Ep 375: Phil Long of Longevity Wines -- Bringing Heart to CA's Livermore Valley

Winemaker/Founder Phil Long of Longevity Wines is a true Garagiste – he began his making wine in the garage with his late wife Debra in the mid-2000s. In 2008, the couple quit their full-time jobs and the couple opened their tasting room and winery in the Livermore Valley near their home. Livermore Valley is a sub-AVA of the Central Coast with a really unique climate (I lived in Pleasanton, the next town over, so I speak from experience!) – with cool nights and some San Francisco Bay influence bumping up against the heat from the east of the Central Valley. The wines were sourced using local fruit and Longevity grew from a few hundred, to a few thousand cases.  Map from the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association Phil is revered for his balanced wines from Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. His wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Debruvee (the GSM Rhone Style blend), and Philosophy (Bordeaux style blend). In 2018, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association voted Longevity Winery of the Year. With their artfully designed labels (done by Phil as a tribute to Debra), Longevity's wines are also a darling of Hollywood, with bottles being featured on tv shows and in movies. Phil is the President of the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV) and has been a key player in the discussion around the lack of diversity in the wine industry. We discuss his role as the spokesperson for the organization and the importance of making changes to improve the wine industry as a whole.  Phil is a down-to-earth, smart, and talented guy. Despite how big Longevity may be in the future with the Bronco partnership, I don't think that will ever change!  __________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors: Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople     Wine Access      Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.