Owner and winemaker Greg Lewis, left, discusses his wines.

Christine and me had been hearing the buzz about a new tasting room/winery/restaurant/bakery/cheese factory in Downtown Lodi so we decided to check it out during the long weekend.

I always have doubts about places that try to do too much, and The Dancing Fox seemed like it could be one of those places that offers a lot but delivers little. However, Greg and Colleen Lewis, owners of winery and bakery, do deliver. The wines are straight forward and have the ripe, full flavors you’d expect from the Clements area where Lewis grows his vineyards. We found the Syrah to be particularly good. Dry, clean and with none of the out of control tannins I’ve tasted in other Lodi area Syrahs.

Greg said they still have plans to make cheese; starting with fresh mozzarella for the pizzas they plan to sell. I’m looking forward to it because it appears they know what they’re doing and do it well.

The original artwork and exposed beams give the Dancing Fox a rustic feel.

After sampling the wines at Dancing Fox we walked over to the Lodi Beer Company where we had some Lodi Lite lagers with salt and lime. Most times I opt for the brewery’s IPA, but during the summer there are few better beers in Lodi than fresh Lodi Lite with lime. Many people don’t realize there’s no secret taste to Corona, almost any light lager can benefit with a little spritz of lime.

Lodi Beer Company's vintage looking tap handles.

It’s great to see that despite the economic downturn Lodi’s downtown is still a vibrant destination for good food and drinks. The best part is that we can ride our bikes and not worry about driving.

Thankfully there was no oncoming traffic.