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The Wente Family has been making wine for five generations, starting in 1883 when C. H. Wente purchased 47 acres in the Livermore Valley, Ca. They’ve come a long way in over 130 years, adding new brands to their offerings over time. But they’ve never compromised on quality or consistency, meaning odds are you’ll enjoy any of the wines from them.
Wente 2015 “Morning Fog” Chardonnay
Grape(s): 98% Chardonnay & 2% Gewurztraminer
Region: Livermore Valley, Ca
Price: 10-15
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of pears, honeydews, and apple skin meld with suggestions of vanilla and toasty oak on the nose. A sip delivers flavors of pear, apple, and honeydew that unfold into expressions of vanilla and citrus zest on the palate. A welcoming acidity and supple mouth-feel endear this wine to a lobster bisque.
Rating: 90
Wente 2013 “Charles Wetmore” Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape(s): 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah,7% Merlot, & 6% Petit Verdot
Region: Livermore Valley, Ca
Price: 25-30
Tasting Notes:
Black cherries, plums, and blackberries come together with notes of vanilla, sweet spice, and earth on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, currant, and cherry emerge on the palate, along with whispers of dusty earth, mocha, and clove. A Cab with cocoa tannins and ample dark fruit, open a bottle next time you have roast beef.
Rating: 89
Wente 2014 “Louis Mel” Sauvignon Blanc
Grape(s): 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Livermore Valley, Ca
Price: 10-15
Tasting Notes:
Fragrances of citrus fruits, apples, orange blossoms, and minerals greet the senses. With a sip, flavors of grapefruit, green apple, and nectarine flow into hints of white blossoms and wet stone. Fairly crisp with a fresh acidity, it would be lovely to sip before dinner with goat cheese and crackers.
Rating: 89
Wente 2013 “Sandstone” Merlot
Grape(s): 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Sirah,, & 5% Petit Verdot
Region: Livermore Valley, Ca
Price: 15-20
Tasting Notes:
Aromatics of black cherries, boysenberries, and plums mingle with traces of clove, chocolate, and oak on the nose. The palate offers flavors of cherry, bramble fruit, and plum that open up into undertones of clove, oak, and baking spice. A Merlot with balanced tannins that frame the fruit core nicely, meatloaf would be a lovely companion.
Rating: 89
