Discover Santa Cruz Wineries
After learning about Santa Cruz wineries, check out these other fun things to do in Santa Cruz:
Are you ready to plan a California Wine Tour to Santa Cruz wineries? Located close to the Pacific Ocean, Santa Cruz enjoys a cool growing season. Foggy summer days means that grapes ripen in cooler temperatures. This allows the grapes to remain on the vines longer.
Some vineyards harvest their grapes as late as October. The longer growing season results in grapes with more complexity and allows for the production of distinctive wines.
Most of the wineries in Santa Cruz are small, family-owned facilities. They are focused on creating the finest wines possible rather than on quantity. Wine tasting at Santa Cruz wineries costs between $3-$10 per taster. The practice of sharing a glass as a couple is widely accepted. Central Coast wine tasting means fine wines, ocean views, and friendly tasting rooms. Choose from wineries located in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains or from city sites.
While sampling wine at Santa Cruz wineries, you really should visit that last seaside amusement park left. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is located on a sandy beach, and features thrilling and classic rides, minature golf, video arcades, food, bowling, and live entertainment.
Turn your Central Coast wine tasting experience into a fabulous California Wine Tour by staying at Seascape Resort. This is a beautiful place to stay with stunning ocean views. Rated 4 diamonds by AAA, Seascape Resort is recognized for its beautiful facilities, numerous amenities, and friendly service.
Looking for a romantic restaurant? Shadowbrook Restaurant has won numerous awards for "Most Romantic Restaurant". It's beautiful setting along a creek just 4 miles south of Santa Cruz along with its fabulous ambiance has earned Shadowbrook a well earned reputation for romance. It's a fabulous place to dine on the California Central Coast.
Santa Cruz Wineries
Ahlgren Vineyard
20320 Hwy. 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-6071
Open Saturdays for Central Coast wine tasting Noon – 4 PM
Alexander Cellars/Sarticious Spirits
Address: 427 A Swift St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Telephone: (831) 471-9090
Open Fri.-Sun. Noon – 5 PM for Central Coast wine tasting
This is a small winery and distillery.
Bargetto Winery
Address: 3535 N. Main Street, Soquel, CA 95073
Telephone: (831)475-2258
This Central Coast wine tasting room is in a lovely setting overlooking Soquel Creek. Bargetto Winery specializes in Italian varietals and dessert wines. They have a second wine tasting room on Cannery Row in Monterey.
Beauregard Vineyards
Address: 10 Pine Flat Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Telephone: (831) 458-9463
This small Santa Cruz winery is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.....most easily accessible by taking Bonny Doon Rd. from Hwy. 1 between Davenport and Santa Cruz. The tasting room reminds us of a mountain lodge. It's a large tasting room and gift shop. We loved all their wines especially the Zinfandel, which is spicy and jammy with 17.5% alcohol.
Black Ridge Vineyards
Address: 18550 Black Road, Los Gatos, CA 95033
Telephone: (408) 399-6396
Open: The 3rd weekend of each month and by private appointment.
Black Ridge Vineyards, a new vineyard and winery, is located 5 minutes south of downtown Los Gatos and overlooks the Lexington Reservoir and 22 acres of vines. Black Ridge produces limited production lots of 100% estate-grown wines. They specialize in award-winning Viognier, Pinot Noir, and a Bordeaux blend, San Andreas Red. Black Ridge Vineyards is quickly becoming a local favorite.
Bonny Doon Vineyard
Address: 328 Ingalls St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Telephone: (831) 425-4518
Open daily for California Central Coast wine tasting 11 AM – 5 PM
The tasting room of Bonny Doon has many wines to taste including a large number that are only available at the tasting room. Two that we especially enjoyed that you can only get at the tasting room were the Sauvignon Blanc and the Barbera d'Asti. If you like dessert wines, they have a good selection....including the Framboise "Infusion of Raspberry", which won a Gold Medal at the SF Chronicle Tasting. This highly rated wine has sensational berry flavors.
Burrell School Vineyards
Address: 24060 Summit Rd., Los Gatos, CA 95033
Telephone: (408) 353-6290
Open Weekends for California Central Coast wine tasting 11 AM – 5 PM
This Santa Cruz winery is located at the historic 1890 Burrell School House.
Byington Winery & Vineyard
Address: 21850 Bear Creek Rd., Los Gatos, CA 95033
Telephone: (408) 354-1111
Open daily for Central Coast wine tasting 11 AM – 5 PM
Byington has a fantastic Grand Chateau wine tasting room and beautiful grounds. On clear days you can see the Pacific Ocean in the background. They have a picnic area and bocce ball to experience as well.
Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery
Address: 14612 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070
Telephone: (408) 741-5858
Open 11 AM - 5 PM on weekdays and 11 AM - 8 PM on weekends.
