Written by Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association
Winery of the Week 2026 – Almost Famous Wine Company
Almost Famous Wine Company, Livermore’s celebrated live music venue tucked away in the heart of Vasco Row, celebrated its four year anniversary at the end of January. And wow – it’s been an exciting few years! Last year, Diablo Magazine named the venue its editors’ pick for “best intimate live music experience’ in the East Bay. Legendary musicians like The Mother Hips, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and more have graced its stage for three or more performances. The venue has become a favorite of regional and nationally touring acts, as well as the locals of the Tri Valley, attracting many repeat customers and an extremely loyal fanbase.
Almost Famous Wine Company is the brainchild of the Kent family, who also own and operate Darcie Kent Estate Winery in Livermore. It features a diverse menu of wines made by Julian Halasz, Darcie Kent’s master winemaker. Almost Famous brings together the Kent family’s passion for exceptional wine and live music, creating a dynamic, immersive wine experience unlike anything else in the Valley. It also serves as a creative platform to introduce and experiment with new and emerging wine brands.
The venue’s opening weekend serves as a fun “before and after” snapshot. It’s first Saturday night show featured AJ Lee and Blue Summit, an on-the-rise bluegrass act fronted by local songstress, AJ Lee. It was hard to get the word out, especially as the Bay Area’s live music scene was still recovering from COVID-19 shutdowns, and the Kent family were still new to marketing a music venue. Darcie’s daughter Kailyn remembers, “We had to work really hard to get people in the room, but when they got here, they were like ‘WOW!’ ” Exactly four years later, AJ Lee and Blue Summit came back on January 29 to a packed house. All the seats at the show had quickly sold out upon release, months in advance. AJ Lee and Blue Summit have become a global bluegrass phenomenon, and Almost Famous Wine Company now attracts a loyal audience that draws from all over Northern California.
While Almost Famous may be best known for its live music entertainment, including a world class stage, sound and lighting, the wines themselves are garnering a devoted following. The Strong, Silent Type Cabernet Franc won “Best of Class” at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition two vintages in a row and was Livermore Valley’s top ranked Cabernet Franc in this year’s competition, which is the largest competition of North American wines in the world. As Livermore Valley becomes increasingly known for its superb Cabernet Franc, the Strong Silent Type takes the stage as a posterchild for the region. Similarly, the venue’s Pistachio Lane Sauvignon Blanc also took home another “Best of Class” award from this year’s competition, showcasing the Valley’s historic preeminence with Sauvignon Blanc. The music venue features its own brand of sparkling wine, “Almost Famous Méthode Champenoise.” The 2021 vintage scored 91 points in Wine Enthusiast, and is arguably the most prestigious locally produced sparkling wine in Livermore Valley.
The Kent family are raising their glasses to Almost Famous’ next four years and beyond. After flirting with the idea to move the venue to another location, the family decided that the current location’s size, incredible acoustics, and location on Vasco Row are part of what makes it special. The Kent family plan to keep Almost Famous at Vasco Row for the foreseeable future, while continuing to put their vision and energy behind new, exciting musical acts and wines. Cheers to the future, and see you at a future show!