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Get your glasses ready — Livermore’s 11th annual barrel tasting weekend lies just ahead.
More than 30 Livermore Valley wineries will play host on March 23 and 24, inviting ticket holders to sip futures straight from the barrel and purchase their favorites for pick-up later, after the wines have been bottled. And winemakers will be on hand to dole out vino education as they fill your glass, keeping your mind as satisfied as your palate.
So how do you make the most of barrel-tasting weekend? We have some tips.
First, book ahead
The festivities run from noon to 4:30 p.m. March 23-24. Buy your tickets ahead of time at www.lvwine.org — they’re $10 cheaper that way. You’ll be paying $45 per person, instead of the $55 day-of rate. Look over the lineup ahead of time. (Psst, there’s a distillery and a brewery on the docket, too.) Then pick up your souvenir glass and wrist band at the first tasting room.
Start with brunch
Barrel tasting on an empty stomach is a no-go. Tickets are already sold out for the official barrel weekend brunch at Garré Vineyard & Cafe on Saturday, but you can certainly grab breakfast in town. (Mark your calendar for next year, though, because the Garré menu — pastries, an omelet station, benedicts, mimosas and more — is wonderful.)
The Press (2470 First St.) serves toastinis and sammies at 2470 First St. Head for 833 Brick Cafe for down-home chicken and waffles in the Peppertree Plaza shopping center at 833 E. Stanley Blvd. And there’s always Denica’s Real Food Kitchen for breakfast burritos and other eggy fare at 2259 Las Positas Road.
Follow the painted barrel trail
Local artists have teamed up with the wineries, painting wine barrels to display at the Big White House, Charles R, Fenestra and other wineries throughout the weekend. In fact, they’re on display already. All 13 barrels will be raffled off at the end of the barrel tasting weekend — and each barrel comes with a case of wine. Purchase raffle tickets ($20 each or $100 for six) through LVWine.org.
Sip a sampling
Of course, you’re not going to manage to hit every winery in two days, but there are a few whose weekend offerings are such fun, you won’t want to miss them. Here are four to get you started.
El Sol Winery: In addition to barrel sips and a reserve tasting with winemakers both days, El Sol will be doing a bee-keeping demonstration, too. 8626 Lupin Way, elsolwine.com
Las Positas Vineyards: Taste the 2018 Estate Malbec that won best of show red at the recent San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, then stick around to try some additional flights, including a reserve flight, a food pairing flight and a cheese and wine pairing in the tasting room. The winemaker will be on hand Sunday. 1828 Wetmore Road, www.laspositasvineyards.com
Rodrigue Molyneaux: Winemaker Meredith Sarboraria will be guiding guests through an educational tasting, pouring Thatcher Bay Merlot from three oak barrels — one from France, one from Hungary and one from the U.S. — as she discusses the characteristics provided by each barrel. 3053 Marina Ave., www.rmwinery.com
Wood Family Vineyards: Don’t forget to eat during your stay. The new Posada food truck will be on-site at Wood Family Vineyards, so guests can nosh as they sip, purchase futures of Muy Bueno Zinfandel and play a round of corn hole with friends. 2407 Research Drive, woodfamilyvineyards.com