Livermore Valley, CA (May 10, 2023) – Wente Vineyards, America’s longest, continuously family-owned and operated winery, has announced that 2023 will mark its 140th harvest and uninterrupted year in business. For five generations, the Wentes have firmly planted their roots in a family of hard-working farmers, leaving an indelible mark on California wine along the way.
“This is a special milestone for us, and we’re honored to have such an amazing, supportive community who wants to celebrate alongside our family,” said Aly Wente, 5th Generation Winegrower and VP of Marketing and Customer Experiences. “We wanted to create special moments for our supporters to experience Wente Vineyards on an intimate level. We’re thrilled to celebrate 140 years in business with people who love our wines—they are the reason we have remained five generations family owned. We’re already toasting to the next 140!”
In celebration of this major milestone – unprecedented in this country – the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family plan to host a series of exciting events and consumer offerings, the first of which include the following:
- Win a Trip to Wine Country: On May 1, Wente Vineyards kicked off a sweepstakes giveaway for two to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the storied winery in Livermore Valley, California. The sweepstakes includes an exclusive three-night stay for two that includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, tours, and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences hosted by the Wente family. The giveaway will be valid and available from May 1 through December 2023. Wente Vineyards customers can enter to win here.
- 140th Harvest Dinner: On September 9, Wente Vineyards fans and guests are welcome to celebrate the estate’s 140th anniversary with a picturesque harvest dinner in the vineyards. Surrounded by olive groves, vines, and the entire Wente family, this authentic nod to the family’s California wine heritage will include a seasonal wine country menu, gorgeously paired with special wines from the Wente Vineyards portfolio. Tickets to this special event are $275pp: Purchase Tickets Here.
Wente Vineyards is now managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family, with the fifth generation of women now leading the charge from grape to glass. With an ever-increasing focus on sustainability, the winery was one of the first to become a certified sustainable vineyard and winery from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CCSW). The fifth generation continues to up the ante on such initiatives, and in 2022, was the recipient of the Wine Institute’s California Green Medal Leader Award, given to one winery each year and recognizing leadership in ethical practices that span both vineyards and winery as well as socially responsible initiatives that benefit its employees and greater community.
Innovation is not new to Wente Vineyards. The family has long been known as America’s “First Family of Chardonnay” since 1912, when Ernest Wente brought Chardonnay to America (from Montpellier, France, to the Livermore Valley). Today, 75% of all California Chardonnay stems from the Wente Clone and the Wente Family property.
Wente Vineyards is also responsible for preserving domestic Sauvignon Blanc. In the 1880s, cuttings from Sauternes’ Château d’Yquem were planted at Charles Wetmore’s Cresta Blanca vineyard in the Livermore Valley. Prohibition all but sealed the fate of the (then) obscure grape. Those premium vines were instead shared with neighboring Wente Vineyards, ensuring their survival through Prohibition.
The family’s contributions to America’s wine industry are innumerable, though more information about the Wente Vineyards story can be found at WenteVineyards.com/Our-Story.
Wente Vineyards is distributed nationally and internationally and widely available in most major markets. For more information, please visit wentevineyards.com.
About Wente Family Estates
Founded in 1883, Wente Family Estates has been celebrated for its industry-wide contributions to innovation as the longest continuously family-owned and operated winery in the country, now owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family, with women leading the charge from grape to glass. The winery draws from certified sustainable estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to create an outstanding array of fine wines distributed in all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide. The Wente Family Estates portfolio includes an array of consumer brands, such as Wente Vineyards, Murrieta’s Well, Angels Ink, Ravel & Stitch, Hayes Ranch and more.
In 2010, Wente Family Estates joined the top 10% of California wineries that meet all three tiers within the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing codes and designation for both their estate vineyards and winery. In April 2022, the company won the Wine Institute’s California Green Medal Leader Award. This award is given to one winery each year and recognizing leadership in sustainable practices that span both its vineyards and winery as well as the estate’s socially responsible initiatives that benefit its employees and greater community.
Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards – Wente Family Estates’ flagship estate label – is recognized as one of California’s premier wine country destinations, featuring wine tasting, food and wine experiences, outdoor wine & music events, unparalleled wedding venues and The Course at Wente Vineyards, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Greg Norman.
For more information, visit wentevineyards.com.
