Livermore Valley Winegrowers
Steven Kent Mirassou – Focused Vision for Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Steven, winemaker and owner of Steven Kent Winery, along with his wife Beth has had a focus for many years on raising the bar for Livermore Valley wines. He has for the last two decades focused on wanting Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to be on even par with Napa Valley. He has successfully launched his Lineage label achieving a score of 100 points and is considered one, if not the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced in Livermore Valley.
While he continues his quest with Cabernet Sauvignon, he has always had a spotlight on Cabernet Franc. More recently with his launch of L’Autre Côte and CabFranc-A-Palooza he has turned up the focus for Cabernet Franc. Not only for his winery, but on various boards of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers, he has established key marks for quality excellence for wineries. Today sixteen wineries are part of this group.
Steven feels that Cabernet Franc is “truly magical” due to the “purity of fruit, balance of acidity and overt sexiness”. His goal is to showcase these traits with different ageing vessels, vineyards and blending.
Cabernet Franc
Steven’s history with this grape goes back many years and more recently his laser focus on the varietal has been rewarding. For the last few years at the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition his record is unmatched. Here is just a partial listing of his recent awards against many of the best Cabernet Franc wines in the world:
2026
Photo ©Michael Kelly
In the California category $111 and up: Gold and Best of Category; California Overall Category – Best of Show by the Professional Judges for 2023 L’Autre Cote. They also won Grand Sweepstakes of the entire competition from the Professional Judges.
2025
Photo ©Michael Kelly
In the California category $100 and up: People’s Choice Judges – Double Gold Medal and Professional Judges – Double Gold Medal. Also, Best of Category and Best of Show for California by People’s Choice Judges for the 2022 L’Autre Cote.
Steven’s Cabernet Franc wines have always scored amongst the best year after year with wines coming from all over the state of California, the rest of the United States and against various countries. No small feat!
Photo from Steven Kent Winery
His L’Autre Cote is and will remain the flagship Cabernet Franc, but he is now working diligently to capture the mid and lower tier markets, introducing Cabernet Franc as the premier grape of choice for consumers. His Cab Franc Blanc and Rock labels by Steven Kent Winery have increased production exponentially, gathering momentum at the wine club and commercially at retail outlets like Costco. Having a dual approach DTC and a commercial outlet will allow him to continue to raise the bar for Steven Kent Winery and Livermore Valley.
Steven introduced his “Elements” line up a few years ago. Using the same grapes and exploring the effect of unique ageing methods in different vessels. Each are aged 12 months. They are called Rock, Cab Franc aged in concrete vats, Wood aged in barrel, Steel aged in stainless steel tanks and Elements a blend of the three wines. By using different methods, he allows each to provide key influences on the wine.
In addition to different vessel aging, he also has broadened his vineyard selection. Today, he offers a 2022 Cabernet Franc from the Santa Cruz Mountains, one from Ghielmetti Vineyard, and one from Sachau Vineyard both in Livermore Valley. He has worked with each vineyard for years and has a detailed and in depth understanding of the grape production from selected vines throughout the vineyards.
His 2023 L’Autre Cote besides being Cab Franc dominant, is striving for a Right Bank character of St Emilion with 10% Merlot and 5% being Cabernet Sauvignon.
Changes Coming
It was announced that Steven Kent Winery is moving back to the historic Home Ranch Vineyard on Tesla Road in the fall of 2026. They will have separate tasting room on the property where Shanti Winery is now located.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
In July sat down with Steven and Beth at their current facility on South Vasco Road and tasted some of the wines previously discussed. We also tasted one of the most exquisite wines, the 2004 Home Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2023 Premier. The 2023 Premier is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with 60% coming from Ghielmetti clone 30 and 40% Home Ranch clone 7. It was aged in 80% in new French oak for 24 months. This is truly a phenomenal wine with only 118 cases produced.
Concluding a two-hour discussion ranging from Livermore’s quest to be on the world stage with Cabernet Franc & Sauvignon Blanc as their “go to” wines of distinction, holding wineries accountable for quality, the wine industry market in general, attracting the next generations of wine drinkers, etc., the conversation could have lasted for many more hours! Between insights, laughter and serious dialogue we both had to call the meeting to end. Until our next discussion.
