Who are these Bad Boys? They are three new wines Macchia plans to release at their party in November: an Amador County Barbera, “Infamous”, a Lodi Petite Sirah “Rebellious”, and an Amador County Zinfandel, “Notorious”.

Oh, there I go getting ahead of myself. Let me first introduce you to the owners of Macchia, Tim and Lani Holdener who opened their winery in 2001. This boutique winery is family oriented as all members lend a hand in making it happen. Their daughter, Tanya, is the Wine Club Manager, their son, Jonathan, Assistant Wine Maker (who will be making a Zinfandel “Ambitious” this year) and their youngest son, Tyler, who is either helping or keeping himself entertained. This family began their winery with the simple philosophy to discover and select only the best fruit required to produce fine wines. Tim has been very successful with this, having selected fruits from many of California’s “Best Spots” creating wines of distinction. Macchia is Italian for the spot and if you are looking for a place that offers romance, atmosphere and tranquility with great wines to enjoy, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re a veteran Macchia wine drinker, you are already acquainted with their recognizable unique descriptions naming each of their wines with an “ous” adjective. However, if you’re not familiar with this unique marketing distinction, I will enlighten you.

Macchia names each of their wines with an “ous” adjective. This begins with careful thought and consideration that describes the wine in the bottle. Tim and Lani put a great deal of thought into choosing the numerous adjectives. Customers from far and near have submitted their suggestions for consideration to become the next name used on the label of a Macchia wine. I might add to date they have over 20 different adjectives to grace the labels of their wines. Below are some examples of some names they chose and why.

Bodacious = Petite Sirah, California. This Petite Sirah was full body in every since of the word.
Amorous = Sangiovese, Lodi. Since Sangiovese is Italy’s everyday drinking wine and their main ingredient to Chianti and Italy is known for love ... it felt right to call this wine Amorous.
Dangerous = Port, Amador County, Linsteadt Vineyard. We felt this Port was so good that you may want to drink it all in one night (by yourself). We just wanted to warn you .... This might be Dangerous.

Now that you understand Macchia’s naming of their wines, let’s find out a little more about their Bad Boys: Rebellious, Notorious and Infamous.

Macchia is proud to release a Lodi Petite Sirah. While this Petite Sirah is made in the Big, well-extended Macchia style, what stands out is the amazing balance in the wine, the fruit, the acids, the oak, the flavors all come together to produce an extremely smooth classic Lodi Petite Sirah.

A Rebel without a Cause? This farmer, Todd Maley, is Rebellious with a Cause. Growers typically try to get as much fruit on their vines as possible because they are paid by the ton. Not so with Todd. He started this financial sacrifce about 6-7 years ago to focus on the quality rather than the quantity. Some of Todd’s farming practices include holding back water to restrict the canopy to add stress. Thus you concentrate the flavors in the grape by watering less. More sunlight on the grapes makes for a darker color, less mildew and more balanced wine. These characteristics also show up in our Maley Zinfandel “Voluptuous” as well, that sells out early each year. Todd also makes wines under the “Maley Brother’s” label. His wines can be found in local Lodi stores.

This vineyard is Notorious for producing award-winning wines! Macchia plans their 2005 version of D’Agostini Zinfandel to also be an award winner. The Winemaker, Tim, says he relishes the opportunity to work with this amazing fruit. “I’ve always enjoyed the Zinfandel wines produced from this vineyard. Its always has been one of my favorites.”

The farmer, Tony D’Agostini, owns approximately 30 acres of dry-farmed, Zinfandels dating back to the 1920’s. Tony says, “Prune late, pick late to insure the balance of your acids and sugars.” Tony’s father came straight from Italy and started farming in the Shenandoah Valley. Tony makes a small amount of wine himself...as he says, “I like to drink wine, but I don’t like to buy it.”

The Cooper family has been growing premium Barbera grapes for a long time. Macchia is proud to be a part of the select group working from this famous vineyard. The rich, ripe, intense flavors that come from these head-trained vines compliments Macchia’s home style perfectly. So, if you enjoy handcrafted, big mountain wines that are loaded with flavor, make sure to try this Infamous Barbera.

This vineyard is Infamous for producing quality fruit. The Coopers have six-generations of family farming history of several different varietals. They currently have over 60 acres of vine- yards, and over a dozen different varieties. The farmer, Dick Cooper, also produces wine from this vineyard. His winery, “Cooper Vineyards”, is open Friday – Sunday, 11:00 to 5:00. Dick says, “Barbera is like a stern task-master, and a fickle girlfriend...because it is never predicable from year to year. Sometimes you don’t have the right cards in your hands, and you have to make adjustments.