28 Aug Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Monte Rio Cellars 2022 Flame Tokay ‘Chandler’, Lodi

I love exploring grape varieties and have tried quite a few. But this week I tried a new grape variety that I knew very little about and had only heard it mentioned once or twice. That grape is Flame Tokay and I knew I had to try it! It was the Monte Rio Cellars 2022 Flame Tokay ‘Chandler’ from Lodi. Interesting and unique, as well as very drinkable and enjoyable, the Monte Rio Cellars 2022 Flame Tokay is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About

Monte Rio Cellars was started by Patrick Cappiello, a former NY sommelier and restaurateur. After 30 years of restaurant experience, Patrick moved to Sonoma in 2017 and worked harvest with his best friend and mentor Pax Mahle. In 2018, he made the first vintage of Monte Rio Cellars, focusing on handcrafted wines made “in the spirit of old California”. At Monte Rio Cellars, Patrick focuses on heritage varieties such as Zinfandel, Colombard, Petit Sirah, and Mission, Italian varieties Sangiovese and Vermentino, as well as Carignane, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Mencia, and Malbec. Monte Rio is based in Sonoma, but Patrick sources fruit for his wines from Lodi.

Flame Tokay grape is a member of the Vitis vinifera family but people eat it as a table grape. It is a seeded table grape with a crisp skin and full, fruity flavor. It was widely planted in vineyards in Lodi in the early 1900s. In fact, due to the sandy soils, Lodi is the only place where the grape was able to develop the “flaming” pinkish-red color which made the hefty clusters popular as an eating grape. But as consumers’ tastes for seedless grapes grew, Flame Tokay almost became extinct. Today there are only some scattering plantings, such as the 2.5 acres that Patrick found. The vineyard was in disrepair but the vines were planted in the 1860s and Patrick is farming the vineyard with flood irrigation which encourages the grapes to go deeper in search of water which helps them thrive in the heat of Lodi.

Tasting Notes

Patrick picks the Flame Tokay and the grapes spend two days on the skins before being crushed by foot. The wine is an intense apricot orange color. On the nose, the wine offers aromas of tangerine, peach, and apple, with tea notes as well as a touch of stone fruit, citrus skin, and saline notes. On the palate, the wine softly coats the palate and then is quickly washed over by acidity that makes the mouth water. The wine is dry, lightly textured, and an enjoyable drink.

Food Pairing

Having never had a Flame Tokay, I was not sure what I would pair it with. But it ended up being pretty simple! I enjoyed the wine with a simple dinner of grilled chicken, veggies, and a salad. The wine was an easy accompaniment.

Where To Purchase

There is very little Flame Tokay planted and some of it is used in brandy projects. But if you want to try this unique wine, check out Monte Rio Cellars. Only 50 cases were made and the wine retails for $29. If you want to try this very rare wine, visit Monte Rio Cellars.