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Mokelumne River is an AVA covering the south-west portion of the larger Lodi AVA, including the town of Lodi itself. Mokelumne River is the historical heart of the Lodi appellation and is home to most of Lodi's wineries, which produce concentrated red wines from old-vine Zinfandel.
The AVA covers some 85,700 acres (35,680ha) across the flat Central Valley floor; almost half of this acreage is under vine. It is named for the Mokelumne River (mokelumne meaning 'people of the fishnet') which flows through the region on its path from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Sacramento Delta immediately west of the Mokelumne River AVA. Clements Hills AVA separates Mokelumne River from the Sierra Foothills AVA in the east.
The climate is classically Mediterranean, and both the river and the Sacramento Delta moderate the temperatures here. The vineyards of Mokelumne River enjoy warm, sunny days followed by cooler evenings. Cool breezes in the afternoon from the delta, just 15 miles (25km) away, lower temperatures in the area, extending the ripening season and allowing the grapes to develop rich fruit characters while retaining their all-important acidity.
Mokelumne River has deep, alluvial soils made of sandy loam. These free-draining soils are ideal for quality viticulture – the vines are forced to forgo the production of foliage in favor of producing life-sustaining berries. These berries are typically more concentrated in color and sugars, leading to richer, more intense styles of wine.
This was the first area in Lodi to be planted with vines and it includes some 120-year-old Zinfandel vineyards. These older vines produce wines with distinctive black-cherry and dark-fruit flavors which are unique to the region. As in other parts of Lodi, many wines are made from Spanish grape varieties, including Graciano, Carinena and Albarino.
