Last minute: Labor Day weekend events in Northern California’s Tri-Valley

Special to the Los Angeles Times
Susan Derby
If you can make it up north for Labor Day weekend, think about stopping for some glasses of wine or a dance in Tri-Valley, which encompasses the California cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville. The region will play host to a handful of fun festivities during the holiday weekend.
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Excursions: Livermore—Wine Tasting, Cooking, Bocce Ball and More

By Carole Terwilliger Meyers Special to the Planet

Berkeley Daily Planet
Thursday July 10, 2008

Surprisingly, out there in the Tri-Valley suburbs, just past Livermore’s tract homes, more than 40 wineries are busy making darn good wines. They’re less touted only because they aren’t in Sonoma-Napa, and many still offer free tasting. And should you be in the market for a new house, it’s still possible to buy a home surrounded by a vineyard that is maintained by a winery (no more mowing the grass).

But you don’t have to actually move to Livermore to enjoy the area’s bounty. Just hop in your vehicle, drive for an hour, and there you are. The free wine tasting helps make up for the increased cost of gas.

Secure a map in advance from the visitors’ bureau, so that you can find your way around the confusing maze of roads. It will also help you plan an efficient visit.

For your itinerary, plan on visiting three or four wineries a day. And vary the program. For instance, try one big winery, one mid-sized venue (maybe just because you like the name), and someplace really small or out of the way. Carry a cooler with an ice pack to store purchases; wine is damaged by high temperatures. If kids are along, bring some plastic wine glasses and a bottle of grape juice, so they can “taste,” too.

Many wineries have picnic areas. Plan to take a tour, taste, and then purchase a bottle of your favorite wine to drink with a picnic lunch.

Alternatively, you can just go where the wind blows you. MORE:

Smart Meetings Article
June 2008
The secret’s out: Meeting in wine country rejuvenates your employees and wows your clients. The reason? It’s more than a destination, it’s an experience.
From the anticipation that builds when “wine country” is announced, to the instant relaxation upon arrival and superb food and drink, wine country evokes the feeling of living the good life—which we all aspire to. Its sense of place is palpable—with a visual feast of manicured vines flowing over rolling hills, the sparkle of sunlight on ripe clusters of juicy grapes, and on the horizon, a whisper of fog floating through cuts in the mountains, cooling the evening. Then there’s the taste of tannins in well-aged cabernet, the tang of farm-fresh artisanal cheese and, increasingly, the satiny mouth-feel of extra-virgin olive oil locally grown and pressed.

Wine country, in fact, offers much more than the usual complement of flexible function space and luxurious lodgings. There’s also an abundance of activities and recreational pursuits, some directly related to wine, like tastings and blend-your-own, some not (but even your spa menu may offer a grapeseed massage). Plus, there’s an element of escape. “It almost feels like you’re cheating—not at a meeting necessarily, although you are,” says Natalie Alvanez, director of marketing and membership for the Tri-Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. MORE:

"10 Wonderful Day Trips from San Francisco".

10. Tri-Valley. Encompassing the towns of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville, this region offers something for everyone.

What to do: Head up iconic Mount Diablo, try one of Livermore Valley's 45 wineries or enjoy mini-golf, go-karts, and Lazer Tag at Boomers (www.boomersparks.com).

Where to stay: Pleasanton's pretty Rose Hotel (www.rosehotel.net) or Danville's Best Western Sycamore Inn (www.bestwestern.com).

Contra Costa Times Article
September 28, 2007
Len Alexander makes his way across the plaza in front of the new $22.3 million Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, crossing the nearly square-block-sized green area that doubles as an outdoor amphitheater, then passing fountains before reaching the mostly-glass front of the entrance to the new 500-seat Bankhead Theater. Read more:

Channel 7 News Features Tri-Valley New Performing Arts Renaissance. Watch it now!

Tri-Valley's Wine Country is listed as #19! Make a Toast - If the movie Sideways makes you want to grab your girls and go on a wine tour, California's Tri-Valley (trivalleycvb.com) is the place to be. With over 38 wineries and dozens of festivals, you'll find plenty to do. The "Taste of Terroir" (livermorewine.com) happens July 26th and features dessert and port wine pairings, an olive oil bar, cooking demonstrations and more. There's also a Shakespeare festival in the vineyards (livermoreShakes.org), art show with wine tastings (aldenlane.com) and a summer wine stroll through local restaurants pleasantondowntown.net).

Great article on unique meeting space in the East bay.

Group Tour Magazine
June 2007

What They're Saying

"Tri" Something Different" Northern California Meetings & Events Magazine

“Why go now? It’s wine country without the crowds.”
Kate Washington
Sunset Magazine September 2008

“If you can make it up north for Labor Day weekend, think about stopping for some glasses of wine or a dance in Tri-Valley, which encompasses the California cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville. The region will play host to a handful of fun festivities during the holiday weekend.”
Susan Derby
Special to the Los Angeles Times

“Surprisingly, out there in the Tri-Valley suburbs, just past Livermore’s tract homes, more than 40 wineries are busy making darn good wines. They’re less touted only because they aren’t in Sonoma-Napa, and many still offer free tasting.”
Carole Terwilliger Meyers Special to the Planet
Berkeley Daily Planet July 2008

“Tri-Valley: Go east, wine-country lovers, go east—that should be the mantra of the Tri-Valley region, tucked into the rolling hills and scenic valleys on the east side of San Francisco Bay. More than 40 wineries dot the countryside, along with fine dining, top-tier retail and nine public golf courses. It’s a lesser-known gem than its more famous neighbors, but offers all the amenities and easy access to Oakland and San Francisco International airports (plus BART, the area’s rapid transit system linking to downtown San Francisco).”
Carolyn Koenig
Smart Meetings June 2008

“Number 10. Tri-Valley. Encompassing the towns of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville, this region offers something for everyone.”
Frommers: 10 Wonderful Day Trips from San Francisco

“Attendees seeking a true respite feel right at home in the Tri-Valley.”
Lori Tenny
Meetings West Magazine

“Livermore Valley may be my local wine country, but it’s a challenge to keep pace with 38 wineries and counting. What better way to explore picturesque new venues, reconnect with stalwarts and unwind at bucolic spots than to plan a picnic? Fortunately, the region’s compact geography makes winery-hopping convenient. Most wineries in Livermore and my hometown of Pleasanton are picnic-friendly and cluster along two-lane roads.”
Deborah Grossman, Special to The Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle, May 2007

“We’d go here: To enjoy the gorgeous Livermore Valley, which is becoming the new Napa. It is highly underrated.”
Susan Safipour
Diablo Magazine, November 2009

“Golf courses and vineyards can be found near each other in remarkable locations the world over, but few eighteens are actually located inside a vineyards. That’s part of the appeal of Greg Norman’s design at Wente Vineyards in California’s Livermore Valley.”
Ray Isle
Travel + Leisure, Nov/Dec 2009

“Wente is also well-known for its historic viticultural mark on the wine world: the famed Wente clone that was, as Karl relates, ‘brought over from France and has now parented approximately 75% of all California Chardonnay.’ Wente Vineyards was also the first American winery, at least commercially, to label wines by varietal, putting the name of the grape right on the bottle. Livermore Valley gets a bad rep for some reason, and even experienced
wine writers are guilty of the stereotypical Livermore-is-way-too-hot-for-some-of-the-wines-made-there mentality; but it turns out that between the soil make-up, solar radiation and the fog that rolls through, Livermore might just be right around the same climate as Rutherford in Napa.”
Danny Ronen
The Tasting Panel Magazine, October 2008