Are There Any Livermore Wineries Open On Fridays?

By Rachel

I got a call from a dear friend today asking if I knew of any wineries that might be open in Livermore on Friday...well let me tell you.  YES.  Yes there are!!!  There are so many wonderful wineries open on Friday's here in Livermore and thankfully so because it is those wineries that helped to give birth to the term "Bryersantís Research Friday."

Jenny, Julia and I have come to cherish our Friday afternoons.  Research Fridays are our time to just take a moment, before the weekend begins and before the kids are released from school to stop and smell the roses or in this case sip the wine.  It doesn't happen every Friday especially now with summer in full swing and kids out of school, but over the past several years we have done our fair share of winery research, which has provided us with a plethora of information that we can pass on to you!  

Fridays are one of my favorite days of the week to taste because they are usually less crowded making the tasting experience that much better.  So, what Livermore wineries will have their doors open this Friday?  

Lets start with the big ones.  Concannon and Wente are historic, beautiful properties.  A must visit if you are new to the Livermore wine scene.  I love them both for their restaurants, The Grill at Wente and The Underdog at Concannon, and the great wines of course!  Then, there is Ruby Hill, which I absolutely love for the combination of the stunning property, views, and consistently great wines from a staggering wine selection.  Fenestra on Vallecitos Road is another fantastic winery.  Fenestra is a charming property with a rustic tasting room that boasts a very large list of unique wines to tantalize your taste buds.

We can't forget the smaller wineries.  Their wine tastes great and you get the advantage of being able to have that one on one experience with the winemakers.  

Have you heard of 3 Steves's?  They have a tasting room in Blacksmith Square at Swirl on the Square.  Their wine is good, very good and Blacksmith Square is the perfect place to spend a Friday afternoon.  

Have you tried Las Positas Vineyards on Wetmore Road?  The wines are outstanding, the new tasting room is beautiful, and the winemaker Charlie Kidd is doing some exciting things with the new vintages coming out.  

If you happen to be traveling down South Vasco Road then you are truly in luck.  There aren't many places you can go to enjoy great wine from three different wineries that are all within walking distance.  Longevity, Occasio, and Nottingham Cellars are a must visit.  

Just around the corner on East Avenue is Cuda Ridge.  Just look for the purple flags.  I love what Larry and Margie are doing here with their Bordeaux style wines.  They are currently expanding their tasting room and we are looking forward to seeing all of the changes.  

A great tour to take if you are really looking for excellent wines would be a stop at Page Mill on South Livermore, followed by a visit to Crooked Vine/Stony Ridge just down the road on Tesla, then end at McGrail's on Greenville Road.  McGrail has beautiful views of the Livermore Valley and the best red wine for 2012 voted by the SF Chronicle Wine Competition!

All of these places are open Fridays and have fantastic wines!  There are other wineries as well that would be happy to take you by appointment like Wood Family Vineyards or Picazo (so worth the call!).  

These are some of our favorites, which I think currently showcase the best of Livermore.  Check out some of our research at Bryersantis.com.  Let us know about your favorite Friday wine spots.

Cheers and Happy Research Friday to you!