Have you ever tried a Livermore Valley wine?
At the Wine Media Conference last August, I tasted and fell hard for a food-friendly Las Positas Estate Barbera from Livermore Valley. Located 35 miles east of San Francisco, this California wine region is home to 50 wineries. But chances are Livermore Valley is off your radar because Napa and Sonoma get most of the ink.
Actually, Livermore Valley is one of California’s oldest wine regions. Robert Livermore planted the first grapes here in 1846. Pioneer winemakers C. H. Wente, James Concannon and Charles Wetmore founded their wineries in the early 1880s. Nearly 80% of California’s Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines trace their genetic roots to a Wente or Concannon clone. Livermore Valley wineries also were the first to bottle varietally labeled Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah.
The Livermore Valley floor is higher than those of valleys to the north of the San Francisco Bay. Starting at 340 feet on the west side of the valley, the elevation rises to 1,000 feet on the eastern side. Because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Livermore Valley has a temperate climate. On warm summer days, the early-morning fog rolls inland to cool the coastal valleys. Though the composition of the soil varies, gravel is the key component in many of the region’s vineyards.
I’ve been gradually working my way through six wines that I received as samples from the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association. If you’re looking for variety in your varietals, here’s a good place to start. What’s more, the stories behind these wines are full of heart, from garage startups and passionate self-starters to family commitment and enduring love.
Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.
2019 Longevity “Pink” Pinot Grigio, Livermore Valley
100% Pinot Grigio
Longevity Wines is a family-owned, urban winery and certified minority-owned business. Founders Debra and Phil Long opened Longevity in 2008 when their winemaking hobby outgrew their garage. Debra came up with the name. Phil designed the logo based on the artisan glass hearts he gave to Debra every Valentine’s Day. Sadly, Debra was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2016 and passed away in 2019. Longevity was named Livermore Valley’s Winery of the Year just a few days before Debra died and is now the third largest brand in Livermore Valley. This “pink” Pinot Grigio was pressed with a little skin contact and then fermented in stainless steel.
My tasting notes: Gorgeous bronze color. Peach and orange blossoms on the nose, followed by a buttery yet tangy, medium acid palate with some bite (grip) to it that I really enjoyed. Finishes with a hint of lemon and dried apricot. Alcohol: 13.5%. Price: $26.
2020 Las Positas Estate Albariño, Livermore Valley
100% Albariño
In January 2006, Lisa and Lothar Maier purchased a 20-acre vineyard in the southwest corner of Livermore Valley. Deciding that the existing vineyard was not up to their standards, they pulled out the existing vines and tilled the soil to break up the “hardpan barrier” just below the surface. They then planted small parcels in various clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Barbera, Petite Sirah and Chardonnay. The Maiers named their winery Las Positas for Robert Livermore’s original 40,000-acre property, “Rancho Las Positas,” which refers to the many streams and watering holes coursing through the land. Albariño is traditionally grown in Spain and Portugal. This California version was fermented in 80% stainless steel and 20% neutral barrels.
My tasting notes: A mellow yet succulent Albariño with apple, citrus (lemon and lime) and floral aromas and a crisp, tropical fruit palate of pineapple, grapefruit and lemon. Alcohol: 13.4%. Price: $35.
2020 Pistachio Lane Grüner Veltliner, San Francisco Bay
100% Grüner Veltliner
Established in 1996, Darcie Kent Vineyards is owned and operated by Darcie Kent along with her husband and two daughters. Darcie is a fifth-generation winemaker. With Hungarian-born winemaker Julian Halasz, she handcrafts small-lot, single-vineyard wines from sustainably farmed, family-owned vineyards. She is also an artist. Like her great grandfather, who owned his own winery in St. Joseph, Missouri, before falling on hard times following the repeal of Prohibition, Darci’s original art adorns each of her wine labels. Grapes for this wine grow in vineyards nestled between pistachio and hazelnut orchards and olive trees.
My tasting notes: Smells like summertime with aromas of peach, citrus, white flowers and a hint of grass. Palate has a rounded mouthfeel and medium body; citrusy but not tart. Medium acidity. Light minerality and a touch of honey on a medium+ finish. At 7 grams of residual sugar, this off-dry Grüner is delicious with Thai-inspired dishes. Alcohol: 13.2%. Price: $35.
2017 Cuda Ridge Cabernet Franc, Livermore Valley
90% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Malbec
Founded in 2007 by Larry and Margie Dino, Cuda Ridge Wines produces small-lot, mostly Bordeaux-style wines. From time to time, Larry, the winemaker, will produce non-Bordeaux-style wines under his black label. Larry began making wine in his garage in 1999 under the mentorship of a family friend, grower, and winemaker. The couple planted a small family vineyard and built a barrel room in their garage in Livermore Valley for their winemaking hobby. Meanwhile, Larry built relationships with the various growers and winemakers of Livermore Valley and took viticulture and sensory analysis classes where he discovered his preference for Bordeaux-style wines. This Cab Franc spent 19 months in French oak, 45% new.
My tasting notes: Black cherry, black licorice, violets and deep woodsy aromas – like a breath of fresh forest air. Palate shows black cherry and raspberry notes upfront, leading into an earthy, herby and peppery, medium+ finish. Tannins are still a bit rough. Alcohol: 15.3%. Price: $40.
2018 Wood Family Vineyards Malbec, Livermore Valley
95% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot
After a couple years of brewing beer at home, Rhonda Wood, a commercial pilot, wondered why she shouldn’t start making wine. She and husband Michael saw a vineyard property for sale in Livermore Valley in 1995 and determined they could purchase this property while still working and commuting to their day jobs in San Francisco and Sunnyvale. Michael continues to commute to Sunnyvale and helps during harvest at Wood Family Vineyards and whenever he’s around. Rhonda commuted to San Francisco Airport until she took a leave of absence in 2001. She took up winemaking full time and resigned from USAirways in 2006.
My tasting notes: Fruity nose of black cherry, cherry and plum. Palate is cherry-berry, peppery, smooth and mouthcoating with medium acidity and a hint of minerality on a medium+ finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $34.
2016 “Call me a Cab” Cabernet Sauvignon, Thatcher Bay Vineyard, Livermore Valley
99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc
Rosa Fierro Cellars is a woman-owned winery that specializes in limited production wines from Livermore and Napa valleys. Grapes are sourced from small vineyards of 12 acres or less and the wines handcrafted at a production facility in Livermore Valley. The Rosa Fierro Cellars urban winery and tasting room are located on the east end of Livermore. Winemaker Rosa Fierro (or Rosie, as she is known) fell in love with wine in 2009 while working in a Livermore tasting room and assisting the winemaker with harvesting grapes and making port in the garage. She soon began making her own wines alongside winemakers who became her mentors. She opened Rosa Fierro Cellars in 2014. Thatcher Bay is an award-winning vineyard. The fruit was handpicked, crushed whole berry and cold-soaked with dry ice for five days prior to fermentation. It was aged for 32 months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels.
My tasting notes: If big bad Cab is your jam, this one’s for you. The label describes this wine as “righteously assertive.” Got that right. An hour after sipping this Cab, my tongue still tingles from capsicum (red pepper). But let’s back up. Aromas are a heady mix of blackberry, black licorice, tobacco and a hint of mint. On the palate, alcohol warmth and medium+ acidity work their way down the gullet first. Then it’s cherry, sour cherry and bitter (but not unpleasant) chocolate to the spicy-hot finish line, wherever that is. Alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $40.