THE OTHER OTHER WInE COUnTRY

Fromtasting roomsand quaint shops featuring artisanal fare tobistros and upscalefine-dining options,Livermore is making its mark as a worthydestination forwine- and food-loversalike — without the crowdsthat might drive oneto,well,drink.

BYLINDAZAVORAL PHOTOGRAPHSBYDOUGDURANANDARICCRABB

Weare headinginto winecountry, zippingby oak-studded golden hills where the occasional small herd of cattle ranges and thefewricketyold barns could tumble atany time — unless a wannabe vintnerrescues themandtransforms them into tasting rooms.

Isay zippingbecausethere is notraffic. We’re not on Highway 29 in thatWineCountry or Highways 101 or 12 in the other WineCountry.

Thisis theLivermoreValley,andit’syettobe discovered bythe wine-drinking masses. LikeLodi, the Santa ClaraValley and so manyother regions,this unheralded area is richin grape-growinghistory (datingback to the early 1880s),and itswines aregaining acclaim. Inthe mid-’90s there were only 15wineries in the Livermore Valley American Viticultural Area; now thereare justover 50.

Entrepreneurs andrestaurateurs have embraced the movement.Downtown Livermore,with itsWestern-stylestorefronts —now given over towine bars, ale houses, bistros andrestaurants with corkage-free nights —hasbecome a secondhome foroenophiles and food lovers.

Where to start a day ofLivermore sippingand sampling? Well,many tasting rooms don’topen until noon. Theday’ssmoking has commencedoveratthe popularspot calledSauced, butthe barbecue’snot ready.AndI,for one, needmore caffeine before I’llbe able to throw balls straight on the bocce court.Our reservation’snot until 11a.m.

So it’soff to the Panama Red Coffee Co. or CasseCroute Bakery forcups to go andthenthe Sunday farmers marketatRailroadAvenue.

At firstglance, this marketis sotinyithardly warrants a stop—untilyousee the row of artisans espousingthe “made inLivermore” philosophy.There’s JohnJohnsen,aparksand rec guywho bottles hishot sauce recipes underthe Texas-inspiredTerlinguaname but pays tribute to the city’slargestemployer,the one withthe H-bomb notoriety.Laurence Livermore Laboratory officials purchase his “LivermoreSite 300 Nuclear Sauce”bythecase foremployees and visitors, so you havetoarrive early tosnag abottle. The same goesfor the sell-out-fasttamales andtaquitos made by a young cook named Aurora“Flaca” NavaofFlaca’s

ABOVE

1.Campo di Bocce

2.Wente Vineyards

3.Blacksmith Square

4. Winery Row

5.Carnegie Park

Chips & Salsa. Family recipes, Iask? “Itweaked my mom’srecipes,sonow they’remine,” she says proudly.

Across theway,the Cheese Therapyfood truck beckons. Two Livermoreresidents—chef Denise CreekGarciaandcheesemonger Teri Tith Concannon —specialize inthe ploughman’slunch (that’s the English name for a salumiorcharcuterie plate), grilled cheeses (thinkmanchegowith spicy slawand cilantro), homemade soup and a three-cheese Caesar salad (todayit’sParmesan, Comteand Seascape, a nice changeofpacefromthe usual one-note Caesar).

Amuch larger farmers market, with dinner vendors and livemusic,springsuponThursdayevenings from spring to fall on the grounds ofthetown’sstately circa 1911 Carnegie Library,nottoo far away.

Speaking of not too far away,thatapplies tojust about everythingin downtown Livermore.It’scom- pact and walkable,aperfectway to burn off calorieson afood- and drink-filledday.

BUT FIRST,WE’RE OFFTO burn caloriesveryslowly, with aleisurely —but competitive,I hope — matchof bocce.Yes,the Livermorewine industry may have French and Germanvintners atitsroots, but theItalian game of bocce isde rigueur here,asit apparentlyisin every California appellation. You can playbocce as asideactivityat awinery,oryou can, like us,playwhere the bocce is paramount andwine takes a back seat(though,truthbetold, myglass of local sauvignon blanc is sittingafewfeetaway).

