Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Tours

Touring different wineries makes for a great day out, especially when you have company over and are wondering what the heck to do :-)

This page isn't a huge listing of all wineries in the area, if that's what you want take a look at Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Growers' Association.

This page is more a reminder that the Santa Cruz Mountain area has a number of wonderful wineries. Our wine and wineries rival any you will find in the rest of the world. Our area is more beautiful than Napa and has the added benefit that most of our tastings are still free!

Send us your favorite tour and we'll include it here.

Top 12 tips for a good tour:

Tip 1 : Some people can't take all the twisty roads you must travel to get to many of the wineries. You may want to limit your trip to 5 or so wineries at a time.

Tip 2: For the above reason you may not want to eat a big breakfast.

Tip 3: Bring water. It can get real hot in the summer.

Tip 4: Fill your gas tank. There aren't a lot of services for large chunks of the trip.

Tip 5: Pack a picnic. Most wineries don't have food for sale and there aren't a lot of stores along the way, but there are many lovely spots perfect for a picnic. Most of the wineries have picnic areas with unbeatable views. If you miss your chance to picnic at a winery you'll find many picnic benches in parks along the way. The Summit Store (near Burrell School Vineyards) is a good place to buy provisions if you should forget. We always buy a bottle of wine at one of the wineries and drink it with lunch. Marvelous.

Tip 6: Buy a good area map. Getting lost isn't any fun.

Tip 7: Look around. You are driving through some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world. Don't let it just pass you buy.

Tip 8: You can visit fewer wineries than you think you can. Try for fewer wineries rather than more in each day trip. Five wineries is probably the most you can do without making it feel like too much.

Tip 9: Dress in layers. The Santa Cruz Mountains is the land of microclimates. In a few miles you can find any weather you want. It can and will range from cool to boiling. Be prepared for anything.

Tip 10: Overheard at a winery: One traveler complained about how twisty the road to the winery was. "That's your problem," said the guy at the counter, "you are counting curves, you should be counting the straight parts."

Tip 11: Visit on Passport Tour weekends. The passport program gives you access to wineries that aren't normally open to the public. Passport wineries will be open on the third Saturday of January, April, July and November, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as well as during their regular hours. For more information see http://www.scmwa.com/passport. For special events take a look at http://www.scmwa.com/calendar.htm.

Tip 12: Enjoy the beauty. Enjoy the wine. Enjoy your friends. Drive safe. Have fun!

Tours

  1. Tour 1
  2. Tour 2

Tour 1

Here's our favorite the relatives are over trip. It combines good scenery, good wine, and a reasonable trip time of about 5 hours:
  1. Burrell School Vineyards
  2. Zayante Vineyards
  3. David Bruce Winery
  4. Byington Winery & Vineyard
  5. Bonny Doon Vineyard
  6. Bargetto Winery

Tour 2

Still working on another tour. I just can't let you miss seeing Thomas Fogarty Winery if you have a chance.
  1. Thomas Fogarty Winery


Burrell School Vineyards

Address

24060 Summit Road
Los Gatos CA
408.353.6290
http://www.burrellschool.com/

Hours

Saturdays 11 - 4:30 or by appointment.

Specialties

Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay and select premium red varietels.

Facilities

Picnic facilities overlook the Chardonnay and Merlot vines.

Discussion

We start here because it is closest to our home :-) Located in the 1890 Burell School House you won't find a more interesting winery anywhere. Lyman Burell settled this area in 1853. Lyman was only the second white man to brave the rugged Santa Cruz mountains and really paved the way for everyone after.

The Summit Store is close and is a great place to load up on supplies. They make a great sandwich and have lots of other picnic foods.


Zayante Vineyards

Address

420 Old Mount Road
Felton CA
408.335.7992
http://www.zayantevineyards.com/

Hours

Call for an appointment. And during Passport periods.

Specialties

A small family-owned winery that specializes in Estate grown Santa Cruz Mountain wines.

Discussion

Zayante Vineyards is located in a lovely valley area. It's definetely worth the trip.


David Bruce Winery

Address

21439 Bear Creek Rd.
Los Gatos CA
408.395.5478
http://www.davidbrucewinery.com/

Hours

12 - 5 daily.

Specialties

Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir.

Facilities

A couple picnic tables tucked in a grove of trees.

Discussion

David Bruce Winery has won a lot of awards so if you like wine give it a try.


Byington Winery & Vineyard

Address

21850 Bear Creek Rd.
Los Gatos CA
408.354.1111
http://www.byington.com/home.htm

About 5.5 miles from Hwy 17.

Hours

11 - 5 daily.

Facilities

Picnic and BBQ with a great ocean view. Weddings, private parties, and seminar space.

Discussion

Byington is truly an impressive winery. Its personality is more like the wineries up north. If you have a picnic this is the place to eat it. The view is great. The grounds are wonderful. And there are a lot of good wines to taste.


Bonny Doon Vineyard

Address

10 Pine Flat Rd.
Santa Cruz CA
408.425.3625
http://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/

Hours

12pm-5pm
Every day from 4/1 - 9/15
Wed - Mon 9/15 - 4/15
Sat & Sun 1pm-5pm

Specialties

Rhone/Italian varietals/blends.

Discussion

Bonny Doon Vineyard is a funky interesting place. It has a lot of different types of wines to try and fun people.


Bargetto Winery

Address

3535 N. Main St.
Soquel CA
408.475.2258
http://www.bargetto.com/

Hours

Open daily.

Specialties

Wines from the Santa Cruz mountains and dessert style fruit wines.

Discussion

Bargetto Winery is located in a beautiful setting along Soquel Creek. There's a store area where you buy wines and other items. The tasting area is out back along a huge wooden bar. We especially liked their mead.


Thomas Fogarty Winery

Address

19501 Skyline Boulevard
Woodside, CA 94062
650.851.6777
http://www.fogartywinery.com/

Hours

Open Thursday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

Specialties

Our exquisite Santa Cruz Mountains Winery includes twenty-five acres of premier grape varietals planted on a 325-acre estate, focusing on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and small amountsof Merlot and Sangiovese. We also produce an excellent dry style Gewurztraminer with Monterey county grapes and cabernet sauvignon with grapes from both Napa Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Facilities

Picnic facilities overlook the whole bay area.

Discussion

On a clear spring day, this winery, in my opinion, is the most beautiful in the mountains. A lovely flower garden accents a stunning property. But what takes your breath away is the view of the bay area. You are at the top of the mountain with a clear view to San Francisco.


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