Food, Wine and Literary History: The Wonderful Tri-Valley Region of California

A historic home once lived in by one of the world’s greatest writers. Fabulous food. Great, local wines. And wonderful, walkable downtowns.

The Tri-Valley region of California is not only easy to enjoy, but easy to get to. The valley is roughly a 45-minute drive from downtown San Francisco, and easily reached on the Bay Area Rapid Transit System.

It’s not an area that gets a ton of publicity, but that’s what makes it so much fun to explore.

I grew up about 10 minutes from the area, and a post at the daily Tri-Valley Herald was my first newspaper job back in 1979. I worked there for nearly two years before moving to Toronto to marry a Canadian, so I know the area well. That is, I thought I did. But things have changed a wee bit in the 41 years I’ve been gone, and I found a ton of surprises and delightful spots to enjoy.

Maybe the biggest surprise was the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site in Danville. In fairness, I didn’t cover the Danville area during my newspaper days in the region, but I was still a little shocked to discover that one of the world’s greatest writers lived high in a pretty home high in the Danville hills for seven years.

The site is a tremendous place to visit, with spectacular views of Mt. Diablo, which commands the eastern side of the valley and rises to 3,849 feet (1,173 meters). On a clear day you can see California’s snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains from the summit.

O’Neill’s home was built to give him and his guests wonderful views of the mountain. His study had a window looking directly east at the valley and the summit, and he had another work room with a window that perfectly frames the view. It would be hard not to be inspired by the beauty, especially back in the time when O’Neill lived here (1937 to 1944) and the places that are now bustling cities were mere hamlets. Indeed, he wrote two of his best-known works, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and “The Iceman Cometh” in his hilltop retreat. All told, America’s most famous playwright won four Pulitzer Prizes, and also the Nobel Prize for literature.

You can get a free tour of his home from U.S. National Parks workers. You can get a free tour of his home from U.S. National Park Service Rangers. Would-be visitors can park for free in downtown Danville, just outside the town museum, and get a short, free ride up to the site in the free NPS shuttle. Advance reservations are required for most visits.

O’Neill’s home is good-sized but relatively unassuming. This isn’t William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon, and there’s no moat or castle-like towers.

There is a large garden out front, and a swimming pool down the hill from the main house. There’s also a small out building in a corner of the garden, one that our guide said O’Neill’s wife, Carlotta, used to store her 18-odd Louis Vuitton travel trunks.

The property has a lovely old barn where they sometimes perform some of O’Neill’s works. You’ll also find a gravesite for the O’Neill family’s beloved Dalmation, Blemie.

O’Neill practically worshiped Blemie, who our guide, Tory, told us had his own bed in the basement and his own tub for bathing.

Near the end of the tour I spot a last will written by O’Neill for Blemie, in which he talks lovingly about Dalmatians, being “devout Mohammedans” who he hopes will have a happy afterlife chasing “not too fast” rabbits.

There are several Asian/Chinese touches around the house and in the garden. O’Neill and Carlotta called their home “Tao,” or “Dao,” which Tory tells us roughly means “The Way.”

He had them stay in a guest room off to one side of the house, but O’Neill would sometimes entertain visitors, including the likes of Lillian Gish, John Ford and Ingrid Bergman.

Even if you’re not a big O’Neill fan, the surroundings alone are worth the trip. The drive takes you past beautiful homes on a steep, winding street, and the west side of the site backs onto Las Trampas Regional Wilderness Park, with beautiful rolling hills.

Tory tells us the area is home to deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, and even a mountain lion.

After our tour I walk out to the barn and then visit Blemie’s grave. There’s a fenced-off area with cows lazily munching under the cover of California oaks and sweet-smelling eucalyptus trees. Small, dark squirrels scurry through the underbrush on a bright, clear, autumn day and large, black hawks circle in the blue sky as they ride invisible currents of air. Off to the north, I can make out a small section of Suisun Bay, the eastern arm of San Francisco Bay.

Our tour finished, we take the free shuttle back to town, listening to some of O’Neill’s favourite tunes along the way. We stop for lunch on a beautiful, sunny November afternoon and dine on the patio at Danville Harvest, a “farm to table” spot in the heart of the historic downtown.

They make a very good fried chicken sandwich and a truly exceptional “Farmer’s Super Food Salad,” with beets, fresh, juicy blackberries, strawberries, red and yellow beets, crisp lettuce, crunchy seeds, and an acai vinaigrette. They also serve up seasonal craft cocktails and sport what they say is the largest whiskey selection in the Tri-Valley Area.

I didn’t have time to try it, but when I parked at the museum I spotted the Iron Horse Trail, an old rail line that’s now a cycling/walking trail. It goes all the way from Livermore to the city of Concord, a distance of 32 miles (51.5 kilometres).