Here, on awarmday atCampo di Bocce, onthe westernsideof Livermore,the air feelspositively Mediterranean on the outdoor courts, ringedby blooming trellises. The wait staff thoughtfully gives refresher tips on how toplay (it’sall about rolling your balls closestto thelittleball, called thepallino,andno, it’snever beenas easy asit sounds), keeps yousupplied with pitchersofice water,and takes care ofyourfood and wineorders. Thewait staff doesnot, however, retrieveyour far-flung balls from theend ofthe approximately90-foot-long court.

That’scalledthe “walk of shame,” and it’spart ofthefun — as long as you keep sippingwine. If you plan to playearly enoughin the day orlate enough in the evening, you’llavoid the distractions of birthdayparties, bridal showers and corporate team-building on nearbycourts and getachance to concentrate on strategy.Actually, on astandard courtlike this, as opposedto apark or festivalgrounds, there’s more to it than strategy:Ithought Iputenough spinon that one! Why is itrollingoverthere?No, stop, stop! Are wesure this court doesn’tslope? After an hour’sworthofplay, whichwent bymuch tooquickly, Icanattest that goodhand-eyecoordination countsfor morethan Italian blood when playing bocce. Thescore was 8-4.

Weretreatto an umbrella-shaded tablefor lunchafter discovering that anumber of people come toCampodiBocce notto play bocce butto eat.Agoodsign. Seeingashow we barelybrokea sweat on thecourt, webypassthe pastadishesand opttoshare a nicelygrilledfresh salmon sandwich with avocado,aTuscan tuna salad sandwich withcapers, and side salads, includingoneofbibb lettuce, burratacheese and shaved fennel.

NEXT IT’S OFFTOTHE wineries,with our designated driverat thewheel.

Although wineries aresprinkled throughout Livermore,the bulk of them lineSouth Livermore Avenue, Tesla Road andnearby streets. Closestto downtown is Retzlaff, established in 1985. Nearby is thehistoric Concannon, whichdatesto1883, followed —west toeast—byastringof boutique and family wineries, includingthe wineryofsixth-generation vintner Steven Kentofthe Mirassou family. At thefareastern edge ofthe strip are EagleRidge, LesChenes and CedarMountain.

First westopat anearbyMines Road winery,Murrieta’s Well, namedfor thesite whereJoaquin Murrieta discoveredanartesian well in the1850s.The rustic tasting room isfashionedfrom an 1880shillside “gravity flow” winerywhereFrench immigrant Louis Mel made winefrom imported Chateaud’Yquem and Chateau Margaux plantings.

Thelore and viewshere are unexpected delights.Ourinterest in Murrieta actuallyhad been piqued by the winery’srecent best inshow award for TheWhip, a2013 white blended not from two,three or four wine grapes, but seven:semillon, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, viognier,orange muscat, gewurztraminer and white riesling.It’saromatic, to be sure, and surprisinglywell-balanced. Or, in the wordsofour winecritic,MaryOrlin,one ofthe judges at the blind tasting, “Soft and round on the palate, juicyand refreshing.Lingering finish with a hintofhoney.”

Known forits cabernetfranc, Murrieta’sWell, like many other Livermorewineries, also makes small-lot wines from such Spanish and Portuguesevarietals as touriga andtempranillo. Ourpurchases: touriga, The Whip and muscat canelli. Andif the porthadn’tbeen aclub-only purchase,Iwould have bought a bottle of that, too.

YOUCANONLYDO SO MUCH winetasting, so when your palate is bruised andanother water cracker won’thelp,head downtown for somelive music and small bites atyetanother historic site.

