2026 Wineries San Jose

Harney Lane Vineyards

9010 E Harney Lane, Lodi, Ca 95240
harneylane.com

Region: Lodi

Owners: Kyle and Jorja Lerner

Winemaker: Kyle Lerner

About: As sixth-generation farmers, we’ve learned that high-quality, handcrafted wine requires an immense amount of heart and hard work – nothing can replicate the years we’ve sown into the land and our family’s legacy. Since 1900, with focus and fortitude, we’ve learned that excellence takes endurance, distinction takes determination, and grace takes grit.

That’s why we’ve taken matters into our own hands. We pour our heart into every step of the process – from soil to shelf – we’re committed to making the best possible beverage for our customers and the planet. Our 100% estate-grown wines are produced from sustainably farmed vineyards and meticulously made with no unnecessary additives and an unwavering commitment to quality. The result is a classic collection of naturally smooth, fruit-driven wines, perfect for enjoying in everyday life.

With over a century on Henry Ranch in the heart of Lodi Wine Country, our philosophy has been and will always be: to honestly make wine that is beautifully balanced, and consciously crafted with grace and grit.®

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Our favorite “undiscovered” grape to work with here in Lodi is Tempranillo. While it’s a world-famous varietal in Spain, it remains a true hidden gem in Lodi, and it perfectly embodies our Grace and Grit ethos.

The Grit comes from managing the Tempranillo vine’s tendency to ripen quickly, requiring extremely careful canopy management in our estate vineyards. The reward is the Grace: a deeply-colored, medium-bodied red wine with beautiful balance, bright acidity, and structured tannins.

It gives us those lovely notes of cherry, dried fig, and leather—qualities you might expect from a complex Old World wine—but delivered with the authentic, fruit-forward generosity of Lodi. It’s an elegant, everyday wine that is incredibly food-friendly and continues to surprise both us and our members every vintage. We feel it has an important future in Lodi, and we love being a part of that discovery.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? It was about twenty years ago, and the grape was Tempranillo. What genuinely surprised us was the incredible structure and acidity. Lodi is known for big, ripe fruit, but this Tempranillo delivered that beautiful, dark cherry profile alongside a backbone—a savory, earthy complexity and tannic weight—that was unexpected. It had the Grit of a classic Spanish wine but the expressive fruit of our Lodi soil.

That moment completely changed our perspective. It proved that Lodi could not only produce world-class Zinfandel, but that our vineyard’s specific terroir could nurture sophisticated, age-worthy, “undiscovered” varietals like Tempranillo. That single taste committed us to introducing that complexity to our guests.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? What we love most is the authenticity and the sheer joy of sharing discovery.
Undiscovered grapes, like our Tempranillo, allow us to honor the pioneering spirit of Lodi—that spirit of Grit that has defined us for generations. They challenge us as farmers and winemakers to truly showcase the potential of our century-old estate vineyards beyond Zinfandel.

For our guests, it provides that moment of Grace—the elevated experience of tasting something they may have never encountered, right here in the glass at Harney Lane. It creates an opportunity for connection and education, proving that sophisticated, complex, and beautiful wines can come from a laid-back, genuine place like Lodi. It makes the conversation more interesting and the experience more memorable.

Idlewild

132 Plaza Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448
idlewildwines.com

Region: Sonoma County

Owners: Sam Bilbro and David Drummon

Winemaker: Sam Bilbro

About: Idlewild has a relatively concise aim within a broad context: to produce wines of exceptional balance and beauty. It is a journey to pursue Italy’s Piedmont in the elevated hills of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. We aspire to find the intriguing, delicious, and haunting side of these Old World varieties that have found a new home in Northern California.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Timorasso is a new favorite variety of mine, not only because ours is the first to be grown outside of Piedmont. It feels like a perfect intro to Italian white varieties for those who drink mostly from California. It is almost totally unknown even in the wine world, but it falls in a familiar weight class and has an incredibly fresh frame that has broad appeal.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? When working in restaurants in college, I had a sales rep walk me through a lineup of Italian varieties that were, at the time, less common. The first sip of Nebbiolo was like a whole new lens to see wine through. It was delicate but powerful, floral yet with tar and earth, and just haunting in the best way. It all started from that moment.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Undiscovered grapes are an inroad to viewing a familiar place through a new point of view. Regardless of the appellation, a new variety grown there gives opportunity for a fresh expression of place.