I found myself on board the warm, vintage-inspired Livermore Wine Trolley singing ‘California Love’ with the help of LED lights at a time I didn’t expect to see it. With a few new friends, I was able to taste five wines from Las Positas Vineyards in Wetmore Road. They were paired with delicious delicacies made by the chef in charge. When the weather is nice the majority of wineries allow the opportunity to taste their wines on patios, which makes this experience outdoor.
In this cold, snowy day, we’re thankful to be able to partake in the most civilized kind of fun: the tour of the historic Livermore Valley, which includes three stops at wineries as well as a designated driver, Fernando and is awe-inspiring with charisma and a presence appropriate to his past work for San Francisco ers announcer. The tour offers a comprehensive tour of an area that’s often overlooked by Bay Area residents. While I’m only minutes away to the valley it’s been a part of my life for many years. I’ve been privileged enough to interview winemakers, pick the bottles of wine as well as judge contests.
Participants of this formal tasting event had the chance to sample 14 wines from three estates, which included the famous Concannon Vineyard, enabling them to reconnect and experience the distinct terroir of Livermore Valley. The event also revealed how these wines have progressed and how much they are enjoying certain of the more recent varietals which are grown in the valley like Verdelho and Cabernet Franc. It was a cold day when the guests were gathered in Garre Vineyard and Winery. an establishment owned by a family situated on Tesla Road. Winter rainfall transformed the hills into lush, mossy green. A morning fog was still engulfing the area.
It was a pleasure to be hosted by Garre Vineyards for a wine tasting. After sipping off-dry sparkling red wine Martel and our host explained the origins and the ownership of Bob Molinaro. It was revealed that the Italian father and uncles had made red wines using grapes smuggled from Napa Valley, which also provided the impetus for Mr. Molinaro’s decision to open the winery in the early s as a tribute to their heritage. As part of the tasting, we tasted the soft and delicious sangiovese as well as primitivo made of grapes from the estate and evoked both respect and admiration.
My friends and I were delightedly escorted by Martel into a restaurant, and asked to not move before the next round of five wine and bite-sized morsels. When we had just begun to make acquaintances with one another, the educator-like atmosphere sparked laughter over glasses of an intense, striking syrah. Martel was a great instructor, explaining the distinct characteristics between each wine, prompting us to revisit the wines we were tasting and encouraging us to experiment with other wine styles, along with flatbread, tomato basil soup made with grilling vegetables and different foods. She said “Don’t give us the power to define your taste buds.” “Discover your own preferences.
When we arrived at The Garre’s Vineyard, we were generously given a discount of % on the already reasonable costs for their wine. Additionally, Fernando graciously offered to store our purchases until our tour concluded. We then took our seats and he explained our next destination , Las Positas Vineyards, five miles to the east. It is managed by Lisa and Lothar Maier. The property is comprised of acres of diverse vines including barbera, merlot, tempranillo the verdelho grape, chardonnay, mourvedre. Furthermore, the winery is currently opening the lounge with full service, serving seasonally-inspired flatbreads as well as wine-friendly snacks, accompanied by live music.
Conclusion
The wine tasting experience of Martel was educational and enjoyable. Wine tastings that were traditionally a part of the process were challenged in a completely innovative way, giving us an opportunity to try the wines , and discover our personal favourite combinations using the two-bite snacks. We were able to identify our individual taste, while learning more about ourselves while finding out the things that satiated our palates.