BlacksmithSquare,whichwas home toablacksmithway back in theday,isnowacharming brick courtyard linedwith tinyshops and tasting rooms, and the credit goesto JohnMadden’sdeveloper son for that. There’sentertainment — maybe lightrock,maybe country,with nocovercharge— on Fridayevenings, Saturday afternoons and evenings,andSunday afternoons from Maythrough October. Tryto arriveearly tograb seats because it’sstanding room only whenthe weather’snice. Swirl on the Square is thewine bar andrestaurant thatruns the show atBlacksmith. Small plates rangefrom crostinitosausage sliders, and you can expect some creative bites fromchefSerena Martinez, who didherexternship atGary Dankoin SanFrancisco. Butit’stough to pass up a dessert called Billie’sHomemadeSecret Cake, whichis bakedbyowner RoccoMaitino’smother,and no, she won’tevengivehim the recipe. This buttery yellow cake toppedwith walnutsanddusted withpowderedsugaris sorich that even Maitinosays it’stoo sweetto pairwithdessert wine; you’llwant coffeewith this one.

Towardtheend Ofthe

afternoon, we’re off to Eagle Ridge Vineyard,recommendedbyanew acquaintance, fornice wines, free tasting and a quirkyatmosphere. Togettothis cattle ranch-turnedwinery,we drive downabumpy, half-mile-long roadwith a humongous dip (thewebsitecalls it a“Disneyland‘Eticket’ride”). Theplain exteriorofthe old agricultural building belieswhat’s inside: afun jumble of vintage signs and turn-of-the-century collectibles amassed by owners Jimand Cheryl Perry.Jim,who pourstastes for us of his signature petitesirahsand estate-grown zinfandels, isclearlyalocalbooster. Abumperstickerbehind him boasts:“Livermore makeswine. Napamakesautoparts.”

Pouring next tohim is fellow winemaker Dan Rosenberg of Dante Robere Vineyards, known for its2012reserve syrah and Rhone blend(Dante’sInferno). Soon, thetwo will be pouring miles apart, as Dante Robere moves to its new winery in west Livermore,where the tasting room patio will offer viewsofthe estate syrahvineyard andSycamore GrovePark.

Ourpurchases: FromEagle Ridge, MadCait dessert wine, madefrom pinot grigio,andfrom Dante Robere, thatDante’sInferno. Alas, we wereamongthelast to enjoythefree tastings, as both wineries will start levyingfees of $5and$10,respectively.Still, compared with Napa tasting fees, Livermore remainsabargain.

FOR THE BEST HIGH-END dinner in Livermore, wemake reservations to endthe day at TheRestaurant atWenteVineyards. In business for 30 years, this restaurant hasevolved under recent chefsto embraceboth a farm-to-tableand a ranch-to-table philosophy.Thatmeans Wente not only grows produceand herbs on a half-acreorganicgarden here,buttherestaurant also raises its own herdofgrass-fed Black Angus cattle on local hillsides.

Thewineryisn’tjust theoldest in theseparts;it’sthe oldestcontinuously operatedfamily-ownedwinery in the United States — it has beenup and running since1883.

Dinner startswith warm housemaderolls, flecked with herbs from thegardenand olive oil pressed justdown theroadat Olivina.It’saperfect pairing. We orderedthe signature starter— LambPastrami, cured in-house and served on rye crisps with pickled red onion and coriander —alongwith what welaterterm the mostaddictive dishwe’ve had in awhile, BlackTruffle Ricotta Dip, made withchevre,sheep’s milk ricotta, honey,sunflower seeds and thyme.

Forentrees,we shared the wood-grilledFilet Mignon, served withmarblepotatoes;agoat cheese gnocchi with pancetta and favabeans; and anothersignature offering,the Grilled Leg ofLamb, withmerlot androsemary.That was the standout dish, withbeautiful slices ofmedium-rarelamb fannedout overmorel mushrooms, favas androastedspring onions.

Outside the diningroom is some of the veryscenery we drove past this morning. We’vesomehowmanagedto time ourmeal perfectly. Thesetting sun is castingshadows onthe hills,darkeningthemfromgoldto mustard to brown, and twobirds ofpreyfly past,asif oncue. But we neglected to reserve the very best seats— awindow or patio table — for the evening show.

Nexttime.