Cooper-Garrod Vineyards
Address: 22645 Garrod Rd., Saratoga, CA 95070
Telephone: (408) 867-7116
Open Weekends for Central Coast wine tasting 11 AM – 5 PM; Weekdays Noon – 5 PM
This Santa Cruz winery was established in 1972.
David Bruce Winery
Address: 21439 Bear Creek Rd., Los Gatos, CA 95033
Telephone: (408) 395-5478
Open Weekends for Central Coast wine tasting 11 AM – 5 PM; Weekdays Noon – 5 PM
David Bruce Winery makes great Pinot Noir in addition to other fine wines. The tasting room is nice and the staff is extremely friendly. The gentleman helping us went into a backroom and printed us maps to several Santa Cruz wineries we were visiting later in the day.
Domenico Wines
Address: 1681-1697 Industrial Rd., San Carlos, CA 94070
Telephone: (650) 593-2335
Open daily noon - 5 PM.
Hallcrest Vineyards
Address: 379 Felton Empire Rd., Felton, CA 95018
Telephone: (831) 335-4441
Open daily for Central Coast wine tasting Noon – 5 PM
Hallcrest Vineyards has a large variety of wines to taste.
Hunter Hill Vineyard & Winery
Address: 7099 Glen Haven Rd., Soquel, CA 95073
Telephone: (831) 465-9294
Open Saturdays 11 AM – 3 PM
La Nebbia Winery
Address: 12341 San Mateo Rd., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Telephone: (650) 726-9463
Open daily 10 AM - 5 PM.
The Mountain Winery
Address: 14831 Pierce Rd., Saratoga, CA 95070
Telephone: (408) 741-2822
Known for its wines and for its winery concerts.
Natal Vineyard
Address: 1310 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076
Telephone: (831) 750-0271
Open Saturdays 11 AM - 4 PM
Obester Wine Works
Address: 12341 San Mateo Rd., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Telephone: (650) 726-9463
Open daily 10 AM – 5 PM
Organic Wine Works
Address: 379 Felton Empire Rd., Felton, CA 95018
Telephone: (800) OWW-WINE
Open daily Noon – 5 PM
Their wines are organically grown and processed.
Pelican Ranch Winery
Address: 402 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, CA 950060
Telephone: (831) 426-6911
Open daily 11 AM – 5 PM
This is a small winery owned by a professor at UC Santa Cruz. The tasting room is located in downtown Santa Cruz. Our favorites are the Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills. It had lots of berry flavors, very well balanced. Yummy! We also enjoyed the red wine blend called Spectrum Rouge. It is unusual because it includes 14% Chardonnay along with 43% Zinfandel and 43% Syrah.
Picchetti Winery
Address: 13100 Montebello Rd., Cuppertino, CA 95014
Telephone: (408) 741-1310
Open daily 11 AM – 5 PM
Pichetti also has a wine tasting room at South Lake Tahoe.
Pinder Winery
Address: 165 Cristich Ln., Campbell, CA 95008
Telephone: (877) 684-2601
Open Saturdays 10 AM – 3 PM
Pinder is a small, family owned winery.
Ridge Vineyards
Address: 17100 Montevello Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014
Telephone: (408) 867-3233
Open Weekends 11 AM – 4 PM
Roudon-Smith Winery
Address: 2364 Bean Creek Rd., Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Telephone: (831) 438-1244
Open Saturdays 11 AM – 4:30 PM
Sarah's Vineyard
Address: 4005 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy, CA 95020
Telephone: (408) 842-4278
Open daily 11 AM - 5 PM.
Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards
Address: 23600 Congress Springs Rd., Saratoga, CA 95070
Telephone: (408) 741-2934
Open daily 11 AM – 5 PM
This small family owned and operated winery specializes in Pinot Noir but also produces Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Chardonnay.
Soquel Vineyards
Address: 8063 Glen Haven Rd., Soquel, CA 95073
Telephone: (831) 462-9045
Open Saturdays 11 AM – 4 PM
This Santa Cruz winery specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.
Storrs Winery
Address: 303 Potrero St., No. 35, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Telephone: (831) 458-5030
Open daily Noon – 5 PM
We loved all their wines. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.
Testarossa Vineyards
Address: 300-A College Ave., Los Gatos, CA 95030
Telephone: (408) 354-6150
Open daily 11 AM - 5 PM
This Santa Cruz winery has its tasting room in the historic Novitiate Winery originally built in 1888. You enter through a long narrow stone room known as the "cave". It's a popular site for weddings. We found all the wines at this winery were good.
Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards
Address: 19501 Skyline Blvd., Woodside, CA 94062
Telephone: (650) 851-6777
Open Thurs.-Sun. 11 AM – 5 PM
This Santa Cruz winery specializes in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Gewurztraminer.
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