Maitre De Chai, Clements Hills (Lodi, California) Zinfandel 2018

 You won’t find a significant number of reviews from me of wines from the Lodi region here at WineReviewOnline, but you’re about to see an uptick thank to wines like this one.  It comes from a vineyard in the southeastern portion of the Marco Lodi AVA, in the rolling hills near Lake at around 150 feet of elevation.  The wine is quite unusual in that it’s a Zinfandel coming in under 13% alcohol – something I can’t remember seeing since I began reviewing wine.  While the 12.8% number might put a question in your mind, be assured that this is top quality stuff, showing the tart, red fruit side of the variety exhibiting a sense of place that’s hard to get at higher ripeness levels.  The tension between that fruit profile and the peppery spice character make for a tasty, food friendly glass that will likely bend your mind about what Zinfandel can be.  I’m a fan!