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David and Darcie Kent are back for a second stint at the historic Concannon Winery.
Together with Lemmons Family Vineyards, the Kents have purchased Concannon from The Wine Group. Kent earlier ran The Wine Group for 12 years. It’s known for drinkable modestly priced brands like Cupcake. Concannon and Wente Vineyards were both established in 1883. It was founded in 1883 by James Concannon who brought cuttings from France including famed estates. His grandson, Jim, was an active member of the winery team until recent years.
Kent and The Wine Group bought Concannon in 2004 from a partnership that included members of the Wente Family who saved the brand when it was being discarded by an international spirits company. Concannon was the premier brand as it moved further up the market.
The Kents lived on their own vineyard on Crane Ridge (across from the Poppy Ridge Golf Course) and David commuted to the San Francisco office by BART. After the acquisition, with most of the executives living in the East Bay, they relocated the offices to Concannon site and built a 60,000-square-foot processing/bottling center. I remember Kent telling me it was always harvest season somewhere in the world (great wines come from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in the Southern Hemisphere. Containers would bring huge bladders of wine that would be bottled and moved to warehouses. Those trailers you see on the property are loaded with glass and will leave with full cases.
Darcie Kent Vineyards have their headquarters on Tesla Road. David Kent also operates Almost Famous Wine Co. and plans to move it to Concannon. His vision for the processing site is to provide space for mid-sized wineries to process and store their wine. When the University of California Davis examined the Livermore wine industry, it found most wineries were at 1,500 cases and what’s needed for a robust wine region is more mid-sized wineries at 5,000-10,000 cases.
In addition to the processing center and tasting room, the Lemmons and Kents also will be planting grapes that return to the area’s traditional strengths. Concannon made its reputation by being the first winery to bottle Petit Sirah as a varietal as well as its Cabernet Sauvignon clone that is used in about 75% of California plantings.
He believes Sauvignon Blanc is ideally suited to some parcels while others are idea for Cab Franc. They planted a block of Sauvignon Blanc in a clone that is aromatic and less grassy thus similar to the famous New Zealand Marlborough wines. They’ve planted a block on the neighboring Triska vineyards and the most recent release won double golf. They also have a block of Pinot Noir growing there and Kent believes there are sites (the Kalthoff vineyards across from Ruby Hill as well as Ruby Hill blocks because they get about an hour less of afternoon heat because of the hills.
Wednesday night the Kents joined others for the Cab Franc Guild’s tasting of 12 wineries Cab Franc in the Bankhead Theater lobby.
Former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Pat McAfee show described why he takes notes on yellow pad during game planning. He wants to hear it, say it and then write it. That’s the best way to remember something, writing it out by hand — research has shown as well as my personal experience. During my years at Cal decades ago, that process worked great for me. Rogers and members of the exceptional 2003 team coached by Jeff Tedford (that defeated USC in an epic overtime night game that we watched from the stands) were honored at exceptional Big Game. Rodgers spoke to the Cal team Friday night.
The thrilling finish with two fourth down conversions continued a streak of five last-play game deciders starting in 1972 that happened to take place on my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. It was The Play 10 years later and I am blessed to have witnessed them all in person until Saturday.
The Weekly reported that Las Positas College dedicated its new processing center at Campus Hill Vineyards. I have followed David Everett and his winery program since the vineyard was planted years ago and I helped arrange media coverage of it. The full winery capability will enhance the college’s partnership with local wineries, although it was jarring to see a bunch of administrators “suited up” to dedicate a winery. The occasion was better suited for blue jeans.
