The Tri-Valley Conservancy is dedicated to preserving the natural open spaces and agricultural heritage of the Livermore valley, with a particular focus on preserving and promoting wine making. One of their annual events is called “Livermore Valley Uncorked”, a celebration of Livermore valley wines. Recently the 2013 winners were announced. Has your favorite winery made […]

The el Sol Winery flies under the radar. Only the most observant wine taster will notice the sign on Greenville Road. Once Lupin Way is discovered, only the adventurous wine taster will advance to the driveway. Then, only the clairvoyant wine taster will find the tasting room. We were observant and adventurous, but sadly we were not clairvoyant. As […]

This weekend featured a wonderful event: a wine release party at Ruby Hill. We are club members at Ruby Hill, and it is entirely because of their release parties. Oh yes, their wines are great, and the club member discount is nice, but the parties, oh, the parties! This weekend was yet another reminder of […]

  Chouinard Winery proves that following the crowd isn’t the only path to success.  Instead, they have focused on their wine-making passion and delivered excellence across a shockingly large slate of wines. Improbably located in Castro Valley, a dozen or so miles from the more famous Livermore valley, this is a winery that is well worth the drive. […]

Joining Longevity Wines and Nottingham Cellars in an unassuming strip center, the Occasio Winery tasting room is a real surprise as you cross their threshold. Light stucco and dark woods complement the assortment of library wines, creating a wonderful wine tasting experience. Occasio Winery 2245 B South Vasco Road Livermore CA 94550 (925) 371-1987 Friday-Sunday […]

We’ve already written about how much we love Eckert wines. Great, well-priced wines,  made by friendly and genuine people. What’s not to like? But Mike and Vickie Eckert have figured out how to add a little more fun to the wine tasting process: Bottle Your Own! We first discovered the joys of the Eckert bottle-your-own […]

So let’s say you have visited a winery or two and you are tired of standing or your plantars fascitis has you hobbling or you brought your 84 year old Auntie to the vineyards as an excuse to sit down, Nottingham Cellars is your destination.  Nottingham Cellars is a “stand out” (teehee) for several reasons […]

Harvest time is a busy season for winemakers. This was quite apparent during our recent visit to Longevity Wines. Owners Phil and Debra Long personally handle every step of the wine making process, from picked fruit to pouring in the tasting room. Assisted by Presston (OK, we didn’t get it at first either. “Presston = […]

As Sarah mentioned in her Toast Thursday, the Paragon Outlets opened last Thursday. As part of the massive (and traffic snarling) grand opening weekend, local wineries got together for “Sunset Sip and Shop”. This fund raiser for the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association featured 15 wineries each pouring a white and a red. All you needed […]

Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” That sentiment seems to be reflected as “Taste humbly and pour a great wine” when you visit the White Crane Winery. A small white building, hardly bigger than a two-car garage, sits at the end of a gravel drive. The modest trappings give little hint […]