Wine drinkers are familiar with Napa Valley and Sonoma as being the "must see" destination spots in California. However, the unassuming town of Lodi is now starting to appear on "Wine Trail" maps—and with good reason.

Back in the Gold Rush days, German and Italian immigrants came to the region to try their luck. However, they soon discovered that the soil of the area was its true richness, and many settled in to farm.

Prior to 1986 when Lodi was officially designated as a wine appellation, the area had long been home to old-style varieties of grapes that served the jug wine business. However, starting about 20 years ago, these vines were gradually replaced by the premium varietals being demanded by the modern wine industry.

Today, while still known best for full-bodied, old vine zinfandel, Lodi leads all other California wine districts in the production of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and sauvignon blanc. In addition, Rhone-style varieties such as viognier and syrah are also being successfully grown.

Despite its lush vineyards and country charm, the area remains almost untouched by tourism and wine country gentrification. One reason is that the area has never been easy to get to. The Mokelumne Valley, in which it lies, is surrounded by a series of river channels, and main highway routes have avoided the area. As such, Lodi has gone about its grape producing business quietly and without fanfare.

While remaining somewhat of a best-kept secret, some of America’s biggest names in the wine industry are producing here, including Gallo, Sebastiani, Glen Ellen, Sutter Home, Forest Glen, Beringer, and Fetzer. Add to that list Mondavi, as Robert Mondavi, who grew up in Lodi, turned to his old hometown in 1979 as a source of grapes.

Mondavi acquired the Woodbridge winery in Lodi, and brought to it his signature Napa Valley production methods of gentle wine handling, direct-to-press grape delivery, "small lot" winemaking, barrel fermentation, and barrel aging in French and American oak.

The winery has evolved from its first releases of Robert Mondavi Red and White through its 25^th anniversary in 2003, where it introduced its limited-production and highly acclaimed Select Vineyard Series.

The Select Vineyard Series recognizes growers who have consistently brought in top quality fruit. However, rather than highlight a particular vineyard, the resulting wines are designed to showcase the finest expression of diversity of the growing territory.

These mico-climates are described on the wine labels found on Select Vineyard series bottles. For example, the 2002 Ghost Oak Chardonnay, with its silky texture and captivating flavors, takes its name from the region’s fog known for creating ghostly images in the vineyards.

The 2001 Clay Hollow Merlot, evoking chocolate-covered cherries with a cocoa finish, comes from vineyards in a region known for its cool climate and clay soils.

Likewise, the red dirt of the Jahant growing district gives the 2001 Red Dirt Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon its deep ruby color and delicious layers of black cherry, dark chocolate, olive and spice.

The Fish Net Creek Old Vine Zinfandel pays tribute to the Miwok Indians who once made fish traps out of Zinfandel grape vines growing near the Mokelumne River. This excellent zinfandel features soft bramble berry character, a dash of spice, and a pinch of black pepper. It is also lush, rich and velvety.