Wine Tasting in Livermore Valley Wine Country

Have you ever heard of Livermore, California? Did you know they have a well established wine country? Well, my friends they do. One of California’s oldest wine regions, the Livermore Valley was pivotal in shaping California’s wine industry. The area was the first to bottle varietal labeled Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Syrah. Plus, nearly 80% of California’s Chardonnay vines can be traced to a Livermore Valley clone. I have been to a couple of places and the wines are good. Wine tasting in Livermore Valley Wine Country is very different than tasting in the ever popular Napa and Sonoma.

What Makes Livermore, CA Wine Tasting Different

• The wineries are smaller, giving them a more friendly, homey vibe. Staff also tends to
• It’s less commercialized.
• The climate is different, meaning it gets hot, but still gets some breeze from The Bay. This creates a unique flavor with the wines, and I have really enjoyed them
• Less crowded. You have more one on one time with staff to learn more about the wines, vineyard, wine making, or enjoy a nice afternoon sipping wine and enjoying the great weather.
• More places are family friendly. Meaning they have activities to entertain kids, or even start a family game.

Livermore is less than an hour East of San Francisco and about 30-40 minutes Southeast of us, so it makes the perfect day trip. Actually, one of the things I love about the are is my favorite outlet mall, San Francisco Premium Outlets, is in the area too. So, what we have done lately when my in-laws come to town is the girls shop for a bit while the guys stay at the playground with the kids. Then, we head to one of the wineries to try some wine and relax. Here is a look at a couple of places we’ve visited so far.

Murrieta’s Well

This is the first place we stopped into. You guys this place is so pretty. From the beautiful event space to the amazing patio and landscaping. It truly is a serine and peaceful place, not to mention the views and some of the vines are planted right on the property. This place is family friendly, with bean bags and a space for running around/setting up a picnic its a great place to spend an afternoon. The wines are good and easy to drink. We ended up purchasing the The Whip and The Spur, both of their red and white blends. Note the tasting fee is $25 and they are appointment only, so be sure to call ahead before planning your trip.

 

McGrail Vineyard and Winery

McGrail is so pretty. It has that true California feel with the beautiful palm trees and sweeping hillside views. The  tasting room is so pretty and sits within their estate vineyard. We actually did the Vineyard and Winery Tour and it was so fun! I loved walking around the near the vines and seeing the production and barrel room, then ending at a table on the patio to finish out the tasting.

We were there on a Saturday afternoon. The weather was perfect, there was live music on the patio and there were fun activities for the kids. They have the bag toss, over-sized blocks and Bocce Ball. So on to the wine. You guys it was so good we ended up buying several and have already enjoyed a couple of bottles. The wines are also affordable, which is always nice to find. Here is what we bought: Kylie Ryan Rose, Charlie Ray Chardonnay (guys I’m normally a no-go on Chards and this one was my choice to buy! It’s so crisp and not overly buttery like so many CA chards are!), Shamus Patrick Red Blend and A Jo Elet Cabernet Sauvignon.

I can’t wait to continue to explore an do more wine tasting in Livermore Valley Wine Country. Have you ever been to any wineries there? If so which are your favorites? If not, have you heard of any you’d love for me to check out and review?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you have a wonderful week!

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