I ended up on the warm, vintage-inspired Livermore Wine Trolley singing ‘California Love’ with the help of LED lights when I had least expected to see it. With a few new friends I had the opportunity to sample five wines at Las Positas Vineyards in Wetmore Road. They were paired with mouthwatering delicacies prepared by the executive chef. A majority of wineries allow guests to taste their wines on a patio, making this an outdoor tasting experience.
In this cold, snowy day, we’re thankful to be able to partake in a most civilized variety of adventures: the $1 trip through the historic Livermore Valley, which includes three winery stops and the driver designated, Fernando whom is blessed with charisma and style fitting of his former career for San Francisco ers announcer. The tour offers a comprehensive new perspective of an area that’s often overlooked by Bay Area residents. Even though I’m only a couple of minutes away from the valley, I’ve come to know it quite well over the years. It has been a privilege meeting winemakers, and tasting their wines, and to also judge wine competitions.
The guests of the formal tasting experience had the opportunity to taste 14 wines from three different estates. One of them was the famed Concannon Vineyard, enabling them to reconnect and examine the unique terroirs of Livermore Valley. The evolution of the wine was obvious, especially in the case of the more recent varietals, like Verdelho and Cabernet Franc. This day was cold and cold. the guests were gathered in Garre Vineyard & Winery, an establishment owned by a family in the vicinity of Tesla Road. The snowfall of winter had changed the hills from golden brown into the lush green of moss. fog of the morning still covered the vineyard.
It was a pleasure to be received by the Garre Vineyards for a wine tasting. As we sipped on glasses of delicious sparkling wines, our tour guide Martel enlightened us on the history of the winery and its owner winemaker Bob Molinaro. His uncles and father were Italian immigrants and had made wines of red using grapes from Napa Valley. This was one of the reasons that led to the founder, Mr. Molinaro opening the winery as a means to honor them. For the purpose of tasting, we tasted sweet, soft sangiovese and primitivo made with grapes that were grown in the vineyards of estate, which inspired both admiration as well as admiration.
My acquaintances as well as I were pleasantly guided by Martel to a dining room, being warned to not advance before the next round of five different wines with accompanying small bites of food. As we were just beginning to acquaint ourselves with each other in the relaxed atmosphere, we were able to enjoy exuberant laughter as we drank draughts of the tense, colorful syrah. Martel was awe-inspiring in of describing the unique characteristics of each variety and prodding us back to the wine list, and to try different wines , along with tomatoes and basil soup the grilled flatbreads of vegetables, and other edibles. She said “Don’t just let us dictate your preferences.” “Discover what pleases you.
We were given the discount amounting to % on our arrival at the Garre’s Winery. Fernando generously agreed to store our purchases until the tour was over. Our seats were then taken as he informed us of our next destination , Las Positas Vineyards, five miles eastof the city, and owned by Lisa and Lothar Maier. The property is made up of acres of different vines, such as barbera, merlot, tempranillo as well as verdelho, chardonnay, and Mourvedre. In addition, the winery recently opened its own lounge which is fully-serviced, and serves regular flatbreads, as well as other wines-friendly food items, which are accompanied by live music.
Conclusion
Martel’s wine tasting experience was interesting and entertaining. We enjoyed wines in a totally new way. We figured out our personal preferences on our own, and learned about ourselves as well as getting to know the things that satiated our palates.
