Kermit Lynch (wine merchant/author)

What sets Randy Caparoso apart? I'd say his open-mindedness. He appreciates diversity; in fact, he adores diversity, and can appreciate all styles from all the world’s wine regions. If you are looking for a starting point of the sommelier revolution in the U.S., I'd point you to Randy Caparoso. Few are as perceptive, analytical or creative.

The author with Kermit Lynch, 2010, Berkeley.

Greg La Follette, Marchelle Wines (co-founder/winemaker)

There are only a few true-blue, long-time "influencers" (and I use that term loosely as it seems everyone is an "influencer" these days!) who are "OG" folks, as the new influencers would say. Randy Caparoso is one of those dyed-in-the-wool writers who have helped to shape the fine wine and dining scene over decades. After all these years, Randy has kept it all relevant and his influence fresh with his most recent advocation (ironically) of ancient vines and particularly the Lodi area, where the greatest concentration of old vines in California are located. A recent honor, one of many over the years, is being referred to as a great communicator of the relevance of old vines, as awarded by the Old Vine Conference, an international organization gathering this fall (in 2025) for its world conference in Randy’s beloved Lodi community.

How has Randy built such a sterling reputation among winemakers, restaurateurs and wine aficionados over the years? It is not magic, it is good old fashioned research and attention to detail, which exactly describes Randy's approach to defining issues in the food and wine industry. The magic of Randy's work comes in his careful wordsmithing of complex issues, breaking concepts down into digestible pieces that his audience can consume and understand in an easy manner without sacrificing the heart of any technical issue.

Randy is not just the consummate writer of all things vinous. He is also a fair and measured person who listens carefully to those around him, making him not just a good friend, but an even better journalist, as listening is a cornerstone of the word craft. Randy's friendship and kindness to others informs his work not just as a writer, but as a valued consort. Randy's work and his relationships stand for who he is on its own terms.

Mike Dunne, Sacramento (wine journalist, author of The Signature Wines of Superior California)

Early in Randy Caparoso’s 15-year stint as writer, photographer and all-around documentarian and ambassador for the Lodi Winegrape Commission, I became familiar with and appreciative of his personable skills as a reliable, accurate, quick and candid source of information on anything dealing with Lodi grape growing and winemaking. By that time, I had been writing of wine for some 30 years, and had gained respect for several members of the public relations and marketing community who were dependable, honest and frank, but Randy stood apart for the depth of his knowledge, his intensity, his balance, and most of all, for his candor.

It stood to reason that he would be the person to write the most comprehensive, intelligent, colorful and telling story of Lodi’s wine culture, which he published in 2021 as Lodi! The definitive guide and history of America’s largest winegrowing region. The exclamation point of the book’s title reflects Randy himself, always alert, sharp, smart and pointed. I look forward to following Randy on his next adventure through vineyard and cellar, and to continue tapping him for his thorough insights.

The author with Dr. Stephanie Bolton, 2022, Lodi.

Stephanie L. Bolton, PhD, Lodi Winegrape Commission (Research, Education and Sustainable Winegrowing Director)

Randy Caparoso is a true gem of a human being. More than anyone I know, he remembers specific wines, vintages, winegrowing regions, vineyards, and special wine and food pairings with great detail. His vast memory built from decades of tastings and visits adds greatly to the enjoyment of a meal, as does his knowledge of how and why to pair certain wines with certain foods.

He has shown me how a grilled lemon can enhance steak when served with La Cerbaoina Brunello. He took me to a hole in the wall Korean BBQ in Stockton to show a friend and I how aged Petite Sirah pairs with that cuisine. We’ve visited countless vineyards together early on harvest mornings to capture the sunlight dancing through leaves onto clusters. We argue over the age of vineyards. We celebrate historic vines and wines made from a true sense of place. We wear tastevins to dive bars.

All of this to say that Randy is not only deeply experienced way beyond the capabilities of most of us, but he is also fun and down to earth. On top of all that, he has great hair!

Markus Bokisch, Bokisch Vineyards (owner/grower)

My wife (Liz Bokisch) and I are impassioned with creating the highest quality wines derived from Spanish grape varieties. After 25 years dedicated to our craft, we have achieved “grey-haired” recognition for being amongst the leaders in the Spanish wine movement in the United States. We chose Lodi for this mission because of its climate and soils, and the willingness of this community to experiment and reinvent itself.

