After learning the trade from Charles Krug, CH Wente founded his winery in 1883. He quickly learned that the warm days, cool nights, and gravelly soil of the Livermore Valley provided an ideal environment for winemaking. So, he purchased nearly fifty acres of land and planted vines. In 1918, Wente received support from his sons, Ernest and Herman. Herman would manage the vineyards, and Ernest would devote himself to winemaking. Ernest's only son, Karl, took over the business, and in 1977, it was taken over again by Karl's youngest son. This makes Wente the oldest winery continuously managed by the same family. Since then, the estate has grown to two thousand acres in the Livermore Valley and San Francisco Bay Area. The family business also manages another eight hundred acres in Arroyo Seco and Monterey.
From the very beginning, the winery has strived for quality, adhering to its philosophy: "American wines with a European character." This results in full-bodied, intense, and generous wines, yet with European elegance and finesse. This versatile red wine is named after one of the Livermore Valley's most prominent pioneers. Charles Wetmore, California's first agricultural commissioner, was known for planting vines from the finest Bordeaux châteaux. The descendants of the vines he brought from France thrive today in the gravelly loam soils.
The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and pumped twice a day. The Charles Wetmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is then aged for eighteen months in 40% new French oak barrels and 60% used French oak barrels. The nose reveals beautiful floral aromas with hints of tobacco. On the palate, this Wente Wetmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has ripe black cherries and dark plums with undertones of leather, coffee, and spice. Rich tannins ensure a smooth finish.
