For the second consecutive year, Bokisch Vineyards is the first American winery to receive a Gold Medal in the Grenaches du Monde, International Grenache Competition. In 2018, Bokisch was awarded Gold for their 2016 Garnacha Blanca and again this year for their 2018 Garnacha Blanca. Bokisch Vineyards is not only the first, but the only American winery to participate in the competition which had 869 wines from 6 countries (France, Spain, Italy, Chile South Africa and the United States). This year the competition was held in Roussillon, France. Only 177 Gold medals were awarded in the competition for all categories: Spain-141, France-86, Italy-43, South Africa-1, and USA-1. The judges consisted of 80 wine professionals coming from 15 countries. “I’m honored to have our wines recognized along with the top world producers of Grenaches,” exclaims Markus Bokisch, owner of Bokisch Vineyards, “It is a testament to the high level of quality of our grapes and the winemaking coming out of the Lodi area.”
Markus Bokisch is a leader in the wine industry for pioneering Iberian varieties in California. He farms 27 acres of Grenache and 9 acres of Grenache Blanc within the Lodi Appellation in addition to 40 acres of Albariño, 36 acres of Tempranillo, 31 acres of Graciano, 24 acres of Verdelho, 11 acres of Monastrell, and 6 acres of Verdejo. In 2019, Bokisch Vineyards was awarded the Lodi Winery of the Year by the Visit Lodi Conference Center and Visitor’s Bureau for their contributions to promoting the area.
About the Grenache Du Monde Wine Competition
In 2013, the Professional Council of Roussillon Wines organized the first competition for this high-quality grape variety. With its roots in Roussillon, Grenaches du Monde has since become itinerant. Each year the event is hosted by different world renowned Grenache-producing regions. Over the years, the event has become the world’s most important annual meeting for professionals in the wine industry focused entirely on Grenache. In 2019, they hit a record of 869 wines from 6 countries. For more information on the competition: https://www.grenachesdumonde.com
About Bokisch Vineyards: Past, Present and Future
Markus and Liz Bokisch lived and worked in the Spanish wine business in the early 1990s due to Markus’s family roots. When they returned home they purchased a Lodi vineyard property in 1995 and produced their first wine in 2000. Presently, the Bokisch Vineyards label produces 9 Iberian varietal wines: Albariño, Rosado, Garnacha Blanca, Verdejo, Garnacha, Verdelho, Tempranillo, Graciano and Monastrell. In 2014, they produced their first vintage of Gran Reserva of Tempranillo which was barrel-aged for 3 years and will be bottle-aged for another 3 years before release in 2020. In 2015, they introduced a new label, “Tizona by Bokisch”, which now carries limited-production wines in unique styles such as Petit Verdot, Malbec, Old Vine Zinfandel, and Late Harvest Graciano. In 2018, they introduced “Bokisch Family Estate” to highlight the Las Cerezas Vineyard, their “Mother Block” of their Spanish varietal collection: Albariño, Tempranillo and Graciano. Bokisch Vineyards wines are all Certified Green under the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing Practices, the California leader in sustainable viticulture certification. For more information: www.bokischvineyards.com/trade
About Bokisch Vineyards Winery and Tasting Room
Bokisch Vineyards winery is located at 18921 Atkins Road in Lodi, California. The tasting room is open Friday through Monday from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors enjoy beautiful views which overlook the Terra Alta Vineyard: 80 acres of organically grown, oak-studded vineyards on the rolling hills of Clements Hills-Lodi AVA.