We had met Randy Caparoso a good seven or eight or so years before his move to Lodi in 2010. From the start, he impressed us with his vast knowledge of wine as a sommelier and wine writer; and of course, for his deep interest and enthusiasm for American grown Spanish grapes. He was quick to understand our story and the drive behind what we do. Perhaps because of his upbringing, and his prior career as a multi-unit restaurateur constantly on the move, he was exposed to seeing the world, and wine, on a global scale, without dogma or prejudice. He immersed himself in the Lodi community with the passion of an explorer, seeking treasure where others would not think to look.

The treasure he exposed was a wine region deeply proud of its past, while embracing a vibrant future. In our appellation, old vine Zinfandel, Carignan and Cinsault coexist seamlessly with Albariño, Grüner Veltliner and Assyrtiko. Randy not only helped shed a spotlight on Lodi’s historic varieties, but he was formative in ushering in the appreciation and understanding of all the new varietals. He capped his experience here by writing the essential book on the wines in his book entitled Lodi!. Few appellations have a tome dedicated to describing their history, and thoroughly explaining the terroir, like the one Randy single-handedly composed.

I think less known is the fact that Randy has also mentored countless young people of various backgrounds and ethnicities in their quest to find their place in our industry. He serves as the perfect example of an individual who makes everyone feel at ease at a wine tasting, soliciting ideas, and combining those thoughts with his insight developed over more than 40 years of experience in our industry.

While I am reluctant to have Randy spend less time in Lodi, I know that you cannot contain such a vibrant person to just one corner of the wine world. He will always be part of us as he ventures into new experiences in the future.

Kimberly Noelle Charles, DWSET, Charles Communications Associates

I have known Randy Caparoso for over 30 years, originally meeting through Society of Wine Educators. Since then I’ve known him to be a professional dedicated to education and authentic programming. One of the many facets of Randy that I admire most is his complete commitment to research, original reporting and high quality photography. We got the opportunity to work more closely together during the four years (2012-2016) that our firm handled Lodi Wine's public relations. What we found was Randy always goes above and beyond. He tells great and rich stories, but also serves a very strategic role in helping to shape Lodi’s leadership in terms of quality; in particular, the Lodi Native project, which the wine world’s #1 rated blogger Alder Yarrow once called the “single most important thing to happen in California wine in 20 years” on Jancis Robinson’s jancisrobinson.com page.

Dr. Liz Thach, MW (Wine Market Council, Stanford Continuing Studies, Sonoma State University)

I have always been impressed by Randy Caparoso’s knowledge and passion for the wine industry. Not only is he a very talented wine writer, but his photography skills are on level with the very best global photographers, and are a true form of art. He has also worked as a professional sommelier, so his ability to pair wine with many different types of cuisine is exceptional.

Given that Randy grew up in Hawaii you would not expect him to become so enamored of ancient historical vines of California. But that is what happened, and he ended up writing a beautifully illustrated book of some of the most exquisite old vines in the world, located in Lodi, California. In addition, he has written many compelling wine articles over the years. For his efforts, he has received awards and recognition for his portrayal of heritage vines, and the sculpted beauty and hope they bring to the world—not to mention the delicious wines they produce, brimming with terroir and authenticity.

I would recommend Randy Caparoso for any job that calls for passion, authenticity, wine knowledge, and writing and photography skills. I will never forget the whole day I spent with Randy touring the vineyards of Lodi; his knowledge and down-to-earth style, plus engaging presentation style with bright bursts of humor, made the day—including a tailgate picnic in the vineyards—one of the most memorable of my wine career.

Sara Schneider, wine journalist (former Sunset Magazine Food and Wine Editor)

My association with Randy Caparoso began midway through our respective careers. He had already developed extensive knowledge of international food and wine through managing both in the restaurant business. I had been tracking West Coast food and wine from an editor’s perspective at Sunset Magazine. Randy had put the force of his considerable expertise behind chronicling the burgeoning wine industry, from a business perspective, as a brilliant storyteller, and with one of the keenest palates in the industry.

