Celebrate International Cabernet Day August 27
Leave your car behind to party with local winemakers on Thursday, Aug. 27 as they pay homage to the Livermore Valley’s most famous wine varietal.
Four Livermore wineries are teaming up with the Livermore Wine Trolley to celebrate International Cabernet Day. But you don’t have to be royalty to enjoy this special day in style: for $15, the trolley will offer a safe transportation alternative all day long between Concannon, McGrail, Nottingham Cellars and Steven Kent.
Here’s how the participating wineries plan to exalt the King of Grapes this year:
At Concannon, choose from a $10 tasting or a $30 Cabernet and cheese pairing experience. John Concannon will host complimentary tours at 1 pm and 4 pm, highlighting the 50th Anniversary of three Concannon Cabernet Clones. Enjoy a Cabernet Sauvignon flight and cheese pairing at 1:30 pm or 4:30pm in Club 1883.
At McGrail Vineyards and Winery, learn how barrels make their mark on this varietal. Taste four Cabernets from the same vineyard, each aged in different oak. McGrail will explore how American, French and Hungarian oak barrels impact the taste of Cabernet.
Nottingham Cellars will celebrate Cabernet Sauvignon – the backbone of their Bordeaux-style wines – with a $10 flight of both single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet blends produced from some of the finest fruit grown in Livermore Valley.
The Steven Kent Winery takes great pride in celebrating another year of producing great Cabernet in the Livermore Valley. Celebrate the “King of Grapes” with a special selection of Cabs from their extensive collection of special cuvees, vintages and vineyard designates. The tasting fee is $15.
Shuttle service will be available from 11:30 am until 4:30pm between the four wineries listed above. To reserve a seat, http://goo.gl/dMUEbf.
Las Positas Vineyards and Ruby Hill will also celebrate the King by pouring various Cabernet vintages.
At Las Positas, sip a Cabernet vertical flight, along with barrel samples of their 2013 Reserve Cabernet and 2013 Meritage. Bacon brownies will be served as part of their chocolate pairing in honor of International Bacon Day on Aug. 30.
Ruby Hill and Rubino Estates will mark the occasion by featuring their 2012 Estate Ruby Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which was named Best Cabernet of Show at the 2015 Livermore Valley Uncorked Wine Competition earlier this year. They will also pour the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva Collection.
By Laura Ness