Two new 94-point wines join the historic Livermore Valley winery’s growing portfolio
June 29, 2026 (Livemore, CA) — Wente Family Vineyards, America’s longest continuously family-owned and operated winery, announces the release of two new wines – the inaugural 2025 Riva Ranch Sauvignon Blanc and the 2024 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir. The additions expand the winery’s growing portfolio while showcasing two distinct California growing regions that have long been part of the Wente family’s winemaking story.
The 2025 Riva Ranch Sauvignon Blanc (SRP: $24) introduces a new expression to Wente Family Vineyards’ signature Riva Ranch collection of Central Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Sourced from select vineyards in the Livermore Valley, where the Wente family has farmed for more than five generations, this Sauvignon Blanc reflects a legacy rooted in one of California’s earliest plantings of the variety. In the 1870s, French emigrant Louis Mel first introduced Sauvignon Blanc to the region – and to America – using cuttings from the famed Château d’Yquem, drawn to Livermore Valley’s gravelly soils and Bordeaux-like growing conditions.
An obscure grape at the time, Sauvignon Blanc was nearly relegated to obscurity during Prohibition, had the Wente family not taken pains to preserve it and eventually help their clonal plantings propagate throughout New Zealand, Australia, Chile, South Africa and beyond. The Wente family is therefore credited with saving domestic Sauvignon Blanc and facilitating its growth across the globe.
Today, the wine carries that heritage forward, offering a vibrant expression of its new world birthplace in the Livermore Valley with notes of vanilla and honeysuckle alongside flavors of pineapple and papaya, balanced by fresh citrus, minerality, and bright acidity.
The Riva Ranch collection is named for Wente Family Vineyards’ acclaimed Arroyo Seco vineyard in Monterey County, first planted by the family in the 1960s. Known for producing fruit-forward and beautifully balanced wines, the collection includes Riva Ranch Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling, with Sauvignon Blanc now joining the lineup as its newest addition.
Also joining the Wente portfolio is the inaugural 2024 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir (SRP: $45) marking the first wine from this appellation under the Wente Family Vineyards label. Sourced from the renowned Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, the wine captures the region’s signature complexity and cool climate terroir, with notes of spiced black plum, dried rose, sage, and tree bark with chewy tannins and an earthy forest floor finish.
“After more than 140 years of winemaking, we’re still driven by the same curiosity that has guided our family from the beginning,” said Aly Wente, Fifth Generation Winegrower and Chief Revenue Officer at Wente Family Vineyards. “The Riva Ranch Sauvignon Blanc celebrates a variety that has deep historical ties to our family while the new Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir reflects our endless pursuit to find different avenues to create exceptional California wine. Together, these wines embody the spirit of exploration that has defined our family for generations.”
Both wines recently earned 94-point ratings from The Tasting Panel, highlighting the quality and character of each release. The 2025 Riva Ranch Sauvignon Blanc and 2024 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir are available now through select retailers, restaurants, and direct from Wente Family Vineyards. To learn more, visit: https://wentevineyards.com/
About Wente Family Vineyards
Founded in 1883, Wente Family Vineyards has been celebrated for its industry-wide contributions to innovation as the oldest continuously operated, family-owned winery in the country. Now owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family, women lead the charge from grape to glass. The winery draws from certified sustainable estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to create an outstanding array of fine wines distributed in all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide.
In 2010, it joined the top 10% of California wineries that meet all three tiers within the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing codes and designation for both the estate vineyards and winery. In April 2022, the winery won the Wine Institute’s California Green Medal Leader Award. This award is given to one winery each year and recognizing leadership in sustainable practices that span both its vineyards and winery as well as Wente Family Vineyards’ socially responsible initiatives that benefit its employees and greater community.
Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Family Vineyards is recognized as one of California’s premier wine country destinations, featuring wine tasting, food and wine experiences, cave tours, outdoor wine & music events, unparalleled wedding venues and The Course at Wente Family Vineyards, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Greg Norman. For more information, visit wentevineyards.com.
