Promoting Agriculture
The Legacy of Livermore Valley
Did you know that Livermore Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in California?
Our terroir* is distinguished by its stony soil that “stresses” the vines to produce more flavorful fruit, as well as its unique meso climate that is influenced by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Our region’s climate makes this a prime wine-growing location!
Livermore Valley was also the first region to produce varietal-labeled Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, and Petite Sirah.
To this day in California, almost 80% of the Chardonnay vines trace their lineage to a Livermore Valley clone!
Until Prohibition, Livermore Valley was home to more than 50 wineries and contributed to the enology and viticulture of the state.
Currently, the region has about 44 wineries and about 2,800 acres of farmland, far below the goal of 5,000 acres established in the South Livermore Valley Area Plan (SLVAP) in 1993.
The Tri-Valley Conservancy is guided by the South Livermore Valley Area Plan to balance the development of our region with the preservation of agricultural areas, allowing for the incubation and growth of our historical wine industry.
*Terroir (/tɛˈrwɑːr/, French: [tɛʁwaʁ]; from terre, lit. 'lands') is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat.
Preserving Local Excellence
We are lucky to have lots of amazing wineries close by!
To help support a thriving wine region, Tri-Valley Conservancy created the Mt. Diablo Wine Quality Alliance, serving all winegrowers and winemakers within the Livermore Valley AVA to keep this legacy of excellence going strong.
The alliance offers educational opportunities on topics of interest and is here to help along the way through every step of the winetasting and winemaking process.
They also offer educational seminars, comparative wine-tasting sessions, and one-on-one consultations with their Winemaking Consultant, Julie Schreiber.
You can also find more information on local wineries to visit on the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association’s website.
Realizing the Heritage: UC Davis Study
In 2020, the Tri-Valley Conservancy (TVC) commissioned the “Realizing the Heritage” study from researchers at the UC Agricultural Issues Center at Davis for an impartial assessment of the economic viability of the Livermore Valley wine region. The research was conducted by James Lapsley, associate professor of Viticulture and Enology, and Daniel Sumner, a professor of agriculture and resource economics. The TVC was looking for them to identify measurable and achievable goals to support the full development of the South Livermore Valley Area Plan
Improving the region’s infrastructure, including a proposed sewer line from Livermore to the South Livermore Valley that will be on Livermore residents’ ballot in November, would help attract outside vineyard farmers to the area, as would hotels and other bed and breakfast establishments to attract tourists.
The study found that focusing the region on a particular varietal might also help the industry. The researchers noted that the Santa Lucia Highlands wine-growing region in Monterey County focused on Pinot Noir, while establishing median-sized farms of 50 acres. Temecula in Southern California, meanwhile, has event centers, restaurants, and bed-and-breakfast businesses that target the region as a wine tourism destination.
TVC is actively working with the City of Livermore to address the need for the sewer line and provide what’s necessary for agritourism and promote the area’s reputation as a wine country destination.
TVC is also partnering with the Livermore Valley Wine Growers Association to provide a consultant to assist smaller wine producers with improving the quality and consistency of their products.
The study revealed much of what we already suspected may be true. The South Livermore Valley is growing wine grapes in only about 2,800 acres of farmland, far below the goal of 5,000 acres established in the South Livermore Valley Area Plan in 1993. The study found that many of the area’s independent vineyards were not profitable in 2019 and 2020, and that about 1,900 acres of the Livermore area’s grape crops must be replaced by 2030 because they are at least 20 years old and subject to disease.
However, the study also revealed opportunities for the preservation of the wine-growing region:
The South Livermore Valley area must attract mid-sized vineyard companies, focus on a special varietal for the region, and build the hotels and tasting rooms necessary for tourism if the wine industry is to succeed.
We need to attract mid-size wineries to invest in our region. What we have today is mostly very small wineries, and we have a couple of very large operations. There is nothing in that median range. That gap needs to be filled in order to make the whole picture come together.”