FOLLOWLINDAZAVORALAT TWITTER.COM/BUH_BYETRAVEL.

Drinkup—inacastle

When itcomesto NapaValley winetasting, the problemisnothow to find agood winery.It’showto choose among 400ofthem. Insteadofponderingthe possibilities,head straightforDario Sattui’s 13th-century Tuscanfantasy, Castello diAmorosa, in Calistoga. Sattui also has a medievalmonasteryjust outsideSiena andaMedici palace inTuscany,but youdon’tneed apassportto visitthis one, a136,000-square-footmedieval-style castle, completewith battlements,caves, atorturechamber,secretpassagesand adrawbridge —and the grandGreat Hall. Plus, there’swine.

4045 N.St.HelenaHighway. Fordetails, gotowww.castellodiamorosa.com.

Gourmetgrubonthego

If you findyourselfonanimpromptu triptoWine Country,stop for lunch atAddendum,theto-go outpost of Yountville’sreveredAdHoc. You can get tastycomfortfood withoutareservation and quickly getback onthe SilveradoTrail.Enjoy aboxedlunch of buttermilkfried chicken,barbecue pork ribsora pulled porksandwich,each withacouple ofsides, on a picnic bench inthegarden.Addendum is open Thursdays throughSaturdays from 11a.m.until2p.m. (There can bealine onSaturdays.) Addendumis located behind Ad Hoc, whichisat 6476WashingtonSt.

Fordetails, gotowww.thomaskeller.com/addendum.

MakeasourfaceatMikkeller

One of San Francisco’sbest recentopenings is thebeer haven MikkellerBar,ontheedgeofthe Tenderloin and in theburgeoning Mid-Marketarea,home toTwitter and countless other new-mediacompanies. And while themain-floor beer hallisawelcomeaddition to the neighborhood, thehighlighthere isdownanarrow staircase to the basement, home ofthe Tivoli Sour Room, open Thursday,Fridayand Saturday nights after 6p.m. Forthose averse to dark beers — which all too often feelliketheymustbechewed—but delighted by the a lip-puckeringlytartfinishand maybe a slight barnyard funkiness, this is heaven.With anarrow communal tableand a coupleof smaller two-seater spots, it cangetalittlecrowded, butthe offerings here morethan make upforthe cramped quarters. (And onnightswhenthe sourroomitselfisn’topen, youcanstillorder from its menu upstairs, thoughyou may be surroundedbyacrush of techbros.)

34 Mason St.For details, call415-984-0279.

Picksweettreatsonthecoast

If you’reheadingup Highway 1from Santa Cruz, stop atSwanton BerryFarm, just north of Davenport (orits second farm, Coastways,in Pescadero).This laid-back oasis has an honor till that you will quicklyfillupbuyingfresh-picked strawberries, jamsandother treats. Enjoy your goodies inthe funky farm stand, where youcanhang out playing board games, looking atold books or chattingwithfriends. If it’snot too windy, youcanenjoy your treats on thelawn area. And, of course, you canwanderthe fields and pickyour own organic strawberries —agreatactivity withkids.

25 SwantonRoad.Fordetails, go towww.swantonberryfarm.com.

Visitoliveoilcountry

Getataste of Italy bysteppinginsideNapa Valley Olive OilManufacturingCo. in St.Helena. Theplace is inawhite shed alongblockoff Highway 29 at the end of CharterOak Drive and offers bottles upon bottles of olive oil, along with other tastytreats — salami, sausages andcheese,anyone?

835CharterOak Ave.For details,go towww.oliveoilsainthelena.com.

Asemi-secretberrypatch

Around Labor Daythe DowWetlands Preserve, in Antioch, hasanbevy of blackberriesperfect for the picking. OnWest10th Street,there is a parking lot near theentranceto the preserve.Takethe narrow trail north, andafter a shortwalk, you’llseeblackberrybrambles on your left.Walkabit more for asection withgiant hedges onbothsidesfilled with the fruit. If pickingberries isn’tyour bag, thepreserve hasmuch to seeon its 470-plus undeveloped acres, including a beaverpond and manyspots for bird-watching.

