Long time lurker and rare if ever poster. My daughter and SIL just moved to the East Bay Area and are renting in Pleasonton for a year. Interested in the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Already on the list for Big Basin. Have read through Ken Zinn’s report last year on the Santa Cruz Mountain wine tasting. Would like to visit two to four wineries over 1-2 days… haven’t decided if we will stay down there for one or two nights or do day trips. In terms of our taste, my wife prefers Pinot above all else and Oregon over California although she enjoys Hartford and William Selyem. we also were members of the Inman Family club for a couple of years. My tastes are also for Oregon more than California Pinot but also really enjoy restrained cabs (Togni, Forman and Montelena from the early 90s would be good examples.) Also enjoy Syrah and the kids are more interested in whites. Looking for recommendations for 3-4 wineries to visit over a couple of days the last weekend in September.
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Silver Mountain Vineyard have tasting rooms in the same complex in Santa Cruz. Both make excellent Pinots and SCMV has a wide range of wines for all tastes.
Sandar & Hem - I bought a boatload from them this Berserker Day, including a couple of magnums in the auction, but have only opened one thus far - need to fix this!
I’m a huge fan of Santa Cruz Mountain wines. All the recommendations so far are excellent.
There are so many more that are somewhat or very under the radar.
non-commercial post: My friend Barry Jackson owns Equinox; we did business together for a long time but not for almost a decade. If you don’t mind bubbles in your Pinot Noir, he makes both a Blanc de Noir and a Rose from Santa Cruz Mountain fruit.
Alfaro has a plethora of SCM Pinot Noirs, many from Estate fruit. They also have a wide range of Chardonnays, ranging from great values to some great wines.
If Alfaro is under the radar, Bargetto is close to invisible. The are (in)famous for Chaucer’s Mead, which seems to exclude them from consideration for the real wines they make, which also include a wide range of SCM Pinot Noirs.
Woodside Vineyard has gotten some love from the board recently. I’ve never had their Pinot Noir, but their Cabernets are outstanding.
Thomas Fogarty seems to be better known for Chardonnay, although their Pinots, again a good range, have been on a steep upswing for quality.
Last but most, Mount Eden is one of the world’s very greatest wine producers, and that includes Pinot Noir.
Dan beat me to it, but I’d also recommend Mount Eden, if you could plan a weekday visit. They are normally closed on weekends. They produce world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet.
I will second the recommendations of Alfaro, Santa Cruz Mountain, Silver Mountain, Mount Eden and of course Ridge (though not really a PN producer). Not mentioned but highly recommend Windy Oaks. Make a day of the Corralitos area and hit up Alfaro and/or Storrs (also very good). Madson also has not been mentioned yet but have really impressed me. You can easily make a day of it visiting them, SCM, Silver Mountain and Equinox as they are all with in very short walking distance. Birichino is worth a visit for an en eclectic set of wines including several pinots. Their tasting room is a few blocks walk to Big Basin’s tasting room. Ridge and Mount Eden are on the Eastern side of the SCM and unfortunately one is only open during the week and the other only on weekends. If you do decide to hit up one of these Testa Rosa in Los Gatos is a nice option.
The last week of September should be hectic for SCM winemakers this year.
Sandar & Hem doesn’t have a tasting room, and it’s really one person, Rob, who could meet you somewhere, so that would be iffy at best. You can always ask. Just be understanding if he can’t or has to cancel.
Many wineries are long drives from others, so don’t take advice from the crows. You also might want to linger longer than you’d think.
Mount Eden has a spectacular view and great wines.
Ridge is iconic, but it will be mostly non-SCM wines. You can check their website or ask them what’s being poured.
Neely in Portola Valley just recently opened a tasting room and has excellent Chard and Pinot, as well as Gruner Veltliner.
Thomas Fogarty makes top notch Chard and Pinot and an excellent Nebbiolo. They also have the Lexington brand for Bordeaux varieties from their Gist Vyd in Los Gatos.
Testarosa is mostly Monterey fruit.
There are good groupings of wineries on the coast side, so staying in the Santa Cruz area would be fun. On top of some already mentioned, Lester Vineyard in Corralitos, as well as Alfaro/Cottage Farm and Windy Oaks. Sante Arcangeli and Madson are both making excellent Chard, Pinot, Syrah. Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, in addition to their SCM wines, has their Quinta Cruz label for Spanish and Portuguese varieties. They’re in the Surf City complex, with other wineries in there or walking distance, as well as a bakery, brewery, etc.
Went to Mount Eden about a year and a half ago and really loved the visit. Very, very impressive wines. I like their Cabernet the best, but all their wines were excellent including their Wolff Chardonnay that is under $25 a bottle.
Thanks again everyone. We have booked Mount Eden and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards for Friday afternoon. Stay in Santa Cruz Friday night and then go to Alfaro early Saturday afternoon before heading back to Pleasanton.
Yes, “driveway” is more of an aspiration than a reality for the road from the mailbox to the winery at Mt. Eden, for example. Long and slow, but well worth it.
For Ridge Monte Bello Tasting room, use following link:
For some reason this link is not searchable on their site, but live and managed, you just have to bookmark it. I got it from the QR code that locate in the tasting room (Hence explained why I cannot provide the Lytton Springs TR link)