An underrated California wine region has a surprising claim to fame: It’s the most diverse grape growing region in the country.
Lodi (San Joaquin County) is typically overlooked in favor of Napa or Sonoma, and it’s long associated with Zinfandel and commodity wines. But the region features more than 130 grape varieties — compared to roughly 60 in both Napa and Sonoma — largely thanks to one highly unusual acre of land.
A single block of wines at Mokelumne Glen Vineyards is home to 52 German and Austrian grape varieties rarely found in the U.S. Many are grapes that most wine drinkers have never heard of, much less tasted, like Ehrenfelser, Albalonga, Rotgipfler and Sirius…