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Shop › Concannon Vineyard
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 Fifteen years after arriving on American soil, Concannon had become a well known and successful wine grower in Northern California. His reputation came to the attention of Porfirio Diaz, dictator of Mexico in the 1880's, who was convinced that viticulture would thrive in Mexico's climate and soil. Ever ready for a new opportunity, James brought his brother from Ireland to run the California vineyard in order to pursue the venture in Mexico. Concannon transported more than a million cuttings in boxcars over the next few years, but the enterprise came to an abrupt end with the Mexican revolution and the overthrow of Diaz. James Concannon's sons entered their father's wine business in 1910, the year before he died. They replaced the original vines, which had been lost to phylloxera, increased the acreage, and planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Johannesburg Riesling, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. After surviving Prohibition and the Great Depression, direction of Concannon Vineyard passed to another generation, with grandson Joe overseeing the vineyards and grandson Jim heading up the winemaking. In 1964, Concannon released the industry's first varietal Petite Sirah, from the 1961 vintage, and that variety went on to garner numerous awards and become the brand's best known wine. Joe passed away in 1978, and two years later, the Concannon family sold the estate. In 1992, after Concannon had passed through a number of corporate hands, Eric Wente of nearby Wente Vineyards assembled a group of eight investors to buy the property and restore its traditional Livermore Valley focus. Concannon Vineyard is a separate company from Wente Vineyards, running its own operations with distinct vineyards and winemaking facilities. Maintaining the historical link, Jim Concannon has continued marketing the wines with the new partners. Winemaker and general manager Tom Lane signed on with the new team for his first harvest in 1992, and year by year has been recognized for crafting full-flavored, complex wines, winning awards along the way. Since Concannon long ago achieved recognition for its Petite Sirah, a move into Rhône varieties was a natural extension. Lane spent time in the Rhône region in France for research and inspiration in developing the Concannon Vineyard style for Syrah, Viognier and the other Rhône grapes and blends. More than a century of history is tied together by the land itself, the vineyard. Concannon's operations are run from James Concannon's original home, steps from the winery. The property is located in the gravely soil at the southeast end of the Livermore Valley, east of the San Francisco Bay. As the only east-west valley in the region, it is fortunate to have warm, sunny days coupled with cool, breezy evenings, a climate known for producing grapes with a natural balance of sugar and acid. Concannon farms 200 acres of its own grapes, with contracts on another 150, and produces 85,000 cases of wine annually. With recent replantings now bearing fruit, the proportion of estate-grown grapes is steadily rising. |
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All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.