World
Wide Wine: Livermore Valley, California
If you're prone to denouncing
all things Chardonnay - here's more fodder
for you. The Livermore Valley. Just 30 miles
east of San Francisco, this 15-by-10 mile
AVA boasts the type of stony gravel soils
that is home to the storied Sauvignon Blancs
and Semillons of Bordeaux's Graves region.
And indeed, the early Livermore Valley
winegrowers, mostly French immigrants in
the 1880s, recognized the potential to grow
what they already knew did well on gravel
soils and planted Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Fast forward a hundred years or so, factor
in the American fixation on Chardonnay,
and most of those vineyards (and ones planted
since) are now producing Chardonnay, along
with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and others.
In fact, the Livermore Valley claims to
be the home to the first country's first
varietal labeled Chardonnay, and the vast
majority (around 80%) of California's Chardonnay
vines trace their genetic roots to a Livermore
Valley clone.
It's not a knock on Livermore winemakers
- hey, you make what sells, right? And Semillon
and Sauvignon Blanc do still make appearances
in the region. And we're not dogging the
Livermore Chardonnays, Zins, etc. - it's
just interesting, that's all.
 The
truth is, when we think Livermore, we don't
think of lost Semillon opportunities. We
think of Wente Vineyards.
No other winery (and there are 35-ish in
the region) is as associated with the Livermore
Valley. In no small part, this is because
Wente Vineyards is Livermore's (and California's)
oldest family owned and continuously operated
winery and, as such, has become sort of
the grand host of the region.
And of course it doesn't hurt that Wente
also produces more wine - and more of it
gets outside of California - than any other
Livermore producer.
The winery was founded in 1883 by C. H.
Wente and is now managed by the fourth and
fifth generations of the family, including
winemaker Karl D. Wente. The family has
been instrumental in protecting the entire
region from urbanization, helping to wrangle
a compromise land-use agreement out of the
State, under which, whenever an acre of
permits are issued for home or business
development, 10 acres of land are set aside
for open space or agricultural use.
Despite its roll in Livermore, its multiple
labels and its production levels (quite
large by comparison to other area wineries),
or perhaps because of the strong history
behind it, Wente wines somehow still have
the feel of a an intimate, family-owned
winery.
We recently tasted several new releases
from Wente Vineyards as well as sister wineries
Murrieta's Well and Tamás Estates.
Here are our notes:
($15). Pretty apple and
spice aromas and flavors are displayed in
a medium-bodied, fresh style. Not overly
complex, but easy to drink - well chilled
on a patio, please. Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($23).
Appealing for its nicely balanced brightness
on the one hand, and richness on the other.
With ripe melon and fig flavors and aromas
accented with citrus, toast and vanilla.
Long, smooth, elegant finish. A blend of
Sauvignon Blanc (65%) and Semillon. Ready
to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Moderate black cherry
aromas and flavors pick up dried herbs,
chocolate and spice, staying smooth through
the finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15).
Smooth and jammy, with plenty of cherry
and berry fruit character alongside toasty
oak. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($36). An elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon
(60%), Merlot (22%), Petite Verdot and Cabernet
Franc. Offering smooth, deep plum and blackberry
aromas and flavors laced with warm spices,
black tea, and just a touch of rich chocolate.
Nicely integrated oak; good balance all
around. Pretty, focused finish. Ready to
drink now and over the next two or three
years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
Learn more about Wente Vineyards
and its wines at www.wentevineyards.com.
Learn more about the Livermore Valley at
www.livermorewine.com.
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Wente
Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay Livermore Valley
Morning Fog
Murrieta's
Well 2005 Red Meritage Livermore Valley