The Press recommended trip: Santa Cruz Mountain pioneers
Today’s Santa Cruz Mountains wines owe a lot to their past. Many of the region’s great sites — Monte Bello, Vine Hill, Mount Eden — were recognized as great long before their current stewards arrived. In fact, it was the Picchetti brothers, Secondo and Vincenzo, who first named that famous Cupertino ridgetop Monte Bello, or “beautiful mountain.” Paul Masson had made wine from his vineyard in the Saratoga foothills since the first decade of the 20th century; heirless, he mentored Martin Ray, who planted grapes in 1943 at the site now known as Mount Eden. A local dermatologist, David Bruce, followed their examples, and began making wine outside of Soquel in 1961. Soon afterward came Paul Draper, who in 1969 joined a group of Stanford engineers who had purchased the Monte Bello property, calling their new winery Ridge. Ken Burnap came on the scene in 1974 with a vision for Burgundy-style Pinot Noirs, founding Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. And in the 1980s, Randall Grahm would play a crucial role in bringing Santa Cruz Mountains wines to a global stage, and in establishing the area’s promise for Rhone-style grape varieties. A few of the region’s essential pioneers — Mount Eden, Kathryn Kennedy — do not have tasting rooms. But it’s a remarkable feature of the Santa Cruz Mountains that, for the most part, you can still drive up to these trailblazing wineries and taste wines that uphold the visions of their founders.
Ridge Vineyards — Monte Bello: Start your trip at Ridge Vineyards, one of the most acclaimed wineries in the world. The Monte Bello estate is its crown jewel and the name of its iconic Bordeaux-style blend. 17100 Montebello Road, Cupertino; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, and Monday-Friday by appointment.
Picchetti Winery: From Ridge, hop over to Picchetti for some Zin and a choose-your-own-adventure style flight. Don’t miss its Port. 13100 Montebello Road, Cupertino; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
David Bruce: This winery’s namesake is a Santa Cruz Mountains legend. Make the trip here for the beautiful views, the lessons in history and the free tasting fee — even if the wines don’t quite live up to their promise anymore. 21439 Bear Creek Road, Los Gatos; noon-3 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. SaturdaySunday.
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/ Quinta Cruz: At this warehouse-style winery, you can taste winemaker Jeff Emery’s two wine labels: the Pinot Noircentric Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and the Iberia-inspired Quintz Cruz. Discover the ethereal, earthy Pinots and the unique, rustic Spanish and Portuguese varieties, especially the Castelão. 334-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz; noon-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and noon-5:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Bonny Doon Vineyards: As the last stop, this is your chance to unwind and learn about Randall Grahm’s decades of wine innovations. Take the time to read the plaques interspersed among the room’s decorations. From there, take a coastal drive down Highway 1 to Panther Beach for some stunning views. 450 Highway 1, Davenport; 11 a.m.-5p.m. daily. —E.M.