Wente
Wente Winery was founded by C. H. Wente in the heart of the Livermore Valley, CA in 1883. A first-generation immigrant from Germany, Wente learned about winemaking from his vineyard experience at Charles Krug. Wente purchased his first 48 acres of Wente Vineyards in Livermore Valley with the belief that the warm days, cool nights and gravelly soils would be ideal for growing grapes. Wente Winery now draws from nearly 3,000 acres of estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to produce their portfolio of Wente wines. Now on its fifth generation, Wente is recognized as being the oldest continuously operating, family-owned winery in California according to our Wente wine reviews. They were also the winners of the American Winery of the Year Award at the 2011 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards. To see which of their wines is right for you check out our Wente wine ratings below.
Showing 1 thru -9 of 82
Wente 2000 Riva Ranch Reserve Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco)
- Best Buy
- $15
Massively huge flavors of tropical fruits are balanced by crisp acidity, high enough to make the pineapple, guava and mango flavors shine. New, smoky oak adds the depth to make this wine truly complex and delicious. Big and unctuous, this is a flashy wine meant to complement rich, showy foods.
— S.H.
(12/15/2002)
Wente 1997 Charles Wetmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Livermore Valley)
- $25
This beautiful single-vineyard wine takes all the themes of the regular Wente Cabernet and carries them into deeper, lusher, more complex territory. The color is darker, the depth of flavor more profound, the fruit veering more toward black currants, the tannins more refined, and the fruity-spicy finish simply wonderful and long.
— S.H.
(12/15/2000)
Wente 2006 Small Lot Merlot (Arroyo Seco)
- Online Exclusive
- $35
A beautiful Merlot, Wente’s best in at least a decade. It’s not one of those big, superripe Napa Merlots, but instead is elegant and classically balanced, almost Bordeaux in style, with rich tannins and good acidity. There’s an herbal touch to the black cherry and mineral flavors. Very fine, very appealing, and a natural companion for food. Now–2012.
— S.H.
(2/1/2010)
Wente 1999 Crane Ridge Merlot (San Francisco Bay-Livermore Valley)
- Best Buy
- $15
A luscious wine brimming with black-cherry, chocolate, plum, licorice and smoky oak aromas. Wonderfully rich and lush in the mouth, it also has lots of berry fruit flavors in a dry, harmonious package.
— S.H.
(11/15/2001)
Wente 1998 Charles Wetmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Livermore Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- $24
Another successful vintage for this very fine wine. Rich and jammy-candied, it’s got lavish aromas of blackberry, tobacco and spice, with smoke and vanilla from medium-charred oak. Balanced with extracted blackberry and cassis flavors and an opulent, smooth texture. Complex and satisfying.
— S.H.
(12/1/2001)
Wente 2005 The Nth Degree Chardonnay (Livermore Valley)
- $45
Nutty and custardy, this is a full-bodied Chardonnay that emphasizes Chardonnay’s textural richness when augmented by barrel fermentation and lees stirring. Toasted hazelnuts are balanced by hints of citrus. Drink now.
— W.E.
(8/1/2008)
Wente 2009 Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc (Livermore Valley)
- Best Buy
- $15
This varietally correct Sauvignon Blanc is clean, crisp and refreshing, with plenty of honey, pineapple and green apple, and yet has some meat on its bones, with a rich mouthfeel that belies its all-stainless-steel aging. It also has just a touch (2%) of Sémillon.
— V.B.
(3/1/2011)
Wente 2005 Sonata Small Lot Red Wine Syrah-Cabernet
- Online Exclusive
- $45
A 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, this is available only from the winery. Too bad, because it’s an excellent effort, combining hints of cracked pepper and licorice with plummy fruit and touches of vanilla oak. It’s creamy in texture, with plenty of fruit alongside silky tannins on the finish.
— W.E.
(8/1/2008)
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