Lodi Wine & Chocolate Event returns Saturday

Kristi Gross reports

START OF WINE TOURISMRETURNING TO THE REGION.

FOXFORTY'S KRISTI GROSS REPORTS.MILES OF IN YOUR TO MAKE UPSOME 86 WINERIES ACROSS THELODI REGION HOME TO SOME OFTHE BEST LYING IN THE COUNTRYNORMALLY A DRAW FOR HUNDREDSOF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EACHYEAR LOW AS ONE TOURISM TOOK AHIT DURING THE PANDEMIC YOUKNOW FOR A GREATER PART OFWERE ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN ANDUNABLE TO RECEIVE VISITORS ORENTERTAIN PEOPLE.AND WINE TASTINGENTERTAINMENT OR A KIND OF THECORE OF WHAT THE WINE TASTINGEXPERIENCE IN THE WINEBUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT BUTSTUART SPENCER EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR OF THE LODI WINEGREAT COMMISSION SAYS THINGSMAY FINALLY BE LOOKING UP ASNEARLY 2 DOZEN WINERIESPREPARE FOR THE REGION'S FIRSTMAJOR WIND EVENT IN MORE THANA YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BEHOSTING THE LODI WINE ANDCHOCOLATE EVENT NEXT WEEK INWHICH IS AN EVENT WE'VE BEENDOING FOR OVER 20 YEARS HERESPENCER BELIEVES THE WINE ANDCHOCOLATE EVENT SHOWS LODIWINE TOURISM IS POISED FOR ACOMEBACK, IT'S.SIGNALING THE WORLD THATWE'RE STILL HERE WE ARE BACKOPEN FOR BUSINESS AND WE WANTYOU TO COME LAST YEAR JUSTBEFORE LOCKDOWN LODI WINE ANDCHOCOLATE BROUGHT MORE THAN5,000 VISITORS FOR MORE THAN18 STATES TO THE AREA FOR THEWEEKEND THIS YEAR WITH SOCIALDISTANCING AND OTHER COVIDPROTOCOLS IN PLACE THEY'REEXPECTING JUST A 1000 THE HOPEIS THAT EVERYBODY HAS A GREATTIME WHICH I'M PRETTYCONFIDENT THEY WILL I THINKREALIZING THAT WINE TASTINGCAN BE DONE IN A VERY SAFE ANDRESPONSIBLE WAY SPENCER SAYSWELL THIS YEAR'S EVENT WILLLOOK A LOT DIFFERENT WINEENTHUSIAST'S CAN STILL EXPECTA GOOD TIME IN GREAT WHY WE'REHOPEFUL THAT THIS WILL THISCONTINUE TO GROW UP ON THAT ASWE MOVE INTO THE SUMMER MONTHSIN THE FALL AND WE CAN RETURNTO.MORE NORMAL CYCLE ANDPEOPLE CONTINUE TO GROW THEIRBUSINESSES AND SO DELICIOUSLODI WINE.IN LODI KRISTI GROSS FOX 40NEWS.AND FOR MORE INFORMATIONABOUT THE LODI WINE EVENT OR