In 1883, with no prior knowledge of wine, much less wine growing, Irish immigrant James Concannon decided to plant a vineyard in the Livermore Valley, south of San Francisco. Importing Cabernet vines from Bordeaux’s Château Margaux, plans called for making sacramental wines, something that would see the family operation through the lean years of prohibition.

Years later, in 1965, his grandson Jim collaborated with UC Davis in selecting cuttings from one of those vines for heat treatment. These dynamic, virus-resistant vines later became known as Concannon Cabernet Clones 7, 8 and 11 and played a major role in helping California Cabernet achieve international recognition. Today, it is estimated that 80% of California’s Cabernet Sauvignon is planted with the Concannon Clones.

Join us as we talk with John Concannon about the history of Concannon Vineyard, the Livermore region, and how they’ve managed to become the longest family-run winery in California.

For more info:

Concannon Vineyard: www.concannonvineyard.com/

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #409

(50:06 min 48.1 MB)