My sister, a Bay Area resident, and I stopped by Concannon Vineyards for wine and nibbles one sunny Sunday afternoon. The experience was unexpectedly delightful, from the grounds to the service to the wine (apart from one not-so-great Sauvignon Blanc in my flight). Just when we thought it couldn't get any better - BAM! - an acoustic guitarist starts an Eric Clapton- and Counting Crows-heavy set. Next time I find myself in Livermore (the new Napa), I will pay Concannon a second visit...and God-willing, that guitarist will be there.
We wanted to taste wines along with a meal, and Concannon did not disappoint.Food and wines were delicious, and we had a great port wine afterwards. Nice warm weather allowed shaded outdoor dining which was very nice, with comfortable sitting areas. Walked the grounds, some nice gardens and views.Ah...could have stayed and drank wine all day!
My husband and I arrived at the winery on a Thursday right when it opened at 11a. The tasting was $10 and included 5 listed wines and then a bonus wine. We enjoyed the wines and bought a glass to enjoy outside. We sat in some comfy chairs outside, but apparently these seats are only for the wine bar and we were told the seats were reserved although there was no one around and tons of seats available. We felt unwelcome and were a little disappointed by the attitudes. I guess I would suggest not to buy your wine from the wine tasting counter but instead buy it from the wine bar if you want to sit in the comfy chairs!
Don't go on a pretty Saturday. This seems like a lovely place, and the wine was great, but it was just mobbed and that made the visit much less enjoyable than it would be otherwise be. I hope to get back on a quieter day. Still, we brought a picnic and enjoyed the lawn area.
... but everything is relative. What I like, you may not and visa versa. However, we spent a relaxing hour, sitting on very comfortable chairs and a divan, with impeccable service from a young lady, Katie (I think). We didn't love all the wines, but as said, that's just our opinion. We loved three of them enough to join the wine club. Concannon Vineyards is a must for anyone winetasting in Livermore. Along with Katie, the staff is so friendly and helpful, and made us feel so welcome. There are two tasting rooms which are both large and comfortable. You can buy food (tapas), but we weren't hungry. The benefits of the wine club make it worthwhile to join. Don't miss Concannon Vineyards; I guarantee you will be glad you did
My husband, aunt, uncle and I did the wine tasting here. Wine tasting was nothing special, but I didn't expect much at $15 a pop. What drew me to this place were the beautiful grounds. Your family can bring a picnic and spend all afternoon enjoying the atmosphere.
Concannon is a lovely winery. The setting is lovely and the service was excellent. Be sure to pay them a visit.
The wines are completely different than 10 years ago, if you have not been here for several years I would recommend you revisit this iconic Livermore Winery. The wines and the grounds have improved and improved and improved. The Underdog Winebar is beautiful and has a great patio for the summer (but the food quality needs some improvement of late). The Shakespeare theater in the summer is always EXCELLENT!
We stopped by on our drive from Yosemite to San Francisco. The beautiful winery is located 10-15 minutes off the freeway. The tasting room was very busy at 3:45 on a Sunday afternoon, but one of their employees spotted our group of 6 and opened a space for us at a second tasting bar. At $10 per person for the tasting fee was reasonable compared to Napa - they comp'd 4 of the tastings for us when we had one person join the wine club. We enjoy Petit Syrah, which is one of their specialties.
Was visiting SF and had to spend a day in Livermore. This is about 40 miles from SF so much much closer than what most people consider Cali wine country. Wife and I decided to visit a couple wineries in Livermore area (there are many to chose from). We are not wine experts and just wanted a laid back experience. We visited Concannon first and were extremely pleased with the experience. We did a tasting ($10 per person) and the lady helping us was very friendly. The wines were all very nice. After the tasing we had a light snack in the wine bar there and some more wine. We sat on the patio, the weather was perfect and the view of the surrounding hill was cool. The people in the wine bar area were also extremely nice folks. Overall I was well pleased with my experince at Concannon and would certainly recommend visiting there.