Celebrate Father’s Day in Livermore Valley Wine Country, where you can enjoy wine tastings at renowned wineries and picturesque vineyard picnics. Not sure where to go? Here is our list of the “Top 10 Places to Celebrate Father’s Day” in Livermore Valley to make the most of your day.
Attention wine and cheese lovers! In the scenic Livermore Valley Wine Region, renowned for its diverse terroir and exceptional wines, discovering the ideal combinations of local wines and cheese is a sensory journey worth embarking on. We have partnered with The Cheese Parlor’s own cheesemonger extraordinaire, Brandon Wood, to put together the perfect wine and cheese pairings for the ideal spring picnic. Join us as we explore these perfectly crafted pairings that will elevate your picnic experience and introduce you to some of Livermore Valley’s award-winning wines. Picture yourself surrounded by sweeping vineyards and majestic hills, indulging in a curated selection of Livermore Valley Wine and artisanal cheeses. Let’s explore four exceptional pairings that will elevate your picnic and leave you wanting more.
Nestled amongst the rolling hills of Livermore Valley wine country, McGrail Vineyards beckons you to escape the ordinary and experience a taste of the good life. Our family-owned winery boasts not only award-winning wines, but breathtaking views, inviting bocce courts, and the kind of warm hospitality that makes you feel right at home.
The Livermore Valley, nestled in the heart of California’s wine country, has long been renowned for its picturesque vineyards and world-class wineries. In recent years, a remarkable transition has been taking place within the wine industry, with the torch being passed from the seasoned veterans to the dynamic and passionate next generation of women in wine.
Longevity Wines is a family-owned, urban winery and certified minority-owned business based in the Livermore Valley wine region of Northern California. Founders Debra and Phil Long opened Longevity in 2008 when their winemaking hobby outgrew their garage. By that time, they had spent years visiting tasting rooms and saw a need for inclusive wine experiences. Their love of warm, welcoming spaces is evident in the cozy, barn-themed tasting room they designed together.
This year, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition had 65 professional judges review over 6,500 submitted wines. As an AVA, the Livermore Valley brought home over 150 awards. Pick up these award winners now before they sell out!
Image by: victoria_kiani
Image by: alo_ayalaaa
Image by: danatoddphoto
Image by: allisonmollengarden
Image by: haydunc
7. Barn at
Mitchell Katz Winery
Image by Doug Jorgensen via The Independent
Grab your coffee or tea from your favorite downtown cafe and take a stroll through Downtown Livermore to see this years’ beautiful “Tree Sweaters”. These handmade sweaters that are knit to every tree will be up until Friday, November 18th, before being donated to the Valley Humane Society of Pleasanton as comforting blankets. You can find these cozy trees along First Street between Maple and L Street. Bothwell Arts Center sponsors the Tree Sweaters each Fall.
There is a briskness in the air as fall marches on and it’s the perfect time to spice things up in wine country. In November, Livermore Valley highlights Zinfandel as the featured varietal. This bold and classic varietal is the number one planted grape in California.
The primary flavors include jam, blueberry, cherry, plum, boysenberry, cranberry and licorice. Other aromas you may be able to pick out are black pepper, black cardamom and anise. Tannins and acid are generally medium to medium high.
How do you decide what to pair with this rambunctious varietal? Think barbecued red meats, and lighter meats like turkey or ham. For cheese, try manchego. For veggies think something bold like roasted tomato, red peppers, caramelized onion or roasted squash to bring out the wine’s fruitiness. Need more inspiration for dinner? Check out our Pinterest board for recipe picks.
You can find Livermore Valley Zinfandel at more than 20 Livermore Valley wineries.
Recent award-winning wine includes:
Judges Best Pairing – Wente Vineyards and The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards
This team may have had the upper edge, I mean, who knows the wine better than their own restaurant? But their pairing of the 2014 Small Lot Serenity with berkshire pork sausage with bing cherry mostarda and Riesling fermented kraut ensured that they were ready for victory!
Best Classic Pairing – Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery and Gan
The team paired their 2013 Chateau Molyneaux Merlot with wedding cheeks with a charred Korean pepper soubise, crisp potato and pickled red daikon. Difficult to imagine it all together, but this definitely had us going back for more!
Most Innovative – Dante Robere Vineyard and Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar
This team paired their 2013 Roberitage, 50% Syrah 50% Cabernet Sauvignon with minced chicken in lettuce spears with a sweet hoisin sauce. Oh my! One of the best things about this dish was that it was delicious and savory without being heavy.
Our panel of judges consisted of Linda Carruci, Culinary Instructor and Author, Fred Swan, Wine Writer & Educator at San Francisco Wine School and Deborah Parker Wong Journalist & Educator for The Tasting Panel, SOMM Journal and Clever Root. While they may be the experts, our guests voted the following as their favorites.
People’s Choice Red Wine Pairing – McGrail Vineyards and Winery and Beet’s Hospitality Group
This team paired the Cabernet Sauvignon with a 12-hour house smoked dry rub brisket with homemade smoky paprika pimento cheese in a crispy risotto shell. And let me tell you, every hour that was put into this pairing was worth it.
People’s Choice White Wine Pairing – Longevity Wines and
Johnny Garlic’s
