sharpness of New Zealand SB and delivers a pleasing mouthfeel. Easy drinker, refreshing, not overly complex. Pair with shellfish; shrimp piccata, freshwater fish; lighter meats; summer salads, especially with some fruit accents; charcuterie board, again with fruit as part of the offerings; vegetarian fare. Cheese—goat cheese is the default with sauv blanc; goat milk cheddar, gouda, havarti, monterey jack, muenster, parmesan, swiss. $25
