NAPOLEON DID NOT defeat the Austrians in Lodi, California, following a fierce battle at the Adda River in 1796. That Lodi would have been Lodi (lode-EE), Italy, the sister city of our Lodi (LODE-eye). No, there's nothing all that glamorous about the Lodi, California, area. The drive out there (about an hour and a half northeast of San Francisco) is a bit longer and not as picturesque as the drive out to Napa or Sonoma, but then again, Lodi hasn't been overtaken by the flood of wine tourists and huge money that can turn a weekend wine-tasting trek into a "Wines of Epcot Center" experience rather than a charming ramble through the countryside.

The Lodi region is one of the youngest appellations in California. It was only granted the distinction in 1986 despite a 150-year history of grape growing and wine making. Enlarged in 2001, the Lodi appellation currently has over 80,000 acres under cultivation, yielding a volume of wine grapes double that of Napa and Sonoma combined.

Some may find it surprising to know that big boys such as Mondavi (founder Robert Mondavi was born in Lodi), as well as those on the move up the ladder, such as Cosentino, get many of their grapes from Lodi. In fact, more than 60 major wine makers use Lodi grapes, which they then blend with fruit from more recognized wine regions to create some of their signature wines. Known for excellent zinfandels (as labels bearing the Lodi appellation from such names as Kenwood, J. Lohr, Cosentino, and Ravenswood attest), the area isn't just about zin – it's also California's largest producer of chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and sauvignon blanc.

I'll admit, the name Vino Piazza conjured visions of "something klassy." The artificiality of what is essentially a wine mall (in a town called Lockeport, just east of Lodi proper) initially seems cheesy, but what has materialized is a concentration of boutique wineries, each producing several hundred cases a year in an atmosphere that allows them to manage their overhead and focus on producing handcrafted, tasty wines. It also affords both serious and novice wine tasters the ability to sample a truly massive array of wines over an afternoon. With 12 to 15 wineries represented, each producing at least 3 and some as many as 22 (yeah, 22) wines, a previously inexperienced palate can emerge better educated and well toasted. All in one place, and all for free.

We cruised to Vino Piazza on a beautifully sunny Sunday afternoon – the kind of afternoon that would make Napa and Sonoma a total zoo – and had the tasting rooms of Vino Piazza largely to ourselves. We were thoroughly impressed not only by the quality of many of the wines but also by the supremely relaxed and friendly atmosphere. In virtually every tasting room (rooms that also act as cask-storage and bottling facilities for a number of the occupants) we were personally served by the vintner, who was happy to take time discussing the wines and the area, even with us a sunbaked couple who looked like we'd just rolled off a day lounging beside the river.

Favorites included the J. Paul Rosilez Winery's 2000 "Apothecary" Super Tuscan, a very flavorful, well-balanced cabernet sauvignon-sangiovese blend with earthy strawberry and spice flavors, and the Watts Winery 2000 Old Vine zinfandel, with its hints of clove mingled with black cherry.

At Macchia, run by a husband-and-wife team who bottled their first commercial wines in 2002, we had a chance to do a little barrel tasting. Along with a couple of other visitors, we were ushered through a door in the back of the tasting room that opened onto a large garage with wine casks stacked to the ceiling. We were offered tastes of their upcoming "Pepper" Port and the 2002 old vine zinfandel right from the barrel; this is the zin they hope will be as successful as their 2001 vintage ($20), which sold out its 350-case bottling and took Best Zinfandel at the 2003 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition against wines from the United States, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. Apparently it was no fluke. Among several other medals, their less expensive 2001 "Generous" zin ($16) was selected from a field of more than 3,325 wines to be awarded one of eight four-star gold medals at the Orange County Wine Fair Competition.

Holding the deep crimson pour against the light wood of the barrel showed it to be almost totally opaque. Swirling it in my glass, I brought it to my nose and caught scents of blackberry jam and spices. I took a healthy sip, and a rich cascade of dark fruit flavor washed over my tongue, filling my mouth and slowly dissipating into a spicy, smooth, peppery finish with little tannin pucker. Due out in late November, it was the standout of the day, and we lamented not having the scratch to buy into the six-bottle minimum purchase of its future production, despite the relatively attainable price of $22 a bottle.

Another first-year producer, Leonardo Family Vineyards, has jumped in with a well-received cabernet sauvignon and cabernet syrah. We worked our way through their offerings, even a barrel tasting of their 2002 Mataro, which was set to be bottled the following week. Yet I was drawn back to the smooth 2001 pinot grigio we'd started with. The crisp, refreshing zest of the Leonardo pinot grigio was packed with citrus but was without the bite I usually taste in many white wines.

The temperature was in the 90s outside the tasting rooms. At $10 a bottle, the Leonardo pinot grigio was the perfect choice for the weather and for my wallet and a reminder of how I conquered my idiotic snobbery to enjoy a mellow, educational, and thirst-quenching day at Vino Piazza.