The dump buckets must tend to go dry at Concannon Vineyard. Step up to the bar performing the sniff-swirl-spit method of tasting wine, and the server might tell you this:
“You know, it’s OK to drink the wine.”
That was the advice during a recent Saturday afternoon visit. The tasting room was packed with a wedding party that was loosening up for a ceremony on Concannon’s spacious lawn. Others crowded the bar, glass in hand, with a vibe that was closer to happy hour than a serious wine tasting experience.
In other words, Concannon isn’t the kind of spot to channel your inner wine competition judge.
Still, there’s serious history at Concannon, whose roots stretch back to the late 1800s. Concannon was also a pioneer in producing Petite Sirah, and claims to be the first American winery to release a varietal Petite Sirah. That was in 1964; the grape that produces dense, inky wines is now a signature of Livermore.
Concannon certainly has a compelling story in California wine history, but its tasting room experience is fairly standard: Pay $15 for a flight of five wines and you’ll get perfunctory pours with minimal chatter.
While Livermore and its warm growing season is usually best suited for reds, Concannon’s locally grown Chardonnay shows a nice creamy character with a bite of acidity. The Viognier smells of Juicy Fruit gum and features tangy stone fruit flavors that are well suited for summer drinking.
Concannon offers more intimate tasting opportunities as well, including seated tastings with its reserve wines. There’s also a $30 tour and tasting for groups of 8 or more, along with picnic space rentals that come with a glass of wine.
The bustling tasting room has the feeling of a very large gift shop for wine – or the kind of place to meet up with a Tinder date. Just remember that asking for a dump bucket might cause a double take.
WHAT TO TRY: If the Petite Sirah isn’t part of the tasting lineup, ask if they can spare a pour of Captain Joe’s Reserve Petite Sirah. Concannon has copyrighted the term “America’s First Petite Sirah,” so take a sip of this rich, chewy wine and get a sense of Concannon’s signature grape.
INSIDE INFO: For those who want to dig deeper into Concannon’s line-up of wines, look into the $30 library tasting that includes reserve wines with small samples of food.