Fordetails, go towww.dow.com/pittsburg/wetland.

StockupinSt.Helena

LongMeadow Ranch in St.Helena has it all.Afarmersmarketruns all yearfrom FridaythroughSunday. Artisan dinnersareserved outsideat the community table, where you mayevensit with theowners. And don’tmiss thebutcher shop,olive oils, wines and more.

738Main St.For details, go towww.longmeadowranch.com or call 877-627-2645.

The deliciously tart fruit is especiallytasty when paired with asweet stone fruit: A favorite of oursis a muffin bursting with blackberries (or — even better —olallieberries) andfresh peaches.

SampleupscalespiritsatSt.GeorgeinAlameda

Aficionados of fine spiritshavealottochoosefrom thesedays,but allthenewartisandistillers oweadebttothe craftspeopleatSt. George Spirits. Itwas thefirst craftdistillery in the United States when itopenedin1982, and ithas since movedtoa65,000-squarefoot hangar on thegroundsof the oldAlameda NavalAir Station. Visitorscansee the stills, fermentation tanks and bottling lineat thedistillery that producedthe firstAmericansingle-malt whiskey,the first legalabsinthemadeinthe U.S.in80years andHangar1 Vodka. And, of course, you cantaste flights of theaward-winning rums, liqueurs, whiskeysandmore. —Michael Mayer 2601 MonarchSt.For details, go towww.stgeorgespirits.com.

Pickyourownproduce

Eachspring, cherryloversfromaroundtheBay Area flock to the dozensoforchards inBrentwood to pick bucketsofcherries straightfrom thetrees (somepeople getcarriedawayand havetobe reprimanded for climbingthe treesin searchof theripest cherry).But theU-Pick season actually stretches allsummer, givingfreshfruitand veggieloversachancetopick their own farm-fresh produce.Despite the rapid development in EastContra Costa over theyears,the U-Pick farms still provide a small-town reminder ofasimpler time, when farming was the lifebloodof theregion.

Fordetails, gotowww.harvest4you.com.

Vinowithaviewin Alameda

Runby the famous Rosenblums, this isagem ofa spot withfabulous views of San Francisco andthe bay,especiallyatsunset. RockWall Wine Co.hasa 3,000-square-foot geodesic dome, and it’skid-friendly, withfurniture outsideand plentyofroom to run around. Wineclub membership is reasonably priced, and greatdiscounts areoffered.Thespot isopen everyday,closing at8p.m.,makingit a perfectplace for a sipafter work. Rock Wall WineCo. islocatedon theformer Alameda Naval Air Station.

Fordetails, gotowww.rockwallwines.com.

Shuckandslurpin Marshall

Tomales Bayin MarinCounty is groundzero for great oystersin theBay Area.Andat theTomales Bay OysterCo.,youcanpicnic right next tothe farms that produce great oysters, clamsandmussels featuredat many Bay Arearestaurants. The proprietors will set youup with shuckingknives,charcoalfor one of the many grills on the property,lemons and hot sauce. And, if you so desire, bring your own beer and wine.

15479ShorelineHighway.

Fordetails, gotowww.tomalesbayoystercompany.com.

Powerupforwinetasting

If you’reawine aficionadoexploring Healdsburg, make it apointto stopat JimtownStore, on Alexander Valley Road near theRussian River. The spot offershearty soups, salads, sandwiches,startersandbreakfasts.

6706Highway128.Fordetails, call707-433-1212.

Sitandsipat TruettHurst

Forsome truly sensational sips,stopbyTruettHurst Winery foratasting —allthe wines are good,but pay specialmind to theBlack Sheep PinotNoir,the Rattler Rock Zinfandel andthe Dragonfly RedBlend. Asyou’re tasting (or,better yet,holdingthe bottle you just bought), walk outthroughthe winery’sextensive herb, fruit and vegetable gardens and down to the edge ofDry Creek,wherethere are a fewgroups of Adirondackchairs to laze in while swirlingyour glass and communing with nature. If you haven’tboughta few tastytreats tosnack uponthere, head backinto Healdsburg afterward for a small-plates dinner at Chalkboard (29 North St.). Be suretotryat leastone of the housemadepastas.

