The Inspired Intermedia digital book collection
Issue link: https://inspired.uberflip.com/i/1174560
167 Longevity Wines LIVERMORE VALLEY Started in 2004, Longevity Wines has a central theme that runs throughout the company: love. The most recognizable sign of this is the mosaic heart that appears on the wine label, but the symbol has a bigger meaning beyond its simple beauty. Started by husband and wife team Phil and Debra Long, the winery used the label as a reminder of how it all began. When Phil and Debra first started dating, he gave her an artisan glass heart for Valentine's Day. The tradition stuck and over the years, her collection grew to include stone hearts, heart planters—anything and everything heart-shaped. If you look at the label closely, you'll see the small heart shapes along with grape leaves, vines, and grape clusters. It's a perfect representation of the couple. The pair began making wine in their garage as a hobby while they both had full-time careers. But their true love was making wine together, and they knew that's where their future was. They soon acquired a wholesale-distributor license and launched the Longevity Wine Club, an online-based wine club featuring wines from different appellations in California each month. They were on the road every weekend for months, and the club grew. They realized the current licenses allowed them to make wine under the Longevity label in other wineries, which is precisely what they began to do. The new wines were integrated into the wine club, and so the brand was launched. In July of 2008, the couple opened their own location as the first urban-style winery in the Livermore Valley. With so much stacked against them—including a recession, a serious wine-barrel injury, and an unfortunate spot across the street from a sewage plant—Debra and Phil's passion endured. Set in an ideal growing region, they expanded the winery and moved to a new location where the new winery quickly gained a few neighbors. Four wineries moved into the FACING PAGE: Our Iconic Barn in the tasting area in our exclusive Barrel Room. TOP: Our staff awaits to welcome you (left to right) Shiena Avila, Tim Parsons, PressTon Boo Bear Long, Phil Long, Serra Smith, Phil Long Jr. and Susan Slater. Photographs by Phil Long LIVERMORE VALLEY