This week I cover Lodi, California, an historic wine region in the Central Valley of California that has been growing grapes since the 1850s.

Located 40 miles /64 km south of Sacramento and 90 miles/ 145 km east of San Francisco, Lodi is an often overlooked wine region, despite the fact that it has been recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) since 1986.

Lodi AVAs. Source: Lodi Winegrape Commission

Lodi certainly doesn't lack for vineyard land --today the region has 100,000 acres/ 40,500 ha planted to wine grapes, with 750 growers, 80 wineries, and about 65 tasting rooms. 20% of California's total wine is made from Lodi grapes. The AVA also has the highest concentration of old vines in California.

Photo: Bechthold Vineyard planted 1886. Credit: Randy Caparoso, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Although the region is known for big, juicy, high alcohol Zinfandel Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and red blends, the real secret is that with a library of 125+ different varietals growing, Lodi is doing a lot of experimentation with alternative varietals and some of it is pretty cool. Lodi has a few tricks up its sleeve.

In this show, I cover all of the details of Lodi from the history, to the climate and land, to the AVAs, and the wine styles. I mention some key producers, and then I wrap with some of the challenges that Lodi faces and the opportunities it has in front of it.

A fun show and a new way to look at a Wine region that you may be thought you knew all about.

Source for this show was primarily the excellent site of the Lodi Winegrape Commission:

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Ep 597: Lodi, California -- The Past, Present, and Future of this Historic Region

Wine for Normal People