Wente Family Estates: Shaping the Story of California Wines
Since 1883, Wente Family Estates has helped shape the story of California wines. From planting one of Livermore Valley’s first commercial vineyards to popularizing one of the state’s signature varietals, the family has spent more than 140 years looking to the future while building on its history.
Blazing a trail in the Livermore Valley
Wente Family Estates is California’s oldest continuously operated family-run winery. Founded in 1883, when C.H. Wente planted a 47-acre vineyard in the Livermore Valley, the winery has never been content to rest on its laurels. In fact, the opposite is true. The Wentes are widely considered trailblazers. They’re always ahead of the trends – if not setting them. Wente was among the first California wineries to adopt varietal labeling, sustainable winemaking and even agritourism.
Before setting out on his own, C.H. Wente learned the art of winemaking from industry icon Charles Krug!
The Wente clone and the rise of California Chardonnay
Wente is best known for Chardonnay – which makes perfect sense considering that the family helped popularize the varietal. In 1912, C.H. Wente’s son Ernest imported Chardonnay cuttings from France, just a few years before Prohibition brought California’s wine industry to its knees in 1919.
Unlike many wineries, Wente remained in business during Prohibition by producing sacramental wine, allowing the family to refine their Chardonnay vines through selective breeding and trials. The result became known as the “Wente clone.”
When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Wente was poised to play a pivotal role in revitalizing California’s wine industry.
When the dust from Prohibition settled, Wente was left with one of only two remaining commercially viable Chardonnay vineyards. Today, 70% of California’s Chardonnay grapevines trace back to that original Wente clone.
How UC Davis fueled the rise of the Wente clone
While some early Chardonnay growers used direct cuttings from Wente’s vineyard, UC Davis ultimately drove the grape’s massive explosion in popularity. Before the 1960s, California winemakers largely overlooked Chardonnay in favor of sweeter grapes and “jug wines”. That all changed in 1963, when the Wente clone caught the attention of researchers at UC Davis. They heat-treated budwood from the Wente Chardonnay clone to eliminate grapevine viruses, creating clean, disease-free source material. Although the vines produced lower yields, the grapes were prized for their flavor and concentration, and growers throughout the state steadily adopted the grape. When a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the Judgment of Paris in 1973, the grape’s popularity skyrocketed. Today, Chardonnay is California’s most popular wine – and most widely planted winegrape!
You’ve heard of the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”? In the wine world, it’s more like “Three Degrees of Wente Vineyards”. Need proof? The award-winning 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was made with grapes from the Bacigalupi Vineyards. That particular vineyard was planted in 1964 using Chardonnay cuttings from – you guessed it – Wente vineyards.
Ahead of the label
The Wente family’s trailblazing tendencies have always extended beyond the vineyard. In the 1930s, the winery adopted varietal labeling, listing the grape variety – Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, for example – prominently on the wine label.
Today, California winemakers have widely adopted the practice. At the time, it was a novel approach meant to help consumers understand what was in their glass. In retrospect, it’s another example of how Wente has consistently set trends that influenced the trajectory of California’s wine industry.
Variety (and varietal) is the spice of life
While the majority of Wente’s vineyards are still located in Livermore Valley, the family eventually expanded its reach. In 1962, the Wente family planted winegrapes in Monterey. Once again, they found themselves ahead of the trend, becoming one of the first four families to establish vineyards in the region.
Today, Wente farms approximately 2,000 acres in Livermore and another 1,000 acres near Monterey. Niki Wente, fifth-generation wine grower and director of vineyard operations for Wente Family Vineyards, explains, “We grow about 20 different varietals across our two AVAs. We started in Livermore in 1883, and we moved down to Monterey in 1962.”
The two very different regions allow Wente to grow a wide range of winegrapes, including varieties that pay homage to the family’s European roots. Niki admits, “We wanted to grow some Gewürztraminer to bring us back to our German heritage and some Rieslings. It’s the perfect climate for that.”
Cresta Blanca: Honoring the history of the estate
Named for the Livermore estate where Wente’s tasting room is located, the Cresta Blanca label pays tribute to the winery Charles Wetmore founded in 1882.
