Vino Con Brio

Oh my am I in trouble. I purchased a random selection from wine insiders and how can anyone rely on the description because someone with an english degree, great with adjectives is in marketing. anyway most selections were less than mediocre. however, my husband left to go climb the back country of yosemite and all that was left was this Matzin Estate Zin 2007 and wow, it’s very yummy in a european way not a napa way. like Tobin James vs. Italy. but this is very classy, rich and sophisticated. sorry honey watch out for the bears

Young, but friendly staff. Walked out with pinotage (never heard of before) and petite syrah. Lovely!

We visited Vino Con Brio today during the drizzling rain. One of my friends in our group had been to a wedding here last summer, and she had liked some of the wines. So here we came.
The tasting room is good sized, with enough open bar space to entertain a good crowd. There were about 10 people in, when we got their, and 2 young ladies pouring. They were friendly, like all of the Lodi staff today.
Just 3 of our group tasted, as most of them were burnt out from yesterday. We tasted the Orange Muscat, Passione Rose, Pinotage, Old Vine Zin, Late Harvest Zin, and the Petite Sirah. I liked the Old Vine Zin and the Petite. My buddy liked the Old Zin also and the Muscat. Unfortunately, we did not like them enough to buy. But, you need to draw the line somewhere…
Very nice grounds, and a ton of parking. I would like to come back, when my taste buds are not so wasted.

A few weeks back I was headed to SF to get me a winter coat. Because I’m greenish I drove my SUV to the West Oakland Bart so as to make my footprint but a sooty smudge. Ventured to the platform as per usual, train comes as per usual, board the packed car and … wait. Until the conductor came on the radio to tell us that the tunnel under the bay was smoky and the train was scared of smoke and would be returning to Dublin/​Pleasanton.
As I deplaned with the horde not fortunate enough to have driven to West Oakland thereby allowing themselves an alternative I wondered — the tube for the train was constructed in pieces then sunk into the shallow bay mud. It’s buried on the order of 10 feet down, give or take. Underwater video shows keel gouges from loaded container ships on the surface of this same sediment. I figure it’s only a matter of time til the moon will be shining in China and an overloaded Maersk vessel floats through late and … scrapy scraperton, hope I’m not on that train.
But the tide was high and I figured the smokyness wasn’t from Christmas presents that would soon be seen floating in the estuary. All the same, I though it better to drive than to wait for them to fix the problem.
Just to be sure, I listened as folks squeezed the poor booth attendant for info. He had none. In the crowd by the booth, however, were two folks clearly not from around here. They were loaded with presents, apparently headed to SF for a gathering. They looked sad. So I invited them to ride in with me. And D. Were it not for D they’d probably have politely declined, as I’m all scary looking and she’s so sweet. We did lay the ground rules — no funny business.
Turns out it was Mike and Ranea Matson, owners of Vino con Brio in Lodi. They were pretty much the nicest people I think I’ve met in a very very long time. On the ride in they described their business and the backstory and insisted we give them contact information so as to enable a shipment of their finest vintages. How sweet is that?
The wine awaited my arrival from the blizzard of the east. Three bottles, their Old Vine Zinfandel, Passione Rose, and the Estate Pinot Grigio. I only cracked one last night, though was tempted to get my pajama tasting room on. Had I company perhaps I’d have done just that. The cat doesn’t go for the grape and as I had no fish sauce handy I just opened me the one.
So I guess this review is for the owners and for the product I received by mail. It’s excellent. They’re excellent. I want to be like them when I grow up. I need a second.
Who’s with me?
5 stars.

Another visit during the Giro d’Vino cycling tour last weekend. Gotta admit when I saw the name Vino Con Brio, I was worried. Maybe it’s just me, but the name sounds more like a cheesy Italian chain restaurant. Okay, I had to write that, but what a surprise this winery was! Like other reviewers wrote, this winery is a great family space, very friendly people, great restrooms, and tasty wine at even tastier prices. And they were great for the many groups of cold, soaked cyclists that visited that day. I would describe the winemaking attitude as proud of Lodi heritage and unafraid to try whatever will make solid wine. I grabbed a couple of cases!

Nothing super fantastic, but solid right down the list. Good prices, and even some stuff you won’t find anywhere else (the pinotage is only made here or half way around the world). Very nice little family place, and the Madsens are incredibly nice people.

Vino Con Brio is a great little, cozy winery in Lodi. It has a different feel from most other wineries around, this one being more family oriented, warm and friendly.
VCB has a beautiful rose garden, a fantastic courtyard, a great tasting room and a fabulous little bed and breakfast on it’s grounds. The bed and breakfast is very charming, clean and quaint. Even if you aren’t going to stay overnight, it’s worth taking a look around!
My husband and I had planned our wedding to be on the grounds of VCB, under the gorgeous willow tree next to the pond. Due to his unfortunate deployment overseas to Iraq, our venue had to be changed. We were greatly disappointed!
Working with Renae Matson is fairly easy. She’s a savvy business woman and someone who I would definitely recommend. If you’re looking for a place to get married and want it to be somewhere with the right balance of elegance and homey-​ness, this is your place.
My husband and I especially enjoy their sparkling wine! It’s to die for!
Good wine, good people, good place!

