Although the Livermore Valley, located about 45 minutes from San Francisco in the East Bay region, boasts of being one of California’s oldest wine regions, I had not visited the area until just a few weeks ago, when a family wedding at Wente Vineyards just outside the town of Livermore drew us there for a weekend stay. Its rolling grassy hills look less wild than the forested mountains surrounding the Napa and Sonoma valleys, but it benefits, as those two regions do, from the cooling effects of the nearby water. Wedding festivities and our short stay prevented us from getting out and about to explore any of the several wineries in the area, meaning we’ll have to plan a separate trip expressly for that purpose in the future. Perhaps better known by the general population as the location of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the community is also home to iGATE, an incubator supporting small businesses engaged in green transportation and technology. Local guests we shared our table with at the reception also raved about the lively arts and culture atmosphere and appealing traditional downtown business districts of the several local towns, making this an appealing environment for all demographics. We found the Wente Vineyards property a lovely site for the wedding and reception. Wente, at 130 years, is the oldest continuously operating family-owned winery in California, with its fourth and fifth generations overseeing 3,000 acres of estate vineyards and the production of a host of wines. (See Eunice Fried’s June 2014 Wine & Spirits column on Wente for her take on them.) In addition, the estate offers an 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed championship golf course; an outdoor concert amphitheater; private dining and events space; and a selection of public dining venues . . .  and, of course, a couple of tasting rooms. The grounds boast towering palm, evergreen and oak trees surrounded by lush green lawns and deep borders of flowering shrubs and perennials. Offering full catering services (including the wedding cake), Wente made planning the celebration a cinch for the bride and groom, and we guests fully enjoyed the food, drinks and service on a beautiful and balmy May evening. If your travels take you to the Bay Area, consider a trip to the other wine region for a more relaxed wine tasting expedition. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor