Misfits & Mavens of Lodi’s California Wine Show Off Zins, Syrahs & Barberas
Somewhere, somehow, you’ve come across a Michael David Wine. You’ll find this California wine in Costco, Total Wine, BevMo and other big box emporiums. They favor names like Freak Show, 6th Sense and Misfits & Mavens, all reminiscent of circuses from the early 1900s.
They’re a long time fixture Lodi and produce many commercial wines along with special vintages only club members may collect or purchase in the Lodi tasting room. We last visited MDW eight or so years ago and enjoyed their wines.
They’ve improved greatly. Not only their wines, their tasting room and gardens. The gardens are a sight to behold, with water features, pergolas, patios, landscaping galore and private areas for family gatherings.
We Tasted:
2021 Freak Show Chardonnay $28 star+
2022 Misfits & Mavens Rose $24 star+
2020 Freakshow Zinfandel $28 star/star+
2020 Ink Blot Petit Verdot $30 star+/star++ (93 pts)
2020 Reserve Zinfandel $55 star+
2021 Sixth Sense Syrah $18 star+
2021 MDW Ancient Vine Cinsaut (130-years-old vine) $32 star+
2019 Politically Correct (Cab Franc/Merlot/Cab/Malbec) $50 star+
2021 Rapture Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5L) $125 star++ (93 pts)
We brought home quite a few of these lovelies unavailable in stores. The price was right. The taste was right.
The family has been farming the soil since the 1860’s and cultivating wine grapes since the early 20th century. Winery founders and brothers Michael and David Phillips are 5th generation grape growers raising their families in Lodi.
As we tell everyone, you owe it to yourself to taste and savor this San Juaquin Valley AVA.
Lodi. Go there.
Some notes on our wine ranking system.
Bill & Erin Hodge write about California Wine, the estates & winemakers producing them and educational information about Vino. Living in California Wine Country provides a front row seat to the places you want to visit the most here in the Golden State.
– -✰ means -What’s next on your list of wines
-✰ means -Not liking it too much
✰ means -We’ll drink this wine, especially if it’s hosted!
✰+ means -You’ve got our attention and we might buy this wine.
✰+ + means -We’re hooked and we’re going to buy this wine.
When you see -✰/✰+ with a slash, it means we disagree.