In the meantime, should you wish to acquire some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc wines, you know where to find them.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2024 Wood Family Vineyards “The Takeoff” – A Wine Name With Two Meanings
Background
Photo from Rhonda Wood
This is the second year of the red blend wine called “The Takeoff”. Since Rhonda Wood was a pilot and still likes to fly, I had always thought it was about her previous life as a former airline pilot for (US Airways). In a recent conversation with Rhonda, she declared this “Bordeaux style blend” with the majority being Cabernet Franc varietal, is about how Cabernet Franc is taking off in Livermore Valley as one of their two exceptional wines grown in the area. The other being Sauvignon Blanc.
Rhonda’s Cabernet Franc wines are truly taking off with various blends and two single varietal Cabernet Franc wines. At the 7th International Cabernet Franc Competition, her 2023 Cabernet Franc received Gold Medals from both sets of judges (Professional & People’s Choice) in the $41-$50 Category. Their 2023 Culmination Cabernet Franc also received a Gold Medal from the Professional Judges in the $71-$80 Category.
So yes her Cabernet Franc wines are indeed “taking off”!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This year the blend changed to incorporate four varieties of red grapes being 65% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels. The alcohol percentage came in at 13.7%. It will be released in August 22nd 2026 at their release party for $50/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Anticipated opening this second vintage of this wine as it combined four wines, three of which have made my Annual Best Wines previously. Also, this combination made a delicious Bordeaux style blend. On the eyes a medium dark crimson coloring with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose the four varietals coalesced to provide a range of aromas of blackberry, cherry and dark plum fruits along with violet and rose scents. On the palate, the Merlot seemed to have throttled back the “zip” of the Cabernet Franc. The smokiness, mellow pipe tobacco and leather components of the Cabernet Sauvignon were present. The smooth finish provided exceptionally rounded tannins with a hint of vanilla. An extremely structured, integrated smooth wine to be enjoyed with food.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This evening’s meal was filet mignon steak, seasoned and seared on the BBQ at 1500 degrees and then cooked to medium rare. Plated with freshly made compote of Blue cheese, butter and chives. Accompanied by sauteed asparagus and roasted & seasoned baby red potatoes. An excellent meal and this wine was hands down one of our favorites. Another wine to make the Best Wines Tasted in 2026!
The Winery
Photo L is Ronda and R is Harrison from Wood Family Vineyards
I wrote this comparison last year and thought it still interesting to state again. To draw a few comparisons between the winemaker and key traits of captaining a commercial plane:
Attention to details: The Captain knowing all aspects of flight planning, aircraft operation, documenting aircraft performance & maintenance, operational compliance, adhering to government standards & regulations, managing emergencies, coordination with mechanics, ground crew and air traffic control. Rhonda Wood: knowing the vineyards for pruning, shoot thinning, cluster thinning, water strategy & compliance, cover crop management, details to county, AVA and government regulations.
Awareness: The Captain understanding optimal aircraft performance and ability for various aircraft being flown. Rhonda Wood: Knowing when and what to do in the vineyard(s) from Brix checks, ordering supplies for the winery (yeast, So2, etc.), scheduling harvest with vineyard manager, soil nutrition, timing on picking, pressing, sending juice panels to ETS, punch down timing & frequency, selecting yeasts and additives (if necessary), tank temperatures. All of these functions for each and every varietal and winery blend.
Documentation: The Captain recording all aspects of aircraft operations, fuel, temperature, oil pressure, hydraulics, weather, turbulence, aircraft avoidance and airspace incidents, noting functions outside of prescribed government regulations, flight plans, etc. Rhonda Wood: pre-ordering bottles, labels and corks for upcoming harvest and bottling, testing during fermentation, compliance and documentation for ABC laws, tasting room notes, pairing & technical sheets, shipment compliancy, etc.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The above only scratches the surface of the broad characteristics of being a commercial airline captain and winemaker/owner. This may indeed be the reason she wins so many awards for her wines! In addition, self-confidence, humility, clear communication skills, desire to learn and most importantly, the ability to remain calm under pressure especially during “Take Off”!
Rhonda continues to fly about the western states in a private plane. She and husband Michael (with their two sons), have a winery in eastern Livermore. Rhonda started making wine in 1996. Besides sourcing wine grapes on their property, they have 17 specific vineyards which are manicured to their specifications throughout Livermore’s ideal climate.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly