Not many people realize that the Livermore Valley is the oldest wine producing region of California. Today there are dozens of wineries in the region, both small and large, and the wines are growing in quality each year. The area still has a long way to go to compete with the great wines from Napa or Sonoma, but the gap is narrowing.

The Wine Seeker’s Guide to Livermore Valley by Thomas C. Wilmer is a nice introduction to the area. It offers history, old photos, descriptions of several wineries, and even visitor information about the area. It’s the kind of book that will be referenced often if you live nearby because it will offer background information about each winery you might visit.

A minor weakness is that it can have a “produced by the chamber of commerce” feel. The author seems to think that every winery is great, run by wonderful people, with a good history, and they all care for the land. That part become tedious and, of course, undermines some credibility.

But this isn’t meant to be a review of the wines themselves; it’s an introduction to the region as a whole, and it does a good job of that. Definitely on the “read” list if you plan on visiting the area.