Welcome to the wild West Coast
Think American wine is all glossy Napa valley brochures, billionaire’s estates and predictable recipes? Think again.
If you step off the beaten tourist track and head into the rugged corners of the Pacific Coast, you’ll find a wine world that is fiercely independent, wonderfully eccentric, and deeply connected to the land.
A place where you can spend your morning hiking through an ancient forest of giant redwoods so colossal they make you question your place in the universe or an afternoon cheering on a competitive frog-jumping contest in a historic Gold Rush boomtown.
Meet your winemaker guide
Stephen Millier: the moustachioed legend of Lodi
"Welcome to California! I’ve been working with Lodi vines since the 1970s, and I was there on the very first day Naked Wines launched in the USA. I live in Murphys, an old 1850s Gold Rush town in the Sierra Foothills. If you love bold, pure, fruit-packed Zinfandel and local characters who refuse to conform, you've come to the right place."
Lodi: scorching heat, biting cold and liquid gold
Our first stop is California’s Central Valley, specifically Lodi, a region whose winemaking roots stretch all the way back to the mid 19th century.
A short jaunt southeast of Napa, Lodi's wine story kicked off in the 1850s when farmers planted table grapes. They quickly realised the Mediterranean climate was a paradise for wine grapes, and the region's true calling was born.
But if you only know the area from the classic Creedence Clearwater Revival track, Stephen Millier is quick to warn you that being "stuck in Lodi" in real life looks entirely different. "It won’t prepare you," Stephen smiles, "for the feast of vineyards you will see going out in every direction."
Visually, the landscape is a striking mix of old and new. You have massive, sea-like expanses of lush green vines stretching toward the horizon under a blazing blue sky. Look closer, and you'll find the crown jewels: gnarly, thick-trunked old bush vines that look more like weathered bonsai trees than grape plants. Most famously, Zinfandel – of which Lodi proclaims itself the "Zinfandel capital of the world."
Of course, the Central Valley can be notorious for searing summertime heat, making it a challenge to make a wine here without it tasting overripe and jammy – but as Stephen explains, they have a secret weapon:
"Lodi is positioned at the northern tip of the valley, right where four major river systems meet to flow into the delta waterway. That massive body of moving water completely tames the high daytime temperatures. Every single evening, it sucks in a sudden, rushing river breeze that cools the vines right down.
That daily temperature rollercoaster locks in beautiful, bright fruit flavours, keeping the wines fresh and balanced. So if you’re planning a trip, you’ve been warned…
“It gets so cool, in fact, that I always tell visitors to pack a light jacket to ward off the evening chill.”
The itinerary: Stephen’s top tips
Stop 1: The Jumping Frog Jubilee
If you happen to visit Stephen’s home turf in Calaveras County in the third weekend of May, you won't just be tasting world-class wine – you’ll be ringside at a legendary piece of Americana…
The annual Jumping Frog Jubilee is an homage to Mark Twain's famous short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.
Locals and tourists alike line up to watch frogs compete to beat the mind-boggling, 21-foot world record set by a local frog named Rosie the Ribeter back in 1986. There’s live music and that most American of all things, a demolition derby.
The local wine winners are proudly poured for the crowds in the festival's official 'Frogeteria'. Stephen’s, of course, being a regular presence.
Stop 2: the Murphys Stomp & Witch Walk
Throughout the year, Murphys hosts an array of spectacular street festivals:
March: A legendary St. Patrick's Day rite of spring that draws up to 10,000 people to the historic town.
Harvest Time: A wildly competitive grape stomp complete with a flamboyant costume contest, where teams battle for ultimate bragging rights.
October: The Murphys Witch Walk, where the historic Main Street fills with costumed locals tasting special goodies door-to-door.
December: A cosy winter Open House where working fire pits are scattered along the streets so you can chase away the chill and chat with new friends.
Stop 3: the serenity of the Big Trees
If you need to escape the festival madness, Stephen recommends a short drive into the high country to visit the Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Here, you can hike through an ancient forest of Giant Redwoods – some of the oldest and largest living organisms on Earth.
During the 1850s Gold Rush, miners were so stunned by their size that they cut one down and shipped pieces of it around the world just to prove it was real. Another giant stump was flattened and used as a literal community dancefloor.
“The trees are still magnificent, the forest serene, there's so much beauty here that reminds us to stay humble.”
Ready to get "stuck in Lodi"?
Stephen Millier and the local characters of the Sierra Foothills don't care about glossy brochures or corporate recipes. They care about history, community, and making massive, fruit-packed wines that taste like the rugged land they come from.
Until you can make the trek in person, you can bring a piece of the wild West Coast straight to your kitchen table. Pop the cork on a bottle of Stephen's legendary Lodi Zinfandel, fire up the grill, and taste what happens when independent winemakers refuse to conform.
