Lodi Wineries - Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)
American Viticultural Area

This print by artist Kerne Erickson depicts a Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) alongside the vineyards and flat terrain of the Lodi AVA, located in the Central Valley of California which is at the northern edge of the San Joaquin Valley and east of San Francisco Bay. The AVA gained approval in 1986 and includes 551,000 acres of which 103,000 acres are currently planted with wine grapes. There are 7 sub AVAs located within the Lodi AVA boundary: Alta Mesa AVA, Borden Ranch AVA, Clements Hills AVA, Cosumnes River AVA, Jahant AVA, Mokelumne River AVA, and Sloughhouse AVA. The Lodi region has been home to grape growing since at least the 1850s when wild grapes would grow down from trees along the edge of rivers. This led some trappers to call the Calaveras River, which runs through the southern portion of the area, "Wine Creek" Lodi has a Mediterranean climate similar to that along the Mediterranean Sea, with warm days and cool nights. The soil, unlike many other appellations, varies within the AVA, though in most places it is a deep loam that occasionally is covered with large rocks, similar to the French region of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Although the appellation is probably best known for its old vine Zinfandel, Lodi also produces a large quantity of Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Wineries in the region include: d'Art Wines, Heritage Oak Winery, ZinFest Winery, Jessie's Grove Winery, McCay Cellars, Berghold Estate Winery, LangeTwins Winery and Vineyards, Oak Farm, Vineyards Lucas Winery, Michael David Winery, Klinker Brick Winery, Jeremy Wine Company, Oak Ridge Winery, Van Ruiten Family Winery, m2 Wines, Macchia, Oak Farm Vineyards, Oak Ridge Winery ,Sorelle Winery, Spenker Winery, St. Amant Winery, Borra Vineyards, Mettler Vineyard, Harney Lane Winery, Bokisch Vineyards Tasting Room, Riaza Wines, Omega Vineyards Winery, Bear Creek Winery, Dancing Fox Winery & Brewery, Scotto Cellars and Lange Vineyards.