Recs for winery visits in Santa Cruz Mtns in March?

A small group of us will be visiting Ridge Monte Bello in March, and while we are in the area (for the first time), we’d like to visit some other wineries. Mount Eden is on my radar but I’m looking for other suggestions – wineries, tasting rooms, lunch spots, great views, hikes/walks of around an hour or less – in the Santa Cruz Mtns. Thanks.

Windy Oaks is a great Pinot producer in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I haven’t been to the winery, but they make beautiful wines. Can’t recommend them highly enough.

Rhys is the third I’d want to visit in the area. And I know a lot of people like Thomas Fogarty, but I don’t know their wines.

Try this topic for suggestions on specific wineries:

Or have a look at the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Assoc: www.scmwa.com

Depending on your time and the places to visit, you should have a look at Google Maps as it is pretty spread out geographically. For example, it will take you at least 90 minutes to get from Fogarty down to Windy Oaks.

Big Basin has a tasting room in Saratoga.

Note that SCM wineries can be relatively distant from each other. The mountain roads are curvy and narrow, and drive times can be deceiving. Also, these same roads, which are dicey on a clear head, can become treacherous after a tasting.

Thomas Fogerty is a good visit. Gorgeous place with amazing views, friendly walk in tasting room, good and diverse wines at fair prices.

Really, it’s a nicer and easier place to visit than Ridge, at least to the walk in visitor without some special “in.” (Visiting Ridge is pretty mid-level Napaish as far as the experience.) Fogarty doesn’t have wine geek plus value, though.

Thanks for the input.

For Ridge, I had to make an online reservation and there’s a $35/person fee (hopefully meaning we get to taste a few Monte Bello!).

I checked google maps, and it claims it’s a 45 min drive from Ridge to Mount Eden to Rhys. Sound about right?

I really enjoyed my visit to Ridge Monte Bello estate. It included a sit down tasting, chacuterie and a walk through the vineyards. My host was very knowledgeable and shared with me an insight into the community that I found very interesting.

The drive up the mountain is pretty challenging, luckily I had my own car.

The line up included one Monte Bello.

Orange wine? Carbonic Syrah? If you make an appointment and Nathan or Marshall are available, it can be quite geeky. Most of their customers aren’t wine geeks, so the tasting room is pretty straight forward.

It looks like google maps is taking you to/from Mt Eden’s mailbox on Stevens Canyon Rd. It’s been a long time since I’ve visited Mt Eden, but I recall a several mile long dirt driveway up to the winery. It could become quite rutted, and close to impassable in a normal passenger vehicle at certain times of the year. Now maybe Jeffrey and Ellie have paved a 2 lane road up to the winery and it’s not an issue, but if they haven’t, I’d allow an hour between Ridge and Mt Eden, and longer if the weather is bad.

Are you only tasting for one day? If so you will have a full day if you visit Ridge, Mount Eden, Rhys and Fogarty due to travel. In the village of Saratoga I would recommend Big Basin and Ser’s tasting rooms. If you have a second day to taste I would head over the mountains to visit Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Odonata, Exuinox, Storrs, Windy Oaks and Alfaro.

Edit to add comma

Driving around that area is much slower than it looks on a map. The road circling up to Ridge is pretty crazy - super steep, narrow and windy.

On a nice day, Ridge has a lovely picnic table area next to the tasting room.

This is good. We’ll limit our day to 3-4 wineries and hope for some nice weather.

I’ll report back with some notes!

and note you will need to make arrangements ahead of time at Rhys and Mt Eden as neither have traditional open tasting rooms…

BTW: Best view in the area is at Loma Prieta Winery off summit rd in los gatos. They specialize in Pinotage…

http://lomaprietawinery.com/

If you’ve never been to the area before then “Big Basin State Park” is highly recommended if you want to see 2,000 year old giant redwoods…

Big Basin Winery is near there but the winery tasting room is only open on Satursdays. Where as their Saratoga tasting room is open thu-sun.

Sean

What Tom said!

Second Big Basin

The upper end Ridge tasting is outstanding…includes a vineyard walk and a private room.

Folks have done a good job with the winery part of your question. Since you did ask about hikes/views etc. I would like to add:

Take a walk on the short loop in Henry Cowell State Park. Wonderful towering redwood giants.

Check out some of the beaches on the north coast near Davenport - Davenport beach, Davenport landing or my favorite, Scott Creek.

If your wine itch has not been scratched hard enough check out Soif downtown for a great selection by the glass. (Usually more old world focused.)

Many others places to check out but this is a good start.

Its two miles, first mile is paved, second mile is not. To reiterate your point, it is not a drive for those who don’t appreciate a harrowing adventure, or those with a car that is unable to handle the terrain.

But the wines: so incredibly good. [worship.gif]