Wine-tasting options only an hour south
Given the hectic nature of the holiday season, slipping away to the Santa Cruz Mountains for a weekend of wine tasting may seem like an impossible dream.
Happily, the following tasting rooms — all located on the appellation’s eastern border and just an hour south of San Francisco — are a breeze to visit.
Testarossa Winery
Located on the grounds of the historic Novitiate Winery, which was built in the late 19th century by Jesuits from the college at Mission Santa Clara, Testarossa has plenty of Old World charm.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, particularly from the Santa Lucia Highlands, are the stars. The winery’s cave-like tasting room offers a highly polished tasting experience that includes five pours for $10 (refunded with purchase).
Weather permitting, the large tree-shaded courtyard serves as home to Wine Bar 107, named after the bond number given to the original winery in 1888.
300-A College Ave., Los Gatos; (408) 354-6150, ext 21. testarossa.com. Tasting room: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Wine Bar 107: 3-7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
SavannahChanelle Vineyards
Redwoods line the driveway that leads to the circa-1912 redwood barn that serves as tasting room for this small winery nestled in the hills above Saratoga.
The daily tasting features six wines for $10 ($5 applied to purchase). The Signature tasting is available weekends only and includes six estate and vineyard-designate wines for $15 ($10 applied to wine purchase).
Take some time to explore the grounds, where you’ll find quite a few choice spots to relax with a glass of wine. Stroll through the vines of Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel dating back to 1920 and 1910, respectively, which are still used to produce wine.
23600 Big Basin Way (also known as Congress Springs Road), Saratoga; (408) 741-2934. savannah chanelle.com. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Tours available by appointment.
Cinnabar Winery
This glossy winery showroom is located in the heart of Saratoga. Founded in 1981, the winery is named for the mineral that medieval alchemists believed could turn base metals into gold and silver.
Taste five wines for $10 ($5 off with purchase). The patio seating in front along Saratoga’s main drag makes for excellent people watching; inside, an activity corner can keep kids entertained while parents taste.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the tasting room becomes the Mudd Room wine bar (named for the family that owns the winery) and features wines by the glass and bottle, as well as live music.
14612 Big Basin Way, Saratoga;(408) 867-1012. cinnabarwine.com. Tasting room: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The Mudd Room: 5-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Big Basin Vineyards
Big Basin’s tasting room in Saratoga is reminiscent of a small art gallery, thanks in part to Matt Jones’ colorful artwork that decorates the walls. Jones’ images can also be found on the labels of winemaker-proprietor Bradley Brown’s collection of Rhone-centric wines. There’s a patio for alfresco sipping.
There are two flights, each costing $10: a standard tasting of five wines or a sampling of four reserve wines, including Big Basin’s flagship Rattlesnake Rock Syrah. The tasting fee is refunded for each $100 spent.
14598 Big Basin Way, Saratoga;(408) 564-7346. bigbasinvineyards.com. Noon-6 p.m. Sunday-Monday and Thursday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Other tasting options
Surf City Vintners: This collective of local wineries can all be found within the city of Santa Cruz, and includes Storrs Winery & Vineyards, Copious Winery, Trout Gulch Vineyards, Equinox Wines/Bartolo Wines, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Rexford Winery, MJA Vineyards by the Sea, Odonata Wines, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Quinta Cruz, Sones Cellars, Vino Tabi, Silver Mountain Vineyards and Vine Hill Winery. surfcityvintners.com. Los Gatos-Saratoga Wine Trail: The wineries — Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards, Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Testarossa Winery and Cinnabar Winery — are located along the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. lgswinetrail.com. Corralitos Wine Trail: The following wineries make their home in the southern end of the appellation: Nicholson Vineyards, Alfaro Family Vineyards, Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards and Winery, and Pleasant Valley Vineyards. corral itoswinetrail.com. The Summit Wineries: This mountaintop stretch of wineries includes Regale Vineyards and Winery, Burrell School, Silver Mountain Vineyards, MJA Vineyards and Villa del Monte Winery. the summitwineries.com. Summit to Sea Wine Trail: Winding its way from the summit to the coast, you’ll find Burrell School, Dancing Creek Winery, Loma Prieta Winery and Poetic Cellars. summittoseawinetrail.com.