January 5, 2004

Well here in Sunol, we all survived the busy holiday season just fine. Now it's 2004, a time for hope, reflection, resolutions and new beginnings.

Little Valley Vineyards has just done just that...they have closed the doors to their business on Main Street and are looking forward to a new beginning at their new location at 3595 Little Valley Road off of Highway 84 in Sunol.

While training as a marathon runner, Sandi Bohner ran the county back roads of the valley and found this quaint little town called Sunol. Sandi who was then a Pleasanton resident, said she has "always loved Sunol" and soon after marrying Bill Webster in 1996, convinced Bill to leave his home in the Hayward hills and move to Sunol.

"We have really had a great deal of pleasure bringing people together in downtown and now we are looking forward to having them visit us on the other side of Sunol" said co-owner Bill Webster. Four years ago, with Sandi's initial experience in the wine business as event coordinator at Garre Vineyards and Winery, she and Bill embarked on a new journey seeking to bring a new kind of wine to the Livermore Valley. Little Valley Vineyards signature wine, Tempranillo, is what they like to call the "taste of Spain grown in California".

The Tempranillo wine grape is native to Northern Spain. A great light red wine, it is the worlds seventh most popular of wine grape varietel but not very well known in the United States. There are only about thirty wineries in the U.S. that offer Tempranillo wine and Little Valley was the first to grow and distribute their own in the valley.

Lucky guests of the Niles Canyon Railway's "Auld Lang Syne" train ride were recently served Little Valley Vineyards signature wine, Tempranillo, along with Chardonnay and their new California Raspberry Champagne on the weekend of Dec. 27-28.

Besides wine tasting, Little Valley Vineyards new location will offer a picnic area, a gift shop and musical events and will be open beginning January 10 every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment at other times by calling (925) 862-9006.

How could anyone passing through the busy intersection of Pleasanton-Sunol Road and Highway 84 not see those cute, whimsical wooden displays of art? Well, according to Dolores Reimer, owner of Sunol Corners, quite of few of you stopped by to purchase these one of a kind gifts this holiday season. During a recent visit with Dolores, she told me that there are actually six different artists who make the wooden pieces. One person makes the whirligigs, three people make the "swinging kids" and yard art, one person makes the picture frames and napkin holders and one person makes the absolutely beautiful, one of a kind, made-to-order, painted wooden mailboxes. You must stop by her shop to see these amazing works of art. Besides the wooden art, Dolores also sells metal art, horse-shoe art, gift baskets, floral arrangements, cards; snacks and soft drinks. Open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Dolores tells me her very popular cat Rusty, greets all the customers.

Happy New Year!