14.9% alcohol and Zinfandel-led blend
The Grocery Store Wine verdict
The Federalist
Lodi Zinfandel
The Federalist ranges from $14.99 to $24.49 in our checks. Near the bottom, its 93/7 blend and real oak record make a persuasive full-flavored Lodi buy; near the top, you are paying for the package as much as the published cellar work.
- Region
- Lodi
- Grape
- Zinfandel-led blend
- The release we researched
- Current release
- Price context
- 7 exact store checks below
What to expect in the glass.
Here is the style this wine is meant to have, based on its region and how it was made.
Producer description
Twelve months with 25% new oak
Alcohol, maceration and oak record
What it costs
Exact regular prices from dated store checks.
- Kroger, Atlanta suburbs, GA$24.49
- Kroger, Cincinnati, OH$17.99
- Kroger, Knoxville, TN$17.99
- Kroger, Richmond, VA$21.99
- King Soopers, Colorado Springs, CO$14.99
- Smith's, Las Vegas, NV$22.99
- Fred Meyer, Portland, OR$24.99
Observed at specific stores; your store will vary. A price target, not an ad.
The Federalist ranges from $14.99 to $24.49 in our checks. Near the bottom, its 93/7 blend and real oak record make a persuasive full-flavored Lodi buy; near the top, you are paying for the package as much as the published cellar work.
Our call uses physically certified package identity, producer and regional evidence, dated public ratings and current store-price context. Price never enters the GSW Score.
- You want ripe Lodi Zinfandel with a year of oak
- A little Syrah and nearly 15% alcohol fit the meal
- You find it near the low end of our checks
- You want restrained alcohol or minimal oak
- The shelf price is in the mid-$20s
- You need the physical vintage before buying
Serve slightly cool, then let the glass warm enough to show its fruit and structure.
Match the bottle’s plush red weight, acidity and oak to the food, not to the label’s prestige.
Getting to know Lodi.
Lodi combines warm inland days with cooling air through the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Its old vines matter, but vine age must still be proved release by release.
What the name means
A federally recognized American Viticultural Area established in 1986, with seven nested subappellations.
How grapes grow here
Warm, dry days are moderated by evening Delta breezes moving inland through the Golden Gate gap. Rain falls mainly outside the growing season.
What lies under the vines
Deep alluvial fans, floodplains and terraces vary across the AVA, from sandy Mokelumne River ground to heavier and rockier eastern sites.
How large the region is
- Area
- The regional authority describes about 550,000 acres within the AVA and roughly 85,000 acres of wine grapes. well established
- 2023 season
- A wet, cool start delayed the 2023 season by weeks and raised disease pressure before a late harvest. well established
Places within the region
- Seven AVAs
- Mokelumne River, Jahant, Clements Hills, Borden Ranch, Alta Mesa, Sloughhouse and Cosumnes River divide the larger Lodi AVA. well established
- Old-vine rule
- The AVA has historic vines, but the phrase “old vine” does not establish an exact age for this release. reported by the store
About this bottling
The physical barcode and Lodi front label are certified, while the vintage is not visible. This dossier can still establish the current blend, skin time, oak and alcohol as the producer’s house record.
Winemaking
Blocks are fermented separately, average twelve days on skins and age twelve months with 25% new oak.
Taste
The producer says plum, cherry, spice and a long finish.
The Federalist
The Federalist is a Terlato Wines brand.
The brand uses American historical imagery for a California portfolio; the reviewed corporate material identifies Terlato as the responsible wine company.
The producer publishes a 93% Zinfandel and 7% Syrah blend, separate block fermentation and twelve months in 25% new oak.
- Blend
- 93% Zinfandel and 7% Syrah. from the producer
- Maceration
- Separate block fermentations with an average twelve days on skins. from the producer
- Aging
- Twelve months in oak, 25% new. from the producer
- Allergen field
- The packet’s literal allergen text is ambiguous and is not treated as an absence declaration. sources disagree
- Reported by the store package
- 3.38 × 11.7 × 3.4 in; 3.42 lb gross and net reported by the store
Where this information comes from.
We photographed this exact bottle and its barcode on a real store shelf.
SourcePublisher / how strong the source isChecked
Lodi viticultural area ↗
Lodi Winegrape CommissionAVA history, climate, soils and subappellations
2023 Lodi harvest report ↗
Lodi Winegrape Commission2023 rain, delayed harvest and crop conditions
The Federalist release record ↗
The FederalistRelease, production and taste description from the producer
The Federalist producer history ↗
The FederalistProducer history and ownership context
Owner fieldwork barcode photograph
Grocery Store WinePhysical EAN-13 decoded on 2026-08-08; check digit verified as GTIN-14 00086891083049
Dated retailer product record
KrogerPackage fields, retailer identifier and data-quality checks
Target product rating ↗
Target4.56 / 5 from 9 ratings
Total Wine product rating ↗
Total Wine4.30 / 5 from 41 ratings