Through Randy’s depth of journaling wine regions up and down the West Coast—and the Old and New Worlds globally—I came to respect and rely on him as an incredibly valuable resource for my own reporting. Randy’s information is always intricate, accurate, and thoughtful. It is true and thorough.

During my tenure at Sunset, we launched an International Wine Competition, drawing on the West’s most respected wine journalists, winemakers, and sommeliers as our judges. With the benefit of access to the judges’ scores and comments behind the scenes, I came to respect Randy’s palate as one of the industry’s most incisive and reliable. He did not reward flashy style, only quality fruit and skillful winemaking. And we knew we could trust Randy’s evaluations of wines from any part of the globe down to the most obscure domestic region.

Randy brings an impressive breadth of expertise—across the business of wine, through regional knowledge and extensive professional connections, and in the vineyard and cellar—to this crossroad in his career. He would be an asset in an impressively diverse range of roles.

Jerry Fry, Mohr-Fry Ranches (president)

I am a Lodi winegrower and fourth generation California farmer. I don't recall exactly when I first met Randy Caparoso, but I’m sure it was early on, in 2010, when he began hosting visitors interested in coming out to see our vineyards, as part of his work with the Lodi Winegrape Commission.

One of Randy's great attributes is his vast connection with writers and anyone involved in wine-related industries. In the process of getting them to walk our vineyards and taste wines right where they’re grown, he has been raising awareness of Lodi as a premium wine region, and its long, untold history of down-to-earth farming families. On top of his remarkably varied skills, his background as a sommelier in Hawaii, as a startup partner in a successful restaurant group and his extensive travels around the world have all added up to a formidable knowledge of wines, particularly from the perspective of grapes and vineyards.

It helps that he has always been a great communicator. We have been fortunate to have him for so many years as a writer and "explainer" on behalf of Lodi winegrowers. He has bridged the gap between farmers and all the different visitors who probably come mostly to learn about our wines but end up knowing more about our vineyards, and learning what makes Lodi different from all the other wine regions of the world. His writing has been just what we needed to advance our cause as grape growers. His choice of topics and wine styles, complimented by his great photography, always make good reading, while addressing exactly what people these days are looking for.

Randy's book, LODI! (The definitive guide and history of America's largest winegrowing region), completed in 2021, is an unquestionable masterpiece, demonstrating his mastery of the wine and grape growing industries. It really shows off the uniqueness of Lodi like no other book ever has, and probably never will. Thus, it came as no surprise that, in 2024, Randy was named Old Vine Hero by the UK-based Old Vine Conference as well as one of Wine Business Monthly’s “Industry Leaders”—precisely because of how well he has told the Lodi story!

Catherine Fallis, MS, Planet Grape Wine Review

I have known Mr. Caparoso for over 30 years, ever since he graciously advised me on how to change my sales call approach from "fast-talking New Yorker in a suit" to a "talk story and dress casually" while he was the wine director of the Roy's restaurants in Hawaii.

He was a consummate professional then, and remains the same to this day; a breath of fresh air in the sometimes challenging liquor distributor and restaurant environments.

Randy's journey has been inspirational to multiple generations of up and coming sommeliers. His ability to communicate in such a way that everyone can understand is another massively under-appreciated gift. His mastery of wine, and wine and food pairing, is unparalleled. It has been a true honor to call him my colleague and friend for all of these years.

David Glancy, MS, CWE, San Francisco Wine School

I’ve known Randy Caparoso as a seasoned professional with great insight into the entire world of wine through his restaurants, his extensive connections in the wine industry, and his most recent career as a wine journalist and photographer. He’s been a tireless and passionate champion of Lodi as well as other California wine regions. His hyper-focus on the details of place, wines and people is impressive, along with his ability to bring a global perspective.

Randy has contributed to San Francisco Wine School by bringing a Lodi roadshow to our fan base. He coordinated every detail of a study held in Lodi vineyards and wineries. His work as the instigator of the Lodi Native movement played a huge part of why we focused on the region. It is a great example of how to shine light on a region in need of an image upgrade. We've also had the pleasure of conspiring and collaborating with him through The SOMM Journal and at SommCon events. In short, we know first-hand about what he can do, and it is amazing.

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Op Ed: Have Alternative Style Wines Become Tiresome?