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Occasio Winery

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Occasio Winery

Occasio Winery

2245 S Vasco Rd B, Livermore, CA 94550

Website: https://occasiowinery.com/

Occasio Winery’s tasting room is the neighbor to Nottingham Cellars.  The two rooms are quite different. Whereas Nottingham Cellars has the atmosphere of a casual hangout spot, Occasio feels quiet and elegant.  The space is small with soft lighting and a marble top tasting bar. The space is mostly standing room around the bar for 6-8 people. There was one small table off to the side for two guests.

The tasting bar at Occasio Winery

The tasting bar at Occasio Winery

Occasio was founded in 2007 by owner John Kinney.  Before John became a winery owner he had a career in biomedical research at UC Berkeley.  He named Occasio after the Roman Goddess of Opportunity. Since he started he has been dedicated to the history and terroir of Livermore, focusing on heritage varietals from the valley.  This winery only produces small lots of handcrafted wines putting out less than 150 cases per varietal or around 1500 total cases per year. I really love their cool label of a vintage pocket watch that has wings on top.  Inside the watch pieces consist of winery tools like a corkscrew, wine thief, and glass siphon. The label was created by John’s son who was 14 years old at the time.

Occasio Winery Tasting Room

Occasio Winery Tasting Room

Occasio accepts walk-in tastings on Thursdays through Sundays.  They also offer tastings in their Library Room or tours by prior reservation.  Guests may also be able to set up a private appointment on other days of the week with advance notice.  The prices of the wines are very reasonably priced considering they are all small lot falling within the $20-$40 range.  I sampled five different wines, including Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a red blend called Telos.  The Chardonnay had notes of pears, brioche, and caramel. The Zinfandel was rich in fruit and dark chocolate flavor. My favorites were the well balanced 2014 Telos made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petit Verdot; and the smooth 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The winery also produces Vermouth.

I always feel lucky to try wines from a place like this that has small production and lesser known wines.  That’s the best way to find hidden gems. I love that this winery is so committed to preserving Livermore’s history.

 

Nottingham Cellars

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Nottingham Cellars and Occassio Winery Tasting Rooms

Nottingham Cellars and Occassio Winery Tasting Rooms

2245 S Vasco Rd C, Livermore, CA 94550

Website: https://nottinghamcellars.com/

Nottingham Cellars tasting lounge

Nottingham Cellars tasting lounge

Located in the center of Livermore on Vasco Road, Nottingham Cellars tasting room neighbors Occasio Winery.  This winery was started in 2009 by Jeff and Diane Cranor as a second career. Their son Collin is the winemaker.  Nottingham has an easygoing tasting room with the vibe of a popular meet-up spot. The layout is simple and low key with white walls & black chairs.  The tables are made from wine barrels with a round glass top. The tasting bar looks like it is made from reclaimed wood with a chalkboard tasting menu hanging on the wall behind it.  In the back corner of the room is a barrel room used for private events or Elevated tastings. The tasting éroom feels cozy but is large enough to accommodate several small groups at once.

Entryway to Nottingham Cellars tasting lounge

Entryway to Nottingham Cellars tasting lounge

Nottingham specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends.  They source their grapes from premier vineyards and growers in Livermore.  They focus on drawing out the essence of each site where the grapes are grown.  The winery produces two different brands – Nottingham Cellars and Vasco Urbano Wine Company.  The higher end Nottingham Cellar wines are produced from a designated vineyard or micro lots. The Supremacy Bordeaux blend is produced from their best quality grapes from Livermore Valley.  The Vasco Urbano wines are fun, Rhone style with original artistic labels that represent different people. There’s a story that goes along with them. For example, the Julio Casa de Vinas Petite Sirah is a rich, meaty wine that the proprietor’s call “a giver”, just like Mr. Julio Covarubbias who tends the vineyards.  I tried a Vasco Urbano flight while my husband sampled the Nottingham Cellar wines. My personal favorite was The Colonel Mourvedre-Grenache-Syrah (MGS) blend with smokey, dark fruit notes that would probably pair great with a brisket. There is also a 100% Muscat that is dry and tangy and would pair well with Asian food.  I liked that this winery offers some unique selections, like the Coco Blanc blend of Rousanne, Marsanne, and Muscat Cannelli or the Shorty Grenache Rosé port style dessert wine.

