Rios Lovell Estate Winery

Livermore Valley Winery and Tasting Room

The stone buildings on a knoll off Tesla Road grab your attention. What you don’t notice at first are fountains, gazebos, trees, lawns and charming European façades on buildings out back.

Owner Max Lovell, a former Oakland policeman, originally made his home in Livermore to be in the country, away from inmates and those he’d arrested. After receiving a head injury during a high-speed chase, Max could no longer carry a gun, so at 32 he retired to become a cabinetmaker. He bought Livermore acreage to develop housing, but the county said no.

With grapes gaining popularity in the early 1990s, Max and his former wife planted a vineyard and studied viticulture and winemaking at U.C. Davis. They found early financial success doing weddings and events. Max thinks big. He wants his deli to become a restaurant, is redoing his stone house into a B&B, and has plans for a concert hall.

And his wines win big, too. “We pick grapes by hand,” he says. “Only three tons an acre; only the good ones make good wine.” Many gold medals attest to his good wines.

Fascinating Fact:

A San Quentin prison guard at age 21, Max Rios served as bodyguard to Sirhan Sirhan for two weeks.

Amenities: Wine club, events center, deli
Founded: 1994
Signature Wines: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel
Wine Tasting: $5 tasting fee
Hours: Wednesday – Fri 11 – 3, Weekends 11 – 5

Rios Lovell Estate Winery
6500 Tesla Road
Livermore, CA, 94550
925-443-0434

info@rioslovellwinery.com
www.rios-lovellwinery.com

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Sandy Sims, an award winning journalist, newspaper editor, and travel writer, also writes fiction.
Thomas C. Wilmer is an award-winning author and travel writer. His latest book; Wine Seeker's Guide to Livermore Valley is available from White Cloud Press or Amazon.com.

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