Wetmore is widely considered “the father of California winemaking,” and Cresta Blanca holds an important place in the state’s wine history. In 1889, Wetmore’s Sauterne, made primarily with Sauvignon Blanc grapes, won the Grand Prix at the Paris Exposition, making it the first California wine to earn international distinction.
The winery’s success came to an end during Prohibition, and Cresta Blanca never regained its former prominence. In 1965, the Wente family purchased the estate and label, then waited patiently for the right moment to bring the historic brand back to life.
Today, the newly revived Cresta Blanca label boasts three terroir-driven wines – Chardonnay, sparkling Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Niki notes, “There is nothing more authentic than this Cresta Blanca brand, this estate and the history that comes with that brand. We are really excited to relaunch that. The wines are fantastic. They’re very much terroir-driven, so you’re gonna get a lot of minerality, a lot of beauty from that true essence of the fruit.”
Witnessing the making of a wine region
Wente Family Estates is one of over 40 Livermore Valley wineries. Niki notes that the area’s soil and Mediterranean climate make it an ideal place to grow winegrapes. “We have amazing soil. Most of Livermore is super deep gravel beds or Pacific (or Pleasanton) loam. Those two types of soils are great for Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, all of the really popular varietals. So, when you tag that in with our Mediterranean-style climate and large diurnal swing, it just makes a perfect climate for growing grapes.”
Sustainability
Even after over 140 years of winemaking, Wente continues to adapt and evolve. The family is always looking for ways to conserve natural resources and protect the land for generations to come. “It’s been very close to our hearts to be able to pass this business down to the next generation. When you’re on your fifth generation, you really hope you can get to your 10th generation,” Niki admits. “We are certified sustainable with the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, and we have been certified since they released the certification.”
One tenet of sustainability is continual improvement, and the Wente family is currently prioritizing renewable energy, water conservation, and regenerative farming practices. The family recently invested in solar energy at the winery and pump stations and plans to install an additional array at their tasting room later this year. Water conservation is a consideration for every California farmer, so it’s no surprise that Wente embraces technologies that help manage water usage in the vineyard and winery. In the vineyard, the farm team leans into carbon farming, using no-till practices and planting cover crops tailored to specific soil types.
Pioneering agritourism
Wine tasting is arguably the most popular form of agritourism, and Wente boasts the state’s first dedicated wine tasting room. Niki states, “I really credit our fourth generation, my dad and his siblings, with bringing agritourism to our business, because that wasn’t really something that was done before them.” The Wentes were once again ahead of their time, transforming a simple visit to their winery and tasting room into an experience. Niki elaborates, “My Aunt Carolyn actually opened a restaurant, opened our tasting room, and started concerts on our lawn here at this estate. My dad opened an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course, so you can go straight from your tasting to play golf. They really focused on wine, music, activity, and how we could all bring that together.”
Niki views these different activities and events as tools to showcase the agricultural side of the business. “Wine is a natural product,” she states. “It’s something that comes from hardworking farmers that are putting their craft into something really beautiful.” While she encourages people to visit any winery, she admits that a visit to Wente is particularly special. “I would say any visit to any winery is important because we’re out here working on this beautiful art form, and we want to share it with the world. I think what makes us different is that we have this history. We feel like storytellers. We preserve history in California, and when you come to our tasting room, that’s what we’re talking about.”
Planning your trip to Wente Family Estates? We’ve got some inspo for your itinerary…
Women in Ag: Niki Wente
At Wente Family Vineyards, women are entrenched in every level of the operation. So much so that Niki Wente didn’t realize how unusual this was until she enrolled in her first college-level viticulture class. She recalls, “I looked around, and there were maybe five girls and the rest were men.” Shaking her head, she continues, “I was always given this perception that women are in ag – we had a female viticulturist. No one told me it was bizarre for a female to be working in vineyards.”
Niki notes that while the number of women in winemaking is gradually increasing, it’s still incredibly important to celebrate women in all aspects of winemaking.
She explains, “I don’t want people to think that ‘it’s a male-dominated industry, so I might as well pick something else’. The more we show that there are women working in this industry, I think that’s gonna reach young people, young professionals, to show that they can do anything they want. I want more little girls to feel that way.”
Article by Hilary Rance. Photography by James Collier and Alycia Moreno.