Livermore Valley AVA

Infobox Wine Region
name = Livermore Valley AVA


caption = Vineyard in Livermore
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type = American Viticultural Area
year = 1982, amended 2006 [http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=bff700d0bbb2a632948b70fe7e91d7d4;rgn=div5;view=text;node=27%3A1.0.1.1.7;idno=27;cc=ecfr#27:1.0.1.1.7.3.41.26 Code of Federal Regulations. "§ 9.46 Livermore Valley."] Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas. Retrieved Jan. 24, 2008.]
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country = USA
part of = California, Central Coast AVA, San Francisco Bay AVA
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total size = convert|96000|acre|ha|0Wine Institute (2008). [http://www.iwineinstitute.com/ava/avabystate.asp "American Viticultural Areas by State"] . Retrieved Jan. 24, 2008.]
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grapes = Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cinsault, Colombard, Counoise, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Souzao, Syrah, Tempranillo, Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional, Viognier, ZinfandelAppellation America (2007). [http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Livermore-Valley.html "Livermore Valley (AVA): Appellation Description"] . Retrieved Jan. 24, 2008.]
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The Livermore Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Alameda County, California, surrounding the city of Livermore. Both the AVA and the city are named after Robert Livermore, a landowner whose holdings encompassed the valley. The groundwater basin underlying the valley is the Livermore Basin, the largest sub-unit of which is the Mocho Subbasin. The Livermore Basin is one of five aquifers in the San Francisco Bay Area that supply most of the metropolitan Bay Area population.San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board (2004). [http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb2/download/WMI%202004%20Executive%20Summary.pdf "San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board Integrated Management Plan (2004)"] . Retrieved Jan. 24, 2008.] The entire Livermore Basin aquifer faces a concern over elevated total dissolved solids by the year 2020 due to an expanding human population leading to higher rates of return water flows to the aquifer containing certain salts. Bonnie, Thomas L. (2000) [http://www.bonniebros.com/lhs/english/RO-word.pdf "What are the projected impacts of injecting reclaimed, reverse osmosis water into the Livermore-Amador Groundwater Basin?"] . Retrieved Jan. 24, 2008.]

Wine production

In the early 1960s, Livermore had as much area under vine as Napa Valley did at that time. However, it remained relatively unknown, while Napa rose to worldwide prominence. Wente Vineyards has long been the largest producer in the Livermore Valley, making around 300,000 cases of relatively inexpensive wine annually, much of it for export. It was first established in the valley in 1883. The next largest producer, Concannon Vineyard, makes around 30,000 cases per year. The rest are mostly new and considerably smaller. Only in the last decade have smaller producers sprung up, like White Crane Winery, with over 40 wineries operating in Livermore as of 2008. [http://www.livermorewine.com/wineries.php] Livermore wine is also well-known. It is a popular search online, such as on Wikipedia. Livermore wine has also appeared in a recent movie. Much of Livermore's wine is sold in local stores, such as Safeway, or PW. There is also a nice dedicated wine area in Safeway (on First st. and Las Positas Rd.) That specializes in various wines of different selections, as well as labels on shelves as to describe a group of wine specifically (i.e. Livermore Vineyards, or California Merlot), there is also a wine-tasting area in the same Safeway. Wine tasting is also offered at the Vineyards themselves, and one of the most popular events in Livermore is the Honey-Bee-Wine Festival, which occasionally takes place either downtown, or at other specified locations in Livermore. Including live music at the festivals, and many souvenirs or specialized items, such as wine glasses with 2008 Livermore Wine, or 2008 Honey-Bee-Wine Festival written on the glass. Special bottles with the hand-written signature of the maker can also be found at Safeway (First st. and Las Positas Rd.).

The relatively obscure Petite Sirah grape produces Livermore's best known red wine, although the warm climate also makes for interesting dessert wines. The original plantings of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc were cuttings taken from Château d'Yquem, and those grapes tend to produce fine wine in the Livermore area. There is also a move afoot among the wineries in Livermore to specialize in Merlot. Wine made from grapes grown in the Livermore Valley is eligible for the Livermore Valley AVA, San Francisco Bay AVA, and Central Coast AVA appellation of origin designations.

Wineries and vineyards

*Bent Creek Winery
*Cedar Mountain
*Concannon Vineyard
*Wente Vineyards
*White Crane

Photo gallery

Cedar_Mountain_WineryImage:LivermoreValleyCellars.jpg|Livermore_Valley_CellarsImage:RioLovell.jpg|Rio_Lovell_Estate_WineryImage:StevenKent.jpg|Steven_Kent_WineryImage:DrivewayREtzlaff.jpg|Driveway_to_Retzlaff_Vineyards

See also

*Bernal Subbasin
*Mocho Subbasin
*Pleasanton Fault
*Tesla Fault

References

External links

* [http://www.livermorewine.com/ Livermore Valley Wine Country]