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Lodi Zinfandel Trail — Old-Vine Ritual & Wine Cave Dinners, CA

Destination: Lodi, CaliforniaNights: 3Group: 4–10Season: April, May, September, OctoberEstimated: $1,200–$1,800 per person

Three days in the Lodi old-vine zinfandel country—a pilgrimage to Michael David Winery's limestone caves, where you'll taste through 40-year-old vines with winemaker David Phillips, then descend into McCay Cellars' subterranean tasting room for a private wine-cave dinner of local lamb and stone fruit. Mornings at the Lodi Farmers Market with a chef from Towne House Restaurant, selecting ingredients for an afternoon cooking class in the Wine + Roses Hotel kitchen. Nights in the hotel's garden suites—linen sheets, a soaking tub overlooking the vineyards, a ritual of slowness that feels earned.

What she'll do

Wine Tour

Farm Tour

Food Tour

Cooking Class

Where she sleeps

  • · Wine + Roses Hotel
  • · Lodi Wine & Visitor Center nearby accommodations

Where she eats

  • · Towne House Restaurant
  • · Michael David Winery tasting room
  • · McCay Cellars wine-cave dinner

Questions

What's the dress code for the wine-cave dinner?
Layers—caves stay cool year-round. Bring a linen blazer or cashmere wrap; the candlelit tables call for something that photographs well in amber light.
Do we need wine experience?
No. David Phillips and the McCay team teach as they pour—this is about the ritual of tasting, not credentials. Expect to learn the grammar of old-vine zin.
What if someone doesn't drink?
The cooking class, farmers market, and vineyard walks are the heart of the trip. Wine is texture, not requirement—sparkling cider and fresh juices are always poured alongside.

Ready to book the story?

Five quick questions, then we build the full itinerary — lodging, daily schedule, dining, bars, the group-chat message — and drop you into a Trip Room you can share with the crew.