any times in the wine industry, someone brings in a truckload of money and literally buys their way into wine without really understanding what it takes to make wines that people want to drink. Fortunately for us, lodi wineries have taken a different path. Most wineries in the region can trace their lineage back several generations, with growers who understand that quality wines begin in the vineyard. A prime example of this is Michael-David Vineyards, here brothers Michael and David Phillips, themselves 5th generation growers, have built a winery from here it needs to begin in the vineyard.

Farming runs in the family

Beginning in the 1860s, the ancestors of today's Phillips family began farming in the Lodi region, realizing that the combination of warm days and cool nights, along with rich soil and abundant water sources were perfect for many crops. The family grew, prospered, and established a reputation for groing quality and diverse produce. Among these items were grapes for wine. The family added acreage, bit by bit, and became known for their grapes. Michael and David's father, Don, as known for the ingenuity of his farming in the region (Don has been honored for all he did for agriculture by being selected into the San Joaquin Agricultural Hall of Fame). Don instilled the knoledge and hard work it takes to grow high quality grapes into his children. When Mike came into the family business, he entertained the idea of making wine in addition to being a grower. After making wine at home for family enjoyment, Mike took the plunge in 1984 ith the first commercial vintage. The wine met with success, and with Brother David joining the enterprise after college, sloly began building the production of wine from their vineyards.

The first big hit from the brothers as Symphony, a grape developed for the warmer climate of the interior valleys at UC Davis in the 1950s. This white grape is a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris, which gives a fruity, slightly sweet wine. They also produced several other wines from the grapes on the 350 acres of vines, including Chardonnay, Merlot and, of course, Zinfandel. A handful of years ago, they hit upon an idea of combining Zinfandel from 7 local vineyards, which would combine the best of the subtle variations in the fruit from the different vineyards. After making the wine, the brothers knew they had a winner, but what to call this wine? It needed a name people ould remember so they could buy it repeatedly. They decided upon "7 Deadly Zins", which highlights each of these seven sins in a tongue-and- cheek tribute. The wine caught the attention of the critics, and the public loved the whimsy inspired by the label.

The rest is history as it grew to be one of the hottest brands in the country. This also gave way to a contrasting wine, "7 Heavenly Chards", which features Chardonnay aged in barrels from 7 different coopers (or barrel makers) for 7 months. They have also introduced Incognito, which features Rhone varieties, 6th Sense Syrah, Earthquake (which includes Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet and Syrah), as well as a long line of wines in the Michael-David and windmill labels. While each of these labels may have its on sense of irreverence and whimsy, the wine in the bottle is very serious. The family has shown that great wine can be grown and produced in Lodi. Over the last 5 years, Michael-David family of wines has lead the wave in the Lodi revolution in the wine industry, winning countless Gold and Double Gold medals, as ell as numerous Best of Class and Best of Show aards.

One cannot live by wine alone

Even ith all of the success of the wines, the Phillips family realizes that they have deep roots in a wide swath of agriculture. The produce market draws in scores of people daily, especially during the height of tomato season, here the family has lead the way in the heirloom tomato revival. In addition the annual Pumpkin Patch, where kids of all ages can find that perfect orange gourd to slice and dice into the scariest of jack-o-lanterns is so incredibly popular. The Phillips farm also includes animals, including pigs, geese, ducks, goats, lambs, turkeys and rabbits. All of these items, flora and fauna, attract field trips from regional schools so children can learn and appreciate the contribution of agriculture in the Golden State while also becoming aware perhaps for the first time how agriculture adds to the quality of life within our community. The family and staff have plenty of events for adults, too. The most notable of these is the annual Reggae and Rhone celebration, which offers great Michael-David wines from Rhone varietals, great food and Red Di the reggae band of national renown.

On an everyday basis, both kids and adults can enjoy the café, open daily for breakfast and lunch from 7:30am to 2:00 pm during the week and 3:00 pm on weekends. Morning fare features some of the best and biggest omelets for miles around, while lunch has sandiches, hamburgers and salads, along with such favorites as Taco Tuesday. And, just when you think you can't have any more, to satisfy the sweet tooth, fresh made bakery goods abound, including the famous from scratch pies. These pies include peach, apple, and grape (my personal favorite - if you've never tried it, you don't know what you're missing).

The future is bright

Even with all that the family has going, they are still looking to the future. Michael's son, Kevin (a sixth-generation member) is vineyard manager. The winemaking staff has an international flair, including members from France and South Africa, and a vineyard assistant from Romania. The international nature of the wine business today means find the right people, no matter where in the world, is key, and the Phillips recognize this fact of life today.

Michael-David family of wines are now available in all 50 states, Canada, China, Sitzerland and Denmark, and the family is still looking to expand sharing their wine in an even wider world. With production ell over 100,000 cases, they have the supply of quality wines for a global market. Ne wines will be coming out in the coming months, including another Zinfandel called "Lust" and a Cabernet called "Rapture".

Yet, even with everything the family has accomplished, they still realize that it is hard work and steardship of the land that are the cornerstones to their lives. With this kind of thinking, there is no doubt that the family will continue to thrive and share the fruit of their wares, be it in a pie or a glass, for generations to come