This is another installment of a series called “Livermore Stories,” which takes a look at the most exciting wineries in this wine growing region located east of San Francisco. More than 50 wineries now call Livermore Valley home. The wines have never been better, and the wineries have great stories to tell. The tag line says it all. “3 friends striving to make the perfect wine.” Arriving at the 3 Steves Winery in Livermore Valley, and this is what you’ll hear. “Hi, I’m Steve.” “Hello, I’m Steve.” “I’m Steve too.” No kidding, these three guys are all named Steve. Steve Burman, Steve Melander and Steve Ziganti Their business card gives you a clue. Steve Burman is “vertically challenged.” Steve Melander “really does exist.” And Steve Ziganti is “gray beard.” If you sense the Steves don’t take themselves too seriously, you’re right. But they make seriously good wine. They are an…
DRINK – Urban wine
Since wine can be made anywhere these days, it’s no big surprise that Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda, CA (also known as the East Bay) are home to many urban wine brands, both established and start ups. So what if there are no vineyards in the city (that I’m aware of). At this past weekend’s Urban Wine Experience in Oakland, the local wines were showing rather well, paired with bites from local restaurants. The public event was held by the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance. I found a lot to like, and some really good values. There were many good Rhone varietal bottlings, and that made me happy, since j’adore Rhone wines. I might just need to do a little East Bay Rhone wine tour. These are the standouts: One of my last sips of the day was at Stage Left Cellars. It’s a fairly new player in the urban wine scene.…
EATDRINK – Quivira Vineyards
If you haven’t heard of Quivira, a winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma, it’s about time you get to know them. They’ve long been in the forefront of sustainability and guardianship of the land. Tonight they’re hosting a seasonal farm-to-table dinner; much of the meal comes from the winery property. There’s a biodynamic garden, and it’s not just for the winery. Quivira grows produce for several local restaurants. There’s also a chicken coop, beehives, and pigs. Plus there is a creek, Wine Creek, that runs through the property. Quivira has been committed to restoring the habitat for steelhead trout for years. The wines are delicious and quite interesting. Have you ever heard of using acacia wood barrels? Or how about co-fermenting Grenache and Zin or Grenache and Petite Sirah? This is what you’ll find at Quivira. This is the first release of these 2 wines and they…