When it comes to tasting great wine, we are quite spoiled in the Bay Area. With Napa Valley to the north, and the ever-burgeoning number of splendid wineries in the Central Coast region to the south, world-class weekend wine tasting destinations abound.
Yet, you don’t even need to use a full tank of gas to taste first rate wines at the source. The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to over 70 wineries from Half Moon Bay to Mt. Madonna.
This weekend finishes off “A Taste of the Mountains,” the Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Association’s 18th annual Vintner’s Festival. It should be gorgeous weather to wend through the hillside and visit the wineries nestled so close - yet so far in feel - from the bustling Bay Area.
Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, and while the event is from 11:00 – 5:00 Saturday and Sunday, note that the restaurants close at 4:00 p.m.
Participating winemakers are offering a variety of attractions, including tours of vineyards and facilities, barrel samples, special pours and flight tastings. Several venues will also feature live music and art exhibits. For lunch, you can picnic, scout out the wineries offering food, or enjoy restaurant fare.
Last weekend featured the wineries on the Western side of the mountains, this weekend, the Eastern, including those below.
Thomas Fogarty Winery & VineyardsDomenico Wines La Honda Winery
Muccigrosso Vineyards
Woodside Vineyards
Chaine D’or Vineyards
Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards
Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards
Mount Eden Vineyards
Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery
David Bruce Winery Burrell School Vineyards Byington Winery & Vineyard Downhill Winery
Bonny Doon Vineyards P • M Staiger Roudon Smith
Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery
Clos Tita
Naumann Vineyards Kathryn Kennedy Winery Cordon Creek Equinox Champagne
Fernwood Cellars
Martin Ranch Winery
Storrs Winery
Testarossa Vineyards
Hallcrest Vineyards & The Organic Wine Works
Sarah’s Vineyard Sones Cellars
Santa Cruz Moutain Vineyard Heart O’The Mountain PV Vines (Pleasant Valley Vineyards)
La Rusticana Vineyards