Lamorinda Winemakers Celebrate 10-Years On Wine Map

LAMORINDA, CA — Most East Bay commuters pass Lamorinda’s vineyards without ever seeing them — tiny rows of grapes hidden behind fences, tucked into hillsides and planted beside suburban homes.

This weekend, the winemakers behind one of California’s smallest and least conventional wine regions are stepping out from those backyards to celebrate a decade of the Lamorinda AVA with tastings, storytelling and wines grown only minutes away from BART stations and cul-de-sacs.

Ten years after California’s smallest and least conventional wine regions was recognized as an American Viticultural Area, winemakers from Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda are stepping out to celebrate with tastings, storytelling and wines grown only minutes away from BART stations and cul-de-sacs.

Lamorinda belongs to another, wider, Centra Coast AVA.

The 250 mile-long Central Coast AVA reaches from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay Area in the north and includes parts of Contra Costa. Yet, for all of its length, the AVA is only an average of 25 miles wide.

The Lamorinda AVA Celebration is Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m. at Local Vines in downtown Lafayette.

Organizers from Local Vines said the event will be pouring wines from the region alongside food available for purchase from Maine Lobster.

The Lamorinda AVA became an officially recognized wine region in 2016. But the area’s wine history stretches back much further.

Wine grapes were planted in the region as early as the 1880s before suburban development replaced much of the original agricultural landscape, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The region now contains roughly 100 vineyards spread across only about 120 acres, making it one of California’s most compact AVAs. Growers cultivate a surprising range of grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah and Merlot despite the limited acreage.

“Ten years calls for a toast,” organizers from Local Vines said in announcing the event. “Come celebrate a decade of exceptional winemaking from the hills right in your neighborhood.”

Local Vines. 393 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. 925-298-5109 or local-vines.com