Just south of Danville is San Ramon, a bedroom community that also has a fun, old-time restaurant called The Brass Door. It’s been around since 1955 and offers up very good and super-friendly service. It’s probably best known for its prime rib, which is cooked perfectly and used in their tremendous, juicy French dip sandwiches. Try a side of fried zucchini and a bottle of local wine. The calamari steak is also terrific.

The wines of the Tri-Valley have been winning awards for more than a century.

Three wine-growers, Carl Wente, Charles Wetmore and James Concannon, began growing grapes here in the late 1800s. Wetmore’s vineyard, called Cresta Blanca, won the Grande Prix at the Paris International Exposition in 1889 out of 17,000 entries. It’s astonishing, as the famed Napa Valley, roughly 90 minutes to the north, would not be recognized by French judges until almost a hundred years later at the Paris Tasting in 1976.

Wente Brothers, which has two tasting rooms in Livermore, is the oldest, continuously run family winery in all of the United States.

There are 55 wineries in the valley all told, most of them tucked up against the low hills of South Livermore. Many of them, including Wente Brothers Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, can be found on the shelves at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. I’ve also spotted Concannon wines in Ontario.

Wente Brothers has a private event going the day we tour the valley but we stopped in at Darcie Kent for a fine tour with regional sales manager Jerrod Martinez.

We sample wines from their main label, as well as their more casual second label, Almost Famous. Martinez explains that Almost Famous wines tend to have a bit more residual sugar. Their Pistachio Lane Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and delicious; maybe the closest to a New Zealand/Marlborough style than any I’ve tasted from California.

We also sample a series of their main label reds, which are rich and powerful. The Petite Sirah is more California fruit bomb, while the Cabernet Franc has more of a mineral, old-world taste and feels to me like a cross between California and France.  They also grow Pinot Noir and some lesser-known wine varieties, at least for California, including Gruner Veltliner.

Martinez explains how the big night-day (diurnal) temperature swings in the Livermore Valley make for exceptional wine-growing conditions.

“The daytime heat lets the sugars do their work, while the night cooling helps with acidity,” he says.

A former infantry assault officer in the U.S. Marine Forces Reserve, Martinez said he loves his wine job.

“In the Marines you’d get all dirty and then have to clean up with your uniform. Here you work in the dirt and then dress up for wine events at night.”

Darcie Kent is an artist and designs the beautiful labels, but leaves the wine-making to experts. You can see some of her artwork displayed in Bing’s Barn, an indoor tasting room. There’s also a lovely patio and a lawn for wine-tasting, with lovely views of the surrounding foothills.

Back in town, we stop for an outstanding coffee latte at Rosetta Roasting in downtown Livermore. It’s got a real community feel to it, and they offer up used paperbacks for 50 cents and hardbacks for a buck.  There are fine-looking wood floors and an old fridge on display. If you feel like a little extra in your coffee, they offer “fortified” java for adults with whiskey or other additives.

Monica’s is a wildly popular Livermore restaurant that’s packed for breakfast or lunch. They also have a nice, covered patio with space heaters, should the need arise. We order the Big @$$ salad, which is  stacked with a crispy tortilla, black beans, chicken, avocado lettuce, cheese and more. They also make a good patty melt, which you don’t see a lot in Canada. It’s a burger with cheese and grilled onions that’s traditionally served on toasted rye bread. At Monica’s they use Swiss cheese and add thousand island dressing, which you can skip if you wish.

Pleasanton is just a few minutes west of Livermore, and features a beautiful, eminently walkable downtown with independent boutiques and restaurants. We visited too early in the morning to check out the shops, but we had a terrific coffee latte at Inklings, which feels like a cool San Francisco or New York coffeehouse.

Just north of Pleasanton is Dublin, which has a tremendous multicultural dining scene. We stop in at a local spot called Burma Burma for Myanmar/Burmese food. It’s packed with diners mid-week, always a good sign, and they’re very busy with take out orders, but our server has plenty of time to explain the options.

We settle on fine lettuce wraps with chopped veggies, curried chicken and a very nice Burmese-style Pad Thai which has lovely, large, juicy shrimp. Our server explains that it’s similar to Pad Thai in Thailand, but not as sweet.

WHERE TO STAY: The AC Hotel by Marriott in Pleasanton offers a perfect Tri-Valley location, close to both Highways 580 and 680 and only a short drive to Danville or Livermore. Rooms are bright and modern, and you’re just steps from Stoneridge Mall and from the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. Our room had a separate bedroom, a huge bathroom and nice work space.

WHAT TO DO: The San Francisco Premium Outlets are just off Highway 580 in Livermore. You’ll find great shopping and terrific prices at stores such as Banana Republic, Gucci, Chico’s, Kate Spade and more. Danville has lovely, independent shops such as Whim House (home décor items, cocktail gear and more) and Cottage Antiques.