Guest Blogger: Brynn DeBarr

Livermore Valley

 

 

My three girlfriends and I met my sister, her boyfriend, and their two friends at Page Mill at about ten to noon on Saturday, May 4^th. We had just completed the Hike for Hope, which profits a local hospice organization. It was a gorgeous 4.4 mile hike at Del Valle Regional Park which was just a short 10-15 minute drive from the local Livermore wineries. We had planned on changing into flip flops and cute summer dresses, but we were pretty tired, and really just ready for some relaxation…and wine. As I was the designated driver, I decided to taste at just one winery. We puttered around in the Page Mill parking lot for about 10 minutes until about 11:59, and then walked inside. We were surprised to see a few other couples already tasting as we thought the winery opened at noon, but we quickly found a nice spot at the counter. My sister had said that most wineries don’t care for large groups, so we pretended that we were two groups of four (I don’t really think they cared either way, perhaps because it was early enough in the day.)

Page- Our first stop

I’m really not a wine aficionado, I pretty much like any chardonnay you put in front of me, and I know that wines are typically served white to red, and lighter to more bold. We started with a Sauvignon Blanc, not my favorite varietal, we then moved on to their Pinot Grigio, which I believe the server said was an award winner. I enjoyed their Chardonnay, especially as it had an oaky flavor.  Red wines and I are just becoming friendly, although I do tend to radiate toward a Zinfandel. Their Zin did not disappoint, however, it is only available for purchase by wine club members.  The tasting room was small, but intimate, they had the typical knick knacks you find at most tasting rooms, as well as some pretty funny cocktail (wine) napkins. There was a cute covered porch which I thought would be a darling place for a private tasting or to have lunch. The servers were all friendly ladies who probably couple their passion for wine (as evidenced by their bedazzled tee-shirts) with pleasant attitudes. Additionally, they had powdered sugar dusted, homemade brownie bites, and a few olive oils to sample. The tasting fee is a very reasonable $5. I wouldn’t come to this particular tasting room with a large crowd, but it would be perfect for a two or foursome.

Art at Big White House

We were in route to the Crooked Vine; I was following behind my sister’s boyfriend. I saw it on my right, but they passed it. We ended up at the end of the road at a winery called Big White House. The tasting room was neither big, nor white, but it had ample parking and some cute wine barrels carved like Jack-o-lanterns, so we decided to go in. This tasting room was more warehouse like, but had awesome artwork blanketing the walls. They also had a house dog, I think his actual name was “Alfie,” but we were told that this dog loved nothing more than rolling in the dirt, so he had received the nickname of “Dusty.” We were greeted warmly by the staff. After taking in the paintings, and taking a few pictures of the art that resembled some of my friends, the seven of them paid the meager $5 tasting fee. I was starting to feel the effects of the hike, as well as what would later be a pretty gnarly cold. I listened as they started talking to the servers. It turns out that one guy was a Cal Poly grad, like my sister, her boyfriend, and my friend Ashley. It was a hot day, so I decided to take a seat on one of the several Adirondack chairs outside. My friends followed and they were super stoked when one of the servers came out and refilled their glasses as we basked in the sun- that’s top notch service! To be honest, I’m not even sure what they tasted. I know that they had an opportunity to try two barrel tastes from wine that was going to be bottled sometime in the near future. We were alone initially, but a large group of late-twentysomethings showed up on their bikes. Next came a few couples, and then the first limo we’d seen all day. I love people watching, and I had a front row seat for all the action. I think we were at Big White House for about an hour and a half. We were getting pretty hungry so we asked for nearby restaurant recommendations. As it was such a nice day, we wanted something with outside dining. The server made a couple recommendations that were just up the road.

 

Tents at Garre Winery

We separated from my sister and her friends as they were going to do more wine tasting. We opted for a winery called Garre. They had a tasting room, as well as a café with indoor and outdoor dining. I also think that the space is used for weddings and other special occasions as we saw a large white tent set up. We were told to seat ourselves, which we did, under the cover of a few shady umbrellas outside. The menu was of decent size. I decided on a chicken chipotle sandwich; my friends had a pulled pork sandwich, and salmon salads. I opted for unlimited Diet Cokes and the girls got ice cold pale ales. They did have an extensive wine list as well. The food was good, and the service was too. I think that the Livermore valley has a lot to offer in the way of wineries. I had been here once before for a friend’s birthday. We had a limo and visited a few of the larger wineries, Wente and Concannon. Both of those wineries are very nice, and much larger. I think that they are more accustomed to catering to the larger parties, so I really think that you can customize your wine excursion to any size group. Tasting fees in Livermore rarely exceed $10, and it is a quick drive from most parts of the Bay Area. Plus, the weather is hard to beat in the springtime; then again, I like it hot!

 

 

 

Vitals-

Everything you need to know about Livermore area wineries.

http://www.lvwine.org/