Livermore Valley's Second Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend!

Taste wines right out of the barrel, meet winemakers, and more. 
Each winery will host a unique experience during barrel tasting weekend including at least 1 barrel sample for each ticket holder.  This is your chance to pre-purchase wines before they have even bottled (aka "futures")!

For a list of Barrel Tasting Weekend activites by winery, click here.  

Tickets are $25 advance and $35 day of event.

Ticket includes: a take home glass with the Livermore Valley Wine Country Logo, barrel tasting at each participating winery for Saturday & Sunday, and a Barrel Tasting Weekend map which includes all wineries that are participating in the Barrel Tasting weekend.

Last year, this event SOLD OUT!  Get your tickets early!!!

$25 Pre-Sell ticket sales end on Friday, March 19 at 12pm. 
Tickets can be purchased on event day at any participating winery for $35.

Event will occur rain or shine.  No refunds.

* Attendees who break a glass during the event may purchase another glass for $5 (glass replacement fee).  Attendee must have a wristband to show proof of original purchase.  To receive your wristband and glass, you'll be asked to provide a valid ID.

Participating Wineries & Activities include:

Click HERE for a list of Barrel Tasting Weekend activities exclusively for ticket holders!

Bent Creek Winery

Big White House & John Evan Cellars

Bodegas Aguirre

Cedar Mountain Winery

Charles R Vineyards

Chouinard Vineyards

Concannon Vineyard

Crooked Vinee & Stony Ridge Winery

Cuda Ridge Wines

Deer Ridge Vineyards

Eagle Ridge Vineyards

Eckert Estate Winery

el Sol Winery

Fenestra Winery

Garre Vineyard & Winery

La Rochelle Winery

Les Chenes Estate Vineyards

McGrail Vineyards & Winery

Mitchell Katz Winery

Murrieta's Well

Nottingham Cellars

Page Mill Winery

Tamas Estates

The Steven Kent Winery

Wente Vineyards

White Crane Winery

Wood Family Vineyards

5:00 pm - Silent Auction & Upscale Carnival Cuisine / 7:30 pm – Live Auction & Dessert Port Pairing

Come and enjoy the “Vino Carnival" at our new venue: Palm Event Center in the Vineyards. Guests will enjoy upscale Carnival Cuisine prepared by the Palm's award wining Chef, Adam R. Brown.  We've created a wide variety of games for your enjoyment. Silent and live auction lots will be available at every price point to allow people to get involved and have fun at any level.  We'll exceed your expectations with another spectacular dessert creation that will be paired with Ports from around Livermore Valley Wine Country. This is the event not to be missed! 

At this fresher, faster and action-packed auction event you will feel the camaraderie of joining together - all for the good cause of children's charities. Our Auction is a quest for all things good in life! Space is limited so reserve your tickets today by selecting the BUY TICKET option on our website or by calling the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation at (925) 447-WINE (9463) for more information.

2009 Award Winners:

Best Expression of Local Ingredients: 

Wente Vineyards & The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards

2007 Nth Degree Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco

House-Cured Duck Prosciutto with Fregola Pasta Salad, Brentwood Corn, Garden Basil, Sweet Red Onion, Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese

Most Innovative:

 McGrail Vineyards & Campo Di Bocce

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley

Cherry and Olive Tapenade with Lavender on a Gorgonzola Puff Pastry

Judges’ Best: 

Ruby Hill Winery & Casa Real at Ruby Hill

2007 Estate Reserve Zinfandel, Livermore Valley

Summertime Braised Pork with Blueberry-Chipotle BBQ Sauce and Carrot-Ginger Slaw

People’s Choice: 

Murrieta’s Well & Hap’s Original Steakhouse

2007 Muscat Canelli, Livermore Valley

Tostones with Sweet Chili Prawn, Whipped Cream Cheese, Pineapple Habanera Jelly, and Cilantro

Most Creamaginative: (Creative & Imaginative):

Mitchell Katz Winery & Palm Event Center in the Vineyard

2007 Sangiovese Reserve, Livermore Valley 

Hearty Muffuletta style Empanada with Artisan Mortadella, Toscano Salumi and Piquant Ollye Relish


2009 Judges for the Food & Wine Competition:

Evan Goldstein - Master Sommelier and Author
Evan is one of the nation’s most prolific food and wine industry veterans. In 1987 he became the eighth American and youngest ever at the time to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier examination.  Evan is the author of the critically acclaimed, Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier’s Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food and other books.

Sara Schneider- Sunset Magazine Wine Editor

Sara Schneider is Sunset’s first-ever wine editor, responsible for tasting panels, food-and-wine pairing in the test kitchen, wine-related food and travel coverage and the magazine’s wine club. 

Jessica Yadegaran - Bay Area News Group Wine Writer

 Jessica Yadegaran is a wine writer, educator and judge who believes wine is the true marriage of art, science and spirit. Her work has appeared online and in newspapers and magazines around the country for the past 10 years.

The Annual Livermore Valley Harvest Wine Celebration
showcases over 40 wineries' wines and their unique personalities during the peak of Harvest Season! Guests can tour the wine region by car, bike, or aboard one of the several complimentary shuttle buses!

New changes to this event are in progress... details to come soon!