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The 2004 Beyer Ranch Zinfandel is bursting with spicy aromas and flavors of raspberry and black pepper that typify this quintessentially Californian varietal. With a full tannic backbone, this full-bodied Zinfandel is best paired with grilled meats, spicy sauces and a wide array of fruits and cheeses.

Brut Reserve is available for purchase only in our tasting rooms and online. In the tradition of our finest Champagnes, the Wente Brut Reserve has been aged more than five years in our century-old sandstone caves. This extended period of tirage aging enhances the yeast character, giving it time to fully flavor the wine. The aging also allows the classic grapes in the cuvee to marry into a harmony of tastes.

This Chardonnay has a rich, golden color and aromas of ripe apple, vanilla, butter, and pear. It has a luscious mouthfeel, flavors of vanilla, guava, and butterscotch, and a long, smooth finish.

The origins of Wente Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon date back to when Charles Wetmore first imported this clone of Cabernet to the Livermore Valley from the commune of Margaux, France. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot. This wine blends Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels.

Crane Ridge is the gently sloping formation of hills running along the southeastern corner of the famous Livermore Valley where the Wente family has planted Merlot vines. The Reserve wines produced from these Livermore Valley vineyards deliver fully ripened fruit with depth of character. The 2004 vintage offers undertones of blackberry and vanilla complemented by a smoky finish from the oak aging. The Crane Ridge Reserve is an excellent example of Merlot- it shows off the best of the varietal’s characteristics, with additional richness from the Cabernet Sauvignon component of the blend.

The fruit for this wine comes from several of the Wente family’s historic Livermore Valley vineyards. These family vineyards, derived from cuttings brought to the area from Bordeaux’s Chateau d’Yquem in the 1880’s, have flourished for over 100 years. The vines are planted in heavy gravel and well-drained alluvial soils where many of the arroyos carved their way through the valley. These soils, in combination with the moderately warm climate of the valley floor, ripen the grapes to their fullest potential, developing melon, citrus and honey characteristics. Early leaf removal allowed adequate sunlight to the cluster, creating ripe tropical flavors. Cold fermentation in stainless steel promotes fresh acidity and varietal character. This wine exhibits appealing aromas of gooseberry, citrus, mango, and a touch of fresh grass. Even better in the mouth, this wine delivers on the promise of the nose and has a perfect acid balance creating a crisp lasting finish.

This former winner of a "BEST of SHOW" at the 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and is created from single lots of grapes carefully tended in the Wente Family vineyards to achieve the fullest development of varietal flavor. The 2006 Morning Fog Chardonnay has ripe apple and pear from the Livermore Valley vineyards are blended with tropical pineapple and citrus from the Arroyo Seco vineyards. The wine is further enhanced through barrel aging for additional complexity and slight oak and vanilla flavors. Our 2006 Chardonnay is balanced and has a pleasant finish.

Wente Vineyards has been growing Pinot Noir in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey since the 1960s. It is the ideal region to grow this Burgundian varietal because of the long, cool growing season. This perfect climate allows the grapes to fully ripen and develop deep fruit, spice and other flavors. The wine derives its name from the creek along which our pinot noir vineyards grow. The gravelly-loam soils found here, rich with shale and limestone deposits, impart desirable earth and mineral qualities to the wine. There are several blocks dating back to 1963 planted with the old Pommard and Martini clones; neighboring these are much more recent, high density plantings, that are planted with a variety of new clones. The new plantings are farmed for a more intense tannic structure and more powerful fruit extraction. Forty-eight inch shoots result in more leaves per cluster, creating a varietal intensity in the ripe berries. All the fruit is hand picked and sorted. The selected clusters are placed in ½ ton bins, chilled and transported to the press in refrigerated trucks. After fermentation, the wine was racked into French oak barrels for a total aging period of 10 months. Post malo-lactic, the wine was racked and finished aging. Prior to bottling, the wine was fined with egg whites, racked and bottled unfiltered.

This varietally distinct wine is enhanced by the soils and climate of the Arroyo Seco appellation where the vineyards are planted. The farming methods allow for the grapes to fully ripen, producing flavors of apple, peaches and melon which are brought to their fullest potential through cold fermentation. The wine is pale straw in color, with hints of floral aromas, including orange blossom and honeysuckle. The taste is crisp and fresh and delivers full varietal flavors, finishing with a hint of spice. This 2006 vintage is an intriguing wine and delightful as an aperitif or with fruits, chesses and a variety of light entrees.

Wente Vineyards 2005 Sandstone Merlot is rich and flavorful with hints of currant and soft plum flavors with a spicy edge. Aging in oak has given the wine a smooth texture on the finish. Our Merlot pairs well with grilled steak, smoked pork chop, and veal picatta. Aged an average of 6 months in French and American oak barrels.

Our 2004 Syrah, produced from grapes selected from a blend of California’s finest appellations, is one of the most exciting Syrahs introduced by a California winery. The warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings make these regions near the San Francisco Bay’ an ideal climate for growing the Syrah grape, allowing the fruit to reach its full potential. The bouquet is filled with berries and plum aromas which carry through to the palate. The oak aging adds a bit of smokiness, making it even more delicious. Its soft tannins give it a pleasant structure and make it very approachable. This syrah is particularly enjoyable with robust pasta sauces and grilled or roasted meats.

With a nice berry jam flavor, smooth tannins and a lingering fruit finish, this Zinfandel was specially selected to be included into the Wente Vineyards Reserve portfolio for its color, fruit, and tannin potential. Rich, smooth, and full, this is an excellent ecample of Livermore Valley.

With a nice berry jam flavor, smooth tannins and a lingering fruit finish, this Zinfandel was specially selected to be included into the Wente Vineyards portfolio for its color, fruit, and tannin potential. Rich, smooth, and full, this is an excellent example of Livermore Valley Zinfandel.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is made from grapes grown in the Wente family vineyards located in the famous Livermore Valley just twenty-five miles east of the San Francisco Bay. The 2005 vintage was aged for 10 months in a combination of American and French oak barrels. The tannins are smooth, making this a great pair with roasted and grilled meats, or fuller flavored fish such as salmon and ahi tuna. Derived from the Wente family’s estate grapes grown in the Livermore Valley appellation of San Francisco Bay. Over the years, this Cabernet Sauvignon has been highly rated; in fact the Wine Spectator selected it as one of the top ten best buys in the world.