The Wine Seeker's Guide to Livermore Valley

By Thomas C. Wilmer
RiverWood Books, $18.95, 236 pages

For being one of the oldest wine growing regions in California, the Livermore Valley has been long overshadowed by the marque Napa and Sonoma regions, even though it has been producing award-winning wines since 1889. Wine writer Thomas Wilmer has collected not only a guidebook for the Livermore region, with information about the wineries, restaurants, and places of interest, but has gone deeper, to provide information about the history of the area, the multi-generational family wineries, and the connection many of the current wine makers have with the area and history of Livermore Valley. The wineries range from Wente and Concannon (together producing almost a half a million cases annually), to the Wood Family Vineyards that produce just 1,500.

In addition to the winery profiles, The Wine Seeker’s Guide to Livermore Valley has local attractions,  like the Niles Canyon Wine Train, local restaurants, and for those interested in outside activities, golf and local hiking trails. So when you are looking for a new local wine experience, consider Livermore Valley and the many family wineries that call it home—and take along this guide. You’ll be glad you did to help discover the many “hidden” gems of Livermore Valley.

Reviewed by Ross Rojek