  We present the color dipole phenomenology of diffractive photo- and
electroproduction $\gamma^{*} N\to V(V') N$ of vector mesons ($V(1S) = \phi^0,
\omega^0, \rho^0, J/\Psi, \Upsilon$) and their radial excitations ($V'(2S) =
\phi', \omega', \rho', \Psi', \Upsilon'$). The main emphasis is related to
light vector mesons. We discuss how the energy dependence of the color dipole
cross section in conjuction with the node of the radial wave function of the
$2S$ states can lead to an anomalous $Q^2$ and energy dependence of diffractive
production of $V'(2S)$ vector mesons. The color dipole model predictions for
$V(1S)$ light vector meson production are compared with the experimental data
from the EMC, NMC, ZEUS and H1 collaborations.
