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  • Wine average?

    88 Tb
  • Country Ranking?

    181
  • Region Ranking?

    27
  • Popularity ranking?

    247

History

In 1883, C. H. Wente, a first-generation immigrant from Germany, purchased 47 acres in the Livermore Valley. Recognizing that the warm days, cool nights and gravelly soils of the Livermore Valley were ideal for growing grapes, he planted vines and founded Wente Vineyards. 130 years later, Wente Family Estates continue to be family owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generation Wente's, Eric, Philip, Carolyn, Christine and Karl.

 

Since 1883, five generations of the Wente family have handcrafted fine wines that express the very best of the family’s vineyards and winemaking expertise. Blending traditional and innovative winemaking practices, the winery draws from approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed estate vineyards to create an outstanding portfolio of wines. Our Estate Grown wines are named after the unique growing conditions of the estate vineyards in which they are sourced.

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Vineyards

The Livermore Valley, with an east-west valley orientation, lies twenty miles east of the San Francisco Bay. The moderating effects of the Bay and the marine climate of the Pacific Ocean entering through the Golden Gate Gap significantly influence the climate of the region. During the growing season, cool and foggy mornings give way to warm midday temperatures. Then, early afternoon breezes and evening fog lower temperatures again, preserving the fruit’s natural acidity. This climactic cycle is beneficial to wine grapes, which need warmth for healthy growth, maturation, and development, and cool nights and mornings to retain delicate flavors.

 

Though the region is influenced predominantly by this cool marine cycle, the bowl shaped Livermore Valley is over twenty miles in length and has numerous microclimates and varied soil types. The winery’s Estate vineyards are located on sloping hillsides, on ancient stony riverbeds, along fertile valley floors and at the base of steep sandstone cliffs. The microclimate of each of these locations is particularly suited to specific grape varieties. The morning fog that lingers over the valley floor makes it a superb location for Chardonnay, while warmer temperatures in the region’s hillside vineyards allow varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to develop to full maturity. “The incredible diversity of our vineyards allows us to cultivate wines with unique characteristics that tell the story of where they came from, says Fourth Generation Winegrower Phil Wente.

 

For five generations, the Wente family has been dedicated to the art of winemaking and to the philosophy that the quality of a wine originates in the vineyard. Our Single Vineyard wines are sourced exclusively from specific vineyard blocks named for the pioneers who relate to the history of Wente Vineyards’ winemaking tradition and premier estate vineyards. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir have been chosen by Fifth Generation Winemaker, Karl D. Wente to epitomize the heritage of these varietals in the Livermore Valley and Arroyo Seco regions.

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Winemaking

In viticulture, a "clone" refers to vines descended from a single plant by taking a cutting or bud; in theory, each vine grown on a clone is genetically identical to the original vine. Clones are important and selected for favorable attributes, such as resistance to certain diseases or desired cluster size, taste, smell, etc. All clones are assigned a number or given a name to distinguish them from other clones. For example, Clone 2A is The Old Wente Clone, Clone 4 is the Wente Clone (also known as The Heat Treated Wente Clone).

 

In the small lot, micro winery, the work is done by hand and Karl Wente oversees every step of the process. Thirty one-ton fermenters enable Karl to vinify small quantities of grapes, with a focus both on quality and experimentation. The grapes are gently pressed and placed in small-batch fermenters. Traditional methods, such as wild yeast fermentation, and weekly batonnage (the stirring of the lees), are hallmarks of the program.

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6 different wines with 10 vintages

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