 from central San Francisco – San José might well be America's most underrated leisure destination as well. Spare a few days for this oft-overlooked gem on your next visit to the west coast, and you'll be rewarded with an arty, vibrant city that's bursting with food, wine and culture galore. So, let's start with the wine. Most people think of Napa Valley and Sonoma when it comes to Californian vineyards, but the longest continuously family-owned and operated winery in the US is, in fact, located in the Livermore Valley, just 30 minutes north-east of San José by car. Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards ( wentevineyards.com ) is now run by the family's fourth and fifth generations, with a commitment to low-input farming and sustainable agriculture. 'Livermore is a small American Viticultural Area and we are a tight-knit community, but you don't have to be a wine expert to enjoy drinking here,' explains Niki Wente, the director of vineyard operations. As the largest winery in Livermore, Wente makes dozens of wines suitable for every palate, including limited-release bottles that you can only find in the tasting room. It's also the only vineyard in the country with a championship golf course, designed by Greg Norman. Bigger (and slightly better known) is the Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area, just south of San José, where wineries such as Ridge, Mount Eden and House Family vineyards produce exceptional Old World-style pinot noi){kind=link}
Misunderstood San Jose is one of California’s hidden treasures, with great wineries and a thriving food scene
The largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area – and briefly California’s state capital in the mid-19th century – today, San Jose is best known as the capital of Silicon Valley, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of tech innovation and expertise. It’s no surprise, then, that the city has one of the highest average household incomes in the US, too.
But it’s not all about business. With a sunny, Mediterranean-esque climate and a diverse community – and sitting just half an hour’s drive (or an hour by train) from central San Francisco – San Jose might well be America’s most underrated leisure destination as well. Spare a few days for this oft-overlooked gem on your next visit to the west coast, and you’ll be rewarded with an arty, vibrant city that’s bursting with food, wine and culture galore.
So, let’s start with the wine. Most people think of Napa Valley and Sonoma when it comes to Californian vineyards, but the longest continuously family-owned and operated winery in the US is, in fact, located in the Livermore Valley, just 30 minutes north-east of San Jose by car. Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards (wentevineyards.com) is now run by the family’s fourth and fifth generations, with a commitment to low-input farming and sustainable agriculture.
“Livermore is a small American Viticultural Area and we are a tight-knit community, but you don’t have to be a wine expert to enjoy drinking here,” explains Niki Wente, the director of vineyard operations. As the largest winery in Livermore, Wente makes dozens of wines suitable for every palate, including limited-release bottles that you can only find in the tasting room. It’s also the only vineyard in the country with a championship golf course, designed by Greg Norman.