Thewinery isat 5610DryCreekRoad. Fordetails, go towww.truetthurst.com.

ON HEALDSBURG

TruettHurst and the JimtownStore are just two ofthe tasty Healdsburg treasures highlighted in this section.Check outthe listingfor Shed on the next page.

Forpancakes,we hike!

One Sunday amonththroughOctober, thehistoric WestPoint Innlures hungryhikerstoitsremote localeon Mount Tam for apancakebreakfast with top-of-the-worldviews.Friends and familiesgather around plates of flapjacks, sausagesand freshfruitat sunnypicnic tables perchedhigh above the fog.Paths to the innvary,but the level45-minute amble from Mountain Theatreisascenicoption.

100OldRailroad Grade. Fordetails, go to www.westpointinn.com.

Gonorth,in searchofcheese

Findingexcellentcheese in abigcity—where’sthe sport inthat?It’sfar more fun to discover some outstandinghandcraftedwater buffalo, sheepand goatcheesesin atinyunincorporatedcommunityof 50.This microscopicRussian RivertownofFreestone, 15 minutesfromBodegaBay,ishome toFreestone Artisan Cheese.This unlikely littlefoodiemeccahas developed acult following sinceopening in2013. RoastedCalifornia nuts, local oliveoil, crepes and tea round out the mix.Enjoyahappy lunchin the redwoodpark across thestreet.

380 Bohemian Highway.For details, go to www.freestoneartisan.com.

Dogood,andeatwell

Remember thatincredible meal you hadwhile travelingabroad?Guess what? Someoneis cooking thesamemeal right here,andneedsyou to1) eat it

2) chip in fundstokeep the delicious fareflowing. San Francisco’sLa Cocinais an incubatorkitchen for low-income food entrepreneurslooking to gettheir businesses off theground. The focusis womenfrom communities ofcolorandimmigrant communities.

2948Folsom St.For details, go towww.lacocinasf.org.

Getlostgoinggourmet

What isthisplace? Restaurant? Gourmet market? Coffeebar? Communitygatheringspot?Tryall of the above. Healdsburg’sShed,whichgarnered aJames Beard Award for best-designed restaurant in the countrylast year, isagreatstop for brunch or a picnic if you’reheaded north,but it’saworthystopinitsown right. With house-cured meats,terrines, gourmet ciders, drinkingvinegarsand baked goods; an espresso bar in thefront;and an expansive indoor-outdoor diningarea,it’seasy tospend acoupleofhourshere(and, ahem, a couple hundred dollarsifyou’renot careful).

25 NorthSt.For details, go towww.healdsburgshed.com.

Samplesome sudsin SurfCity

Something newisbrewingin Santa CruzCounty:beer — and lotsof it. By the end of2015, the numberof breweries inthe countywillhave doubled in the pastthreeyears.

Healdsburg's Shed, above, has plentyto offer inside itsdoors, butthere'salso abonus across thestreet: The Healdsburg farmersmarket opens upacross thestreet every Saturdayfrom 9 a.m.to noonfrom Maythrough November.

Beginatour atCorralitos Brewing Co. (2536FreedomBlvd., Watsonville) beforeheadingto New Bohemia BrewingCo. (1030 41st Ave., Santa Cruz)for German-style lagers. Sip delicious barrel-aged sours at nearby Sante Adairius RusticAles(103KennedyDrive, Capitola), and finishat Discretion Brewing(2703 41stAve.,Soquel), wherebeer-friendly bites, suchas pork bellysliders,pair well with award-winning brews.

Can’tnab adesignateddriver?

Hookup with BrewCruz, which shuttles guests around in a tricked-outschool busnamed BettyJane.

Fordetails, go towww.scbrewcruz.com.