Beneath swaying cypress trees and Spanish tile roofs, winemakers at Las Positas Vineyards are preparing to harvest two of the fastest-growing grapes in Alameda County: cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.
These two Livermore Valley varietals are taking up more space in vineyards in recent years amid a contracting wine industry, as Livermore Valley emphasizes its heritage wines like cabernet sauvignon and looks to get in on a growing trend with cabernet franc, said Las Positas head winemaker Brent Amos.
“One nice thing about Livermore, we have the classic heritage varietals that just do extremely well,” Amos said. “And cab franc is really on the rise, both with customers and plantings in the valley. More and more growers are seeing the benefit of it.”
The number of acres for cabernet sauvignon has nearly doubled from 786 acres in 2017 to 1,369 acres in 2022, according to the most recent Alameda County Crop Reports available. The annual reports also show the explosive growth of cabernet franc, which has gone from 15 acres in 2017 to 60 acres in 2022.
Consumer demand for wine has softened since the end of the pandemic, with fewer direct sales and wine tastings at wineries for the second straight year, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s State of the Wine Industry Report 2024. Many Livermore wineries have not been profitable since 2018, according to a UC Davis and Tri-Valley Conservancy study. Consumers, it seems, have put down their wine glasses in favor of other spirits – hard seltzers, hard kombuchas, Mike’s hard lemonade – and made the alcohol industry more competitive than ever.
“All the wineries, we’re in this together, and we work together,” Amos said. “Technically, yes, we’re competitors, but at the same time, we’re working collaboratively to elevate this valley. Because if the valley succeeds, then we all succeed.”
An ‘old reliable varietal’
Cabernet sauvignon is not just the most popular wine for Livermore Valley winemakers, it’s the wine that started it all — especially for the Wente family.
Director of vineyard operations at Wente Vineyards Niki Wente, a fifth-generation winegrower, comes from the founding growers of Livermore Valley’s wine industry in 1883.
“Cabernet sauvignon has been a staple variety of the Livermore Valley since the 1880s, when Charles Wetmore brought cuttings to our region from France, including the bud wood that became known worldwide as the Concannon clone of cabernet sauvignon,” Wente said.
Today, nearly 80% of all California cabernet sauvignon crops are derived from Concannon clones, according to the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association.
While Livermore Valley growers’ access to varietals has only grown since the 1880s, cabernet sauvignon remains its largest crop by far, with more acres dedicated to it than all red wine varietals combined.
It’s logical then for wine enthusiasts to seek more “cab sauvs” than other wines, Amos said, because the red wine varietal is the most popular on the market. A general understanding of cabernet sauvignon’s flavors and effects allows wine tasters to sense Livermore Valley’s unique mix of rich tannins and black cherry aromas.
“We’re all working together to be sure …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
