This beautiful wine is the 2017 Grenache from Longevity Wines in the Livermore Valley. Just as beautiful is the story that goes with it, a love story that may bring a tear to your eye.
Phil Long (above) and his wife Debra were avid wine hobbyists. When the hobby became too big for their garage, they opened Longevity Wines, basing the name on their surname. That was in 2008. Ten years later, Longevity was named winery of the year by the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association.
This is no small accolade. The Livermore Valley is crucial to California wine history. The first wine grapes were planted there in the 1840s by Robert Livermore, and in 1889, a white wine from Cresta Blanca won an award at a competition in France.
The first ever varietally-labeled Chardonnay came from Wente Vineyards in Livermore, and the Wente Chardonnay clone became the leading source of American Chardonnay, just as 80% of Cabernet Sauvignon in California can be traced back to another valley winery, Concannon Vineyard.
So the Longs had risen high in a big league. And then in 2019 Debra Long passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Look closely at their wine label. The heart that you see was designed by Phil Long to reflect his wife's love of this motif. On each Valentine's Day he had given her an artisan glass heart, a tribute to their love.
And he has had a heart placed among the tattoos on his arm so that, as he says, she will always be with me.
I "met" Phil Long, tasted the Longevity Grenache and learned about the Livermore Valley thanks to a webinar arranged by the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association.
The Grenache is dark in color, with a hint of red fruit at the start, then a bit of pepper and vibrant flavor that, as Long says, can go with anything from lamb to salmon.
I paired it first with a Middle Eastern dish of beef and eggplant.
And then with roast chicken, corn on the cob and pasta with pesto.
I have yet another Longevity wine to taste, a Pinot Grigio given a coppery hue by skin contact. Long recommends this one with shrimp and grits or with aguachile on a handmade potato chip.
Longevity Wines has grown from 500 cases a year to the third largest brand in the Livermore Valley, with international distribution. This alone is notable, but Longevity stands out for another reason. It's a certified-minority owned winery, and Long is president of the Association of African American Vintners.
Association goals include drawing attention to the role of African Americans in the wine industry, making young students aware that the industry can be a career path and providing scholarships.
Long shared time in the Webinar with two other Livermore Valley winemakers. Alexandra Henkelman (above) is co-owner and winemaker of Omega Road Winery with her father, Ken Henkelman.
This boutique winery, which opened in 2011, grew out of Ken Henkelman's longtime interest in wine and his experience as a home winemaker. They share the view that wine should be "fun, enjoyable, approachable."
Omega is a small producer, about 750 cases a year. One day I would love to taste the Omega Gratia 2019 because 6% of it is Torrontes, a wine I first encountered when I went to Argentina and have enjoyed ever since. The two main grapes in Gratia are Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Other Omega wines range from Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo to Verdelho and a varietal Torrontes.
Mark Clarin, winemaker of McGrail Vineyards and Winery, (above) is himself part of Livermore Valley history. In 1979, he joined the Wente team. In those days, there were just four wineries, he recalls. Now there are more than 50.
McGrail grows 99 per cent of the grapes for its wines. Case production started at 1,500 and is heading toward toward 10,000 a year, which includes premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Clalrin is holding a glass of the McGrail Sauvignon Blanc. It's "a delicious, delicious wine that I truly love," he says, and he recommends it with spicy food. Only two acres of vineyards produced the grapes for this wine.
The chart above shows how the Livermore Valley region is steadily growing. It's easily accessible from San Francisco. To learn more, go to the website of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, which tells how to plan a trip there, lists wineries, places to eat, places to stay and provides wine maps and an itinerary planner.
Recent Comments