Randy Caparoso is a full-time wine journalist who lives in Lodi, California, and author of Lodi! The definitive guide and history of America's largest winegrowing region (KitchenCinco Press). Most recently, in 2024, he was named an Old Vine Hero for Communications by the UK-based Old Vine Conference, and a WineBusiness Monthly Industry Leader.

Randy primarily puts bread (and wine) on the table as the Editor-at-Large and Bottom Line columnist for The SOMM Journal, and currently blogs and does social media for Lodi Winegrape Commission's lodiwine.com. In the past, he has bylined a biweekly wine column for his hometown newspaper The Honolulu Advertiser (from 1981 to 2002). He is currently a member of the international organization of wine authors and journalists, Circle of Wine Writers

In a prior incarnation (1988 to 2001), he was a multi-award winning founding partner of the Roy’s family of restaurants, where he was VP/Corporate Wine Director, opening 28 restaurants from Hawai`i to New York. As a restaurateur, he was named Santé’s first Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year (1988) and Restaurant Wine’s Wine Marketer of the Year (1992 and 1998). 

Please feel free to contact Randy at randy@caparoso.com. You will find a full library of published and online wine articles by Randy Caparoso on Authory.com/RandyCaparoso. You will also find a large volume of work in his Substack page devoted to his upcoming book, working title Culinary Approach to Wine In Restaurants.

On social media, please follow his wine country photographs posted nearly every day on Instagram at RandyCaparoso.WineAuthor, or on Facebook at Randy Caparoso

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.

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” onJancis Robinson’s jancisrobinson.com page.  


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.

Greg La Follette, MS , FS&T, UC Davis, Marchelle Wines

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.

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 journalist

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 Americas largest winegrowing region. The exclamation point of the book’s title reflects Randy himself, always alert, sharp, smart and pointed. I will always look forward to following Randy on his adventures through vineyard and cellar, and continue tapping him for his thorough insights.


Markus Bokisch, Bokisch Vineyards

We first 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.

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.

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

For years I have 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.


Ann-Marie Koth, Mokelumne Glen Vineyards

Our family first met Randy Caparoso in 2010 when he arrived in Lodi. Ever since then, Randy has been an important partner for Mokelumne Glen Vineyards, planted to over 50 German and Austrian grape varieties. He has gone to great lengths to promote the uniqueness of the entire Lodi wine region. For us, no one has done more to promote our vineyards, especially by connecting us with numerous winemakers throughout California who share the same passion for alternative grapes.   

Meeting Randy was a game changer for Mokelumne Glen Vineyards. For that we owe him an outsized debt of gratitude. We came to appreciate his passion for and breadth of knowledge of wine in general; especially his tireless advocacy of lesser-known varieties. Regularly and consistently throughout the years, he brought industry professionals (wine journalists and bloggers, wine influencers, podcasters, sommeliers and restaurateurs) to our vineyards for tours and tastings. Because of Randy, our family vineyards were introduced to people we could have only dreamed of meeting.

Besides being a champion of Mokelumne Glen Vineyards, over the years Randy has become a friend of the family. We can only give the highest personal and professional recommendation to Randy Caparoso from our collaboration and friendship over the last 15 years. Thank you, Randy! 


Jason Mikami, Mikami Vineyards

Randy has significantly elevated Lodi's place in the wine world with his ability to connect readers to his writings and photos. His creative blogs tie relevant industry and cultural information to the local farmers, families, and wines, and educate people with unique and distinctive information about Lodi. He has helped grow Lodi's stature over the years with his deep connections in the wine industry and been part of critical efforts to bring Lodi more notoriety. On a personal note, Randy has never hesitated to provide insights/advice on relevant trends in the industry and has helped shaped my thinking of what we can do in Lodi to be a successful vintner.


Michael McCay, McCay Cellars 

I feel that I know Randy Caparoso very well. When he came to Lodi he became a friend to farmers and an inspiration to winemakers. Randy’s ability to move through a wine’s profile and recognize the characteristics and traits are rare, to say the least. His talent really lies in the ability to transfer the understanding of the wine to words. With Randy’s longtime wine industry presence, he has the wealth of knowledge to support his writing talent, which only enhance his ability to speak to the characteristics and traits of virtually any type of wine, whether grown in California or any other part of the world

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