We are flying into San Jose next Tuesday and driving to in-laws in Fremont. Is there a convenient but good winery to visit kind of on the way that’s not a huge time killer. I was thinking Santa Cruz Mtns area?
J Lohr in San Jose, off 880 not far from airport. Paso and Monterrey wines. nice Petit Syrah.
Free unless you want signature series/reserves, drop in is oK
Ridge in Cupertino/Santa Cruz Mntn, south and about 30-40 min on a windy road, great stuff, Ridge estate, zins, Monte Bello cab/chard, some SVD’s.
Stuff in Livermore/Dublin: Wente Bros., Concannon
The best wineries are up in the mountains so I’ll skip them, the drive takes a while. In downtown Los Gatos in a beautiful spot is Testarossa.
In Saratoga downtown, again pretty, is the Big Basin tasting room. I am a big fan of their wines, pinot and syrah, but only with a few years age. They are next to other tasting rooms but I’ll skip them. There are wine bars all over the place.
Also, Coterie Cellars is in San Jose.
Left Bend’s tasting room is in Los Gatos (all SCM wines).
That strip in Saratoga has a bunch of tasting rooms and shops with tasting. Next to Big Basin’s is the Lexington Wine and Mindego Ridge shared tasting room. Lexington is Fogarty’s label for world class Bdx variety wines, Mindego Ridge is SCM Pinot and Chard made by Ehren Jordan from their estate north of the Alpine Vyd.
Ser and Silvertip share a tasting room. Ser is a small label of a Bonny Doon winemaker, making some good/interesting stuff like sparkling Nebbiolo.
Ruthe Roberts Wine Collective carries some small often eclectic labels. My friend’s Tessier label is probably there right now, and highly recommended.
Uncorked wine shop and tasting bar is there, too (haven’t been there) as is the Cinnabar tasting room.
That’s a lot of tasting opportunities plus some really good restaurants all within a couple blocks.
Out a ways in Saratoga is the rural Cooper-Garrod Winery.
Wes I didn’t know about any of those wineries on the downtown Saratoga strip of Hwy 9 except Cinnabar which I tried and is not for me. Sounds interesting.
I’ve never had an interesting visit to a wine bar.
As Wes said downtown saratoga is your best bet for easy access and great choices for food and dining… I really love Big Basin, Ser, and Silvertip. That and dozens of choices in Livermore Valley.
Tasting rooms are open till 7:00 PM on fridays and close at 5 other days… Generally Thu-Sunday
Sean
Ahh I just saw tuesday. Most the tasting rooms in Saratoga are closed tuesday but not all. Ridge is closed on tuesday unless you call ahead and book a tasting…
Testarossa in Los Gatos will be open though
Sean
George- I am surprised Soif (in Santa Cruz) did not fit the bill for you.
I’m a big Fan Of Lexington. However, remember that this will be Thanksgiving week and hours may vary.
That’s a restaurant with store not a wine bar. Unless it’s changed. I loved it for a while. Soif’s store had Rousseau premier crus a few years back for under 200, no corkage if you then brought it in to the attached restaurant. Last time I went, prices on wines like those had gone up but Quintarelli Ca Merlo for retail for dinner was great.
Now I basically BYO everywhere. On the weekends I’ll stick a bottle or two in the car just in case. So whether a restaurant in California has a good wine list (or attached store) is now irrelevant to me.
Soif is wayyyy too far for Prashant.
If you want to go to a winery, go out of your way (a bit backwards) and just go to Ridge.
Prashant, I am not sure what time you are traveling from San Jose to Fremont, but the trip up Highway 880 and 680 can be very slow between 3PM and 7PM during work days. I would consider coming back to Fremont after the evening commute if you are able to. Enjoy your visit!
Thanks,
Ed