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In the 1990s, a popular Tri-Valley attraction was the Wente Sparkling Wine Tour held in their historic Cresta Blanca wine cave. The tours stopped when Wente ceased onsite production of sparkling wine in the cave.
After extensive renovation, Wente Family Vineyards unveiled a new Cresta Blanca Cave Tour and Tasting with food bites this summer.
The cave route tracks the story of Cresta Blanca Winery and heritage of Wente Family Vineyards, now America’s oldest continuously family-owned and -operated winery. The tour includes a tasting of three wines under Wente’s new Cresta Blanca label that honors Cresta Blanca’s celebrated wine status during the Gilded Age and beyond.
In 1889, Cresta Blanca’s dry white wine propelled California to the top of the world’s wine stage. Owner Charles Wetmore’s wine, made in his Livermore caves, won the premier gold award in the Grand Prix wine competition at the 1889 Paris Exhibition.
To celebrate the Grand Prix win, Wetmore commissioned a wood carver to decorate one of the large oak barrels in his Cresta Blanca cave. The craftmanship of the Grand Prix barrel is reflected in many other carved barrel heads along the cave tour.
“I am thrilled to present this new offering, allowing customers to continue hearing that story while experiencing the only caves in Livermore Valley. The history of this property runs deep, and we are grateful to be its stewards and storytellers. Now, we can share that narrative alongside our new Cresta Blanca wines,” said Phil Wente, fourth generation winegrower and co-founder of Wente’s sister winery, Murrieta’s Well.
At the cave’s entrance, artwork previously used as labels for Wente Artist Series wines is on display. The history of Cresta Blanca and Wente wineries are shared as the tour continues along aging racks and barrels. In a cozy nook, a round table is the setting for the tasting and food bites.
At the end of the tour, guests walk through a hallway “museum” with a selection of the property’s old winery equipment, highlighting the early hands-on approach to winemaking.
Before opening Cresta Blanca in 1882, Wetmore had studied California’s potential for grape-growing. The pioneer viticulturist likened the limestone cliff and soil of Arroyo Road in South Livermore to the great French wine regions.
Later, Wetmore built his winery at the foot of that limestone outcrop called Cresta Blanca in Spanish or “white cliff”.
With Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay vine clippings he brought from France, Wetmore planted vineyards — wine from those grapes won the Grand Prix. Clippings of the Sauvignon Blanc vines evolved into Sauvignon Blanc Clone 1 that is planted throughout the New World.
C.H. Wente founded his Livermore winery a year after Wetmore in 1883. Second-generation Ernest Wente brought vine clippings from Burgundy that provided the foundation for the Wente Chardonnay clone, found today in 80% of California Chardonnay vineyards.
Ninety-nine years after Cresta Blanca opened, the Wente family purchased the winery property. With the additional Cresta Blanca space, the Wentes offered new tasting options, opened The Course (a Greg Norman-designed public golf course) and established the concert series and now-closed The Restaurant.
The fifth-generation Wentes continue to enhance their family’s forward-thinking wine experiences. Wente hospitality extends to the live music series and The Grill and bar located by the golf course serving daily from breakfast through the afternoon and Sunday brunch.
An array of tastings, some with food, are offered: Seated indoor or outdoor tastings, Cabernet Lawn tastings, a double tasting held at Murrieta’s Well and then Wente, Five Generations Wine & food Pairing, and the new Cresta Blanca Tour.
At a preview tour of the caves accompanied by dinner on the terrace, fifth-generation winegrower Aly Wente noted that the inspiration for the new Cresta Blanca portfolio came from a renewed appreciation for the caves’ history. The label was designed after the classical goddess on the Grand Prix-carved barrel.
The Cresta Blanca wines are styled to pair well with food. The Cresta Blanca Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine, made with 100% Chardonnay, is refreshing with a medium body. Online pairings range from sushi to popcorn.
Cresta Blanca Chardonnay is fruit-forward with complex flavors, recommended with mushroom risotto or garlic shrimp scampi. Cresta Blanca Sauvignon Blanc with citrus notes and a soft finish that pairs well with oysters and fish tacos.
After attending the preview event, Glenn Kubiak of Livermore said, “My wife and I toured the cave several times in the 1990s, and we enjoyed the new cave tour immensely. As a gadget buff, I found the ‘museum’ fascinating. The evening reminded us how lucky we are to have such a stunningly beautiful, high-quality event venue near our home.”
News from Wente also includes the appointment of a new CEO.
Peter Yeung joined the company this year with experience in senior leadership and advisory roles at high-end wine estates. Yeung shared his perspective on the new brand and tour with the Pleasanton Weekly:
“In a time of great transition in the wine industry, it is more important than ever to build on the legacy of the Wente family and the key moments of California wine. Cresta Blanca showcases how the Wentes have been historians of California wine and shines a light on a brand and a person, Charles Wetmore, who put California wine on the world wine map pre-Prohibition and created an enduring legacy for wine and the Livermore Valley.”
