![]() Yet Collin and Jeff are quick to point out that their winemaking philosophy is not about technique, it’s about fruit quality. Once recognized as a rising star by this publication, Collin continues to receive high praise and, according to Wine Enthusiast, "remains one of Livermore’s most promising young winemakers." Vintage after vintage, Collin’s wines receive top awards, high acclaim, and many 90-plus scores from the world’s top critics. He also saw potential in his son, Collin, who naturally gravitated toward the cellar as a gifted winemaker. Jeff first founded Nottingham Cellars because he saw tremendous untapped potential in Livermore Valley fruit. ![]() Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big.In the five short years that Diane and Jeff Cranor’s Nottingham Cellars has been crafting wine, its name has become synonymous with premier quality Livermore Valley wine. Down the sidewalk to our next winery!Ībout the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. With just enough time remaining in the afternoon for one more tasting, we purchased our wines and thanked Emma. Warm fruit with a nice level of spice, we agreed with Emma’s suggestion that this would be perfect with pulled pork. Joining our take home list was their 2015 H.P. a Mourvedre which was named after the owner of Sweeney’s opera house in Livermore. The 2014 Merlot was another hit, with moderate tannins and enough acid on the finish to handle pairing with beef. The 2014 Norm, a Grenache Rhone, was light and nuanced, with fruit across the roof of the mouth and a faint hint of tobacco on the finish. The 2015 Cuvee, a blend based on Cabernet Suavignon, was an immediate hit with us with its lingering elderberry and plum notes. Both wines were a delicious yearning for a warm summer’s day. The term Coco derives from the source grape’s heritage: Contracosta County. We started with their 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, a refreshing and crisp Bordeaux white and the 2016 Coco Blanc, a Marsanne, Roussanne and Muscat blend. Twice the tasting without drinking twice the wine. We adopted our typical “divide and conquer” strategy with each of us taking on a flight and sharing. The Vasco Ubano wines were all named after legendary characters from Livermore’s storied past. ![]() She explained that there were two tasting flights: the Appellation Flight of Bordeaux-style wines and the Vasco Urbano Flight of Rhone-style wines. We chose a spot at the main tasting bar and met wine guide Emma, who’s enthusiasm for the winery brightened our day before the first wine was poured. A nice evolution! Wine guide Emma holding court Now there are multiple tasting areas, including a large space in the back for groups and events. Over time, the wine production was moved to another unit and the tasting space expanded to fill the void. At first, the tasting room was a small part of the overall space, with most of the property used for making wine. We have visited Nottingham Cellars many times over the years. Chances are good that there’s even a food truck within a block on any given weekend. Quite a lot of good wine being poured in 100 yards! Park once and spend the rest of the day tasting. Nottingham Cellars is part of a strip center on Vasco Road that also hosts Occasio Winery, McKahn Family Cellars and Longevity Wines. We recently realized that our last visit to Nottingham Cellars was too far in the past. ![]() A goal that is well worth the dedication. ![]() Livermore has so many fun and growing wineries! Keeping up with them is a challenging and rewarding activity, requiring focus and stamina. ![]()
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