This is a small friendly winery. We went on a Friday to do some tasting and the girl that helped us was so nice. The wine is very good. At the end of our tasting my hubbie and I found out they had a bed and breakfast. The lady took us on a tour and it was very nice and quiet and looked very clean. We plan to go back and stay.

this winery went downhill. snotty people, wines were sub par and the whites were warm.
there’s too many wineries in lodi to be treated like this one treated us.
onward and upward…

So winery was excellent and the wine decent (but definitely not the best of the region). While it was a nice big beautiful tasting room I think I liked the winery for all the unusual reasons: conversations about advertising in the women’s bathroom line, the beautiful iron vines on the sign, and the fact that their home made sun dried tomato dip went so damn well with their sparkling wine. Overall their rose was my favorite (I went home with a bottle) and the rest of their wine was up to Lodi standard (pretty good) but nothing spectacular.

Vino Con Brio is a great winery, bed and breakfast inn, and wedding site.
It’s a small friendly winery. You’ll find a wide variety of wines to taste. I drank a bottle of their Syrah last night at dinner and it was delicious.

A recent discovery and we plan to return… regularly, I’m sure. Very friendly, down-​to-​earth atmosphere and plenty of good wines. I bought the best champagne stopper here and to me it’s a good sign of a place that knows what it’s doing by also selling items that work. Definitely worth a visit or three.

We went here once a few months ago, and had a decent experience, but the last two times we went there (the second time was to give the place the benefit of the doubt for a bad day the last time) with friends, it was not good.
The wine was fair, and the staff was slow and not nice. I got a dirty glass and the girl didnt bother changing it when we brought it to her attention. Slow service and unfriendly. The whites werent very cold.
There’s too many wineries in Lodi to waste time at this one. move on.
this one turned me off.

I’ve always found a bottle here to like.
Unusual ones pop up like old vine viognier, yes I said viognier. The mood is relaxing and often you’ll find a wine maker, like the owner’s daughter. At least to my experience.
Everyone is friendly. Wine are decent prices. And if you’re a Zin lover you are sure to be pleased.

My first VCB tasting was at the annual Grape Escape food & wine event in Sacramento a few years ago. In addition to a distinctive blue glass bottle, I remember how surprised I was to enjoy their muscato. Other wineries make a heavy, syrupy version but theirs is light and crisp.
*FYI — you can only buy the blue bottle from the tasting room *
My friend and I dropped into the tasting room during a roadtrip to SoCal last summer (Aug. 2008). Our steward was friendly, patient and accommodating although it was end of the day!

When I worked in Stockton by Mallard’s happy hours for me meant mostly Alaskan Amber, but sometimes… when the mood was right– Matzin zin! It’s good stuff. So when I got a Facebook message that Vino Con Brio was having a 20% off Furlough Friday sale for state workers, it was time to head to Lodi and hit tasting room.
It was a very laid back and welcoming experience. The tasting room manager was very knowlegeable and friendly. Apparently, he’s an EG resident like me. Some shameless name dropping (went to school with Anne) earned me tastes of club only stuff He poured enough to give me a bit of a buzz before I headed out with a bottle of some dry petite syrah and old vine zin. I’ll be back likely with friends. Big ups for the Furlough Friday promotion.

I went here for the Lodi Chocolate and Wine Festival. The staff was awesome. There was this really friendly old guy who gave us a full history. He even sold my gf to buy Pinotage which is a wine that you will only find in 15 wineries in the US (it’s from Africa). They had a list of all the wines they did for the tasting so that the buyer knows what to buy. I like how it’s laid back atmosphere also. I wish they had a winery like this much closer to the bay.

Though we’d never experienced Vino Con Brio’s wines before, my wife and I actually held our wedding there earlier this year. While looking for a wedding location, we visited several local wineries, and we knew we’d hit the jackpot once we started looking around VCB. Their lush rose gardens. The pond with it’s dock and willow tree. It was beautiful. We stayed at their bed and breakfast through the weekend which had stellar food and service. The wedding went off without a hitch, again their staff providing great service. Since then we’ve become big fans of their Matzin wine.

These people rock! We stayed here on Thursday night and had a blast. I would totally come back to taste wine and stay the night again.
I ended up buying their NV Amorosa Sparkling Wine and 2006 Estate Late Harvest Viognier. They were good separate and mixed together believe it or not.

Vino Con Brio has a really good Viognier and their Late Harvest Zinfandel is the best dessert wine that I have ever had! They have recently remodeled their tasting room and it’s much bigger. Also on the same property is the Amarosa Bed & Breakfast, which is beautiful.