30 Jul Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Bokisch & Sons M.A.S. 2023 Prieto Picudo, Lodi

Sometimes, you just want más – more flavor, more story, more heart. And I want más of M.A.S. Born from a collaboration between Markus Bokisch and his sons Anton and Stefan, M.A.S. is more than just a clever acronym; it’s a labor of love and a tribute to their Spanish roots. And as someone who loves discovering new grape varieties, I was especially excited as this was my first time tasting Prieto Picudo. That is why Bokisch & Sons M.A.S. 2023 Prieto Picudo, Lodi is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About M.A.S. by Bokisch & Sons

Founded by Markus and Liz Bokisch in 1995, Bokisch Vineyards brings the spirit of Spain to Lodi. After planting the first Graciano in the New World in 1999, they’ve become champions of Spanish varieties such as Albariño, Tempranillo, and Graciano across their organic vineyards. Their companion label, Tizona, highlights French varieties and California old vines in small, expressive lots. And now, they have a new label – M.A.S. – a label created by Markus and his sons, Anton and Stefan. The family project is a wine born of shared passion and a tribute to their Spanish roots. And, Stefan also designed the label. Each year, they will create a different wine, but for the first year, M.A.S. is a red wine made from the grape Prieto Picudo.

About Prieto Picudo

Prieto Picudo is a rare grape, but it is one of the major wine grapes from the Spanish Denomination of Origin (DO) Tierra de León. A dark-skinned red wine grape variety, it is used to create both light rosés and deep reds, and it can be found as a single-variety wine or in blends with Tempranillo or Mencia. It is an aromatic variety with moderate tannins and good acidity.

Tasting Notes

Markus, Anton, and Stefan sourced the Prieto Picudo from the Prie Vineyard in Lodi. The grapes were picked in 2023, and the wine was released in 2025. The wine is very approachable with aromas of wild berries, red currant, raspberry, rhubarb, and ripe juicy pomegranate, and a fresh lift. On the palate, the wine is soft, smooth, and easy drinking with spiced textured tannins coated by acidity.

Food Pairing

The wine is very drinkable on its own. But it is a perfect wine for food pairing as it is medium-bodied and has just enough tannin and structure. I enjoyed this wine at a Wine Club party at Bokisch where the meal was Mediterranean-inspired. And I loved this wine with chicken and vegetable kabob, mushroom rice, and hummus.

Where to Purchase

There were only 50 cases of the M.A.S. 2023 Prieto Picudo produced. The wine retails for $35 and is available to wine club members. For more information about this wine and others at Bokisch Vineyards.