There’s a modern day movement underway in Livermore Valley wine country. After centuries upon centuries of making significant contributions to America’s wine industry, this resilient wine region in the heart of San Francisco’s Tri-Valley is getting the respect it deserves— and it’s going for more.
Originally home to the Ohlone Indians, the Livermore Valley became the site for the San José Mission in 1797. In 1840, Robert Livermore planted the valley’s first commercial vineyard. He harvested his first grapes for table wine in 1849 in the wake of the California Gold Rush. The area remained nameless for years—then briefly called Nottingham— until 1870, when a formal city hall was established and the town was named Livermore to honor the region’s first vineyard owner and winemaker.
In the early 1880s, the three founding fathers of Livermore Valley wine (Charles Wetmore, James Concannon, and Carl Wente) planted vines and established wineries in the valley. Charles Wetmore founded Cresta Blanca Vineyard in 1882 on a stunning white lime- stone cliff with cuttings from Chateau d’Yquem and other French Bordeaux estates. Seven years later, his 1884 Cresta Blanca made from these grapes won the Grande Prix out of 17,000 entries at the 1889 Paris Exposition. It was the first American wine ever to win a prize in France. Meanwhile, both James Concannon and Carl Wente established their vineyards in 1883. To this day, these two family wineries remain bastions of the region’s legacy.
By the start of the 20th century, Livermore Valley was home to 50 wineries and 5,000 vineyard acres. The 30-plus-year process of developing the legendary Wente Clone of Chardonnay began in 1912, when Carl Wente imported Chardonnay cuttings from the University of Montpellier and Chardonnay budwood from the Gier Vineyard in Pleasanton.
The wine business boon came to a screeching halt in 1919, with the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors. Prohibition forced the closure of nearly every Livermore Valley winery. The two glowing exceptions who managed to survive were Concannon, who relied on the production of sacramental wine, and Wente, who sold grapes to home winemakers, made sacramental wine, raised livestock, and grew crops to diversify the business.
When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Concannon and Wente continued to make significant contributions to the American wine industry. Wente produced and released the nation’ s first varietally labeled Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon, and Concannon hired the nation’s first technically trained, professional female winemaker Katherine Vajda in 1950. In 1961, Concannon introduced America’ s very first varietal-labeled Petite Sirah. T oday , thanks to the efforts of these two wineries, the genetic roots of nearly 80 percent of California’s Chardonnay vines can be traced to Livermore Valley as well as countless rows of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the Napa Valley and beyond.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, with patience and a high standard for perfection, new vineyards were planted and a few new wineries opened their doors. In 1981, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association was founded and, in 1982, the Livermore Valley AVA was formed. But the real surge of growth has occurred in the 21st century with a growth of 25 wineries in 2003 to 50 today—equaling its size before Prohibition.
More than a growth in numbers, Livermore Valley is experiencing a renaissance that’s evident in its regional spirit and its ever-increasing standard for quality. With each passing month, the list of awards, accolades, and firsts becomes longer and stronger. Inspired, ambitious newcomers like Cuda Ridge Winery, Darcie Kent Vineyards, Las Positas Vineyards, McGrail Vineyards and Winery, and 3 Steves Winery (whose Ancient Vine Zinfandel won the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Red Wine of Show) are stepping up with the encouragement of the valley’ s founding fathers, James Concannon and Carl Wente.
“In my opinion, each vintage is surpassing the last in terms of overall quality,” says Nottingham Cellars Winemaker Collin Cranor, whose wines have taken home 90-plus point scores and accolades since his first harvest in 2006. “It’ s happening around the entire valley. We all feel the need to drive quality . What that means to consumers is consistently better wine across the board from the Livermore Valley. ”