My experience at Nottingham Cellars was pleasant.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and would return.

 

Murietta’s Well

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Murietta's Well

Murietta’s Well

3005 Mines Rd, Livermore, CA 94550

Website: https://www.murrietaswell.com/

Visiting Murietta’s Well in Livermore was such an awesome experience!  Sometimes it really pays to plan ahead when visiting wineries. This winery requires reservations, and so I made a reservation through their website about a month in advance.  Soon after, I got a phone club from the wine club manager. She informed me that the winery was throwing a wine club event the day I wanted to visit.  However, instead of turning us away she offered us complimentary tickets to the party. I was excited to tell my husband that we scored free tickets to a wine club party, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect.  When we arrived at the winery, the parking lot was completely full and there were several employees guiding people where to park. Before getting out of the car, my husband turned to me and said “what have you gotten us into?”.  We followed the crowd of people walking toward the winery. As we approached the winery we were greeted by a host who handed us a glass of Rosé and a lemon ricotta tart to pair with it.

My husband and I stood there for a few minutes taking it all in.  In front of us was a large expanse of lawn with some benches and Adirondack chairs scattered about.  To our left was the winery which looks like a large barn. To the right of the entrance to the winery was a patio area with picnic tables and umbrellas.  People were lounging outside despite the fact that it was a bit chilly that day. The crowd was socializing and having a good time sipping their wine. After we finished our first wine and tart, we decided to head toward the crowd inside the winery.  Murietta’s Well has two levels. The tasting room is on the second floor. We joined the party on the first floor. There were lots of people all around the wide open space which was framed by wood beams. Chandeliers hung from the center of the ceiling and tables covered with white linens were set up throughout space.  There were several different stations of food each paired with wine. Both the food and wine were great. We tried a Small Lot Merlot that paired perfectly with sausage rigatoni; The Spur paired with balsamic cranberry and brie crostini; and a Petit Verdot. I found myself liking all of it. I felt so privileged to be a part of the event.  After trying each of the tables, we ventured upstairs.

Club Lounge at Murietta's Well

Club Lounge at Murietta’s Well

There were more surprises on the second floor. We first checked out the outdoor club lounge that had a bunch of tables. Even though it was all open air, it felt closed in because of the sheets of canvas hanging from above like the roof of a tent. Behind the lounge and winery is a pretty view of vineyards.  There was more wine outside.

Murietta's Well Tasting Room

Murietta’s Well Tasting Room

Back inside, we ventured over to the tasting room. The room has a rustic but modern feel. There are sleek tasting bars on each side of the room and in the center are glass doors that lead out to a deck looking down on the front lawn. As if we hadn’t already had enough wine, we had the opportunity to try any of the other varietals that we hadn’t sampled yet.  We left feeling full of wine and food and had a great time even with the large crowd.

Despite the fact that we really lucked out getting tickets to the wine club event, I would still highly recommend this winery for a typical tasting experience.  They have a lot to offer. All of the wines are sourced from the estate. The property is one of California’s original wine estates dating back to 1884. A man named Louis Mel founded the winery.  He started growing grapes that were original cuttings from the famed Chateau Margaux and Chateau d’Yquem in France. The tasting room resides in the original building.  In 1940, Louis Mel sold the winery to Ernest Wente, and the family still runs the winery today.  Some of the more widely produced wines have fun names like The Whip and The Spur. I felt that the winery was casual, but they still produce premium quality wines. They have lots of varietals including Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and some less common varietals found in California like Petit Verdot, Dry Orange Muscat, Tempranillo, and Port.  I really loved the smooth Small Lot Merlot with flavors of black cherry and plums. The Spur red blend was also one of my favorites because it was velvety and full bodied with dark fruit flavors. This is a winery worth seeking out.