Santa Cruz Wine Country

Santa Cruz Mountain Wine

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Exploring Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Country in Boulder Creek You must visit the Santa Cruz Mountains wine country. This wine country area is far different from the more popular wine regions like the Napa Valley or Sonoma Valley. Santa Cruz Mountains wine country is a massive area of half a million acres, with wineries scattered … Read more

Far From the Madding Crowds

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A visit to Ridge Monte Bello The Ridge Winery address is 17100 Montebello Road, Cupertino. One might think the winery and tasting room sit in the middle of Silicon Valley. Or one may think the winery is a neighbor of Apple Computer. Such is not the case. Ridge Monte Bello is far from the high-tech … Read more

Vineyards & Redwoods in Santa Cruz Mts.

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Santa Cruz Mountains The Santa Cruz Mountains are all about the stunning forests of the Coastal Redwoods. Interspersed among the Redwoods are mountain homes and mountain wineries. The Santa Cruz Mountains have thousands of acres of Redwoods and 200 small vineyards. It is a stunning area and where one can enjoy wine, vineyards, and Redwoods … Read more

Escape Napa Valley and Sonoma

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There are restaurants and lodging in the Anderson Valley, but they are somewhat limited. We recommend the Boonville Hotel or The Madrones. Many travelers like to explore the wineries in the Anderson Valley and then continue on another hour to Highway 1 and the quaint and romantic town of Mendocino.

Santa Cruz Mountains wine country

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Our first stop was at La Nebbia Winery on Highway 92, a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, and very close to the main drag in Half Moon Bay. La Nebbia is one of the few wineries that offer “bottle your own” events throughout the year. They also have a Bocce Court for your enjoyment. Check the La Nebbia Website for the remaining seven Saturdays for “Bottle and Cork Day.”

Bonny Doon — A Very Cool Tasting Room

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The last time I visited the Boony Doon tasting room, the location was on Pine Road in the tiny town of Bonny Doon, near Santa Cruz. Last November the winery moved its tasting room next to its wine production center on Ingalls Street, in the Swift Street Courtyard complex in Santa Cruz. What a difference! From funky, crazy, and very casual, to a more formal, elaborate, and upscale atmosphere. The tasting room is very fancy and well-appointed. It is one of the better interior-designed tasting rooms we have seen in our wine travels. Very chic, a happening spot, and trendy in a sense. Something remaining that is very much off-beat are the names given to their wines and the unique labels for the wines.

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Wine Traveler in Santa Cruz — Swift Street Courtyard

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When I think of Santa Cruz wine country, the first thing that comes to mind are the beautiful backroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains lined with stunning Redwood trees. I think of wineries like Thomas Fogarty, David Bruce, Byington, and Ahlgren. These are small wineries tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains with vineyards hidden among the Redwoods. Visiting wineries in these mountains is fun, exciting, and most of all adventurous. Now if you are a little leery of tackling the curvy roads of these mountain roads but still want to get a taste of the Santa Cruz Mountain wines, then head straight to the city of Santa Cruz and Highway 1.

Just a little north of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a very cool and trendy warehouse area called the Swift Street Courtyard. Here you can taste wines sourced from Santa Cruz AVA at these tasting rooms: Bonny Doon, Vino Tabi Winery, Sones Cellars, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, and Pelican Ranch Winery. Bonny Doon is the biggest winery at this location and they are open seven days a week. Bonny Doon has been making wine here since the early 1990’s and just recently opened this very beautiful and tastefully designed tasting room and café. The other tasting rooms are from much smaller wineries and for the most part they are open only on Saturday and Sunday.

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