Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot, Livermore Valley

Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot is an American red wine produced from grapes grown in the Livermore Valley. The Livermore Valley, first established in 1982, is an AVA (American Viticultural Area) located around the city of Livermore in the Tri-Valley region. It is part of Wente’s Coastal Vineyard Series which also includes the Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay.

Wente Vineyards, Since 1883

Wente Vineyards was founded by C. H. Wente, a first-generation immigrant from Germany, in 1883. Recognising that the Livermore Valley’s warm days, cool nights and gravelly soils were ideal for growing grapes, he purchased 48 acres and planted vineyards. The Wente family has played a significant role in shaping the California wine industry.

Famous For The Wente Chardonnay Clone

In 1908, C.H. planted the first Chardonnay vines in the Livermore Valley and in 1936, Wente was the first California winery to produce a wine labelled as Chardonnay. Today, many of the great Chardonnay vineyards in California are planted with the Wente Clone. Plantings are estimated to cover some 90,000 acres. Continuing the 125-year legacy, today the fifth-generation winegrowers Karl, Christine, Jordan, Aly, and Niki Wente are all working in various roles in the winery from operations, viticulture, and marketing.

Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot Vineyards

The grapes for the Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot come from a gently sloping formation of hills running along the southeastern corner of the historic Livermore Valley. Here, the warm days, cool nights, well-drained sandstone soils and incoming breezes from the San Francisco Bay make the Wente family’s hillside vineyard an ideal place to grow outstanding Merlot and Bordeaux grape varieties, allowing them to develop to full maturity.

Sandstone Merlot Vinification

• 2021 Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot Blend composition: 86% Merlot, 6% Petite Sirah, 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Mourvèdre, 1.5% Syrah
• Each varietal is fermented separately in upright stainless steel tanks
• Pump-overs are performed 2–3 times daily during fermentation
• Fermentation on skins lasted 7–12 days before pressing
• Aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans