Pelican Ranch Winery is a small, family owned and operated winery specializing in Rhone and Burgundy style wines from the best vineyards in California. Established in 1997, the winery is located a short distance from Monterey Bay which provides the constant, cool, coastal influence that allows for controlled, slow fermentation. The result is rich, full-flavored, complex wines.
Thomas Fogarty Winery was founded in 1978 by inventor Dr. Thomas Fogarty and winemaker Michael Martella. Dr Fogarty’s penchant for innovative thought and Martella’s viticulture instincts allowed them to lead the development of the cool Skyline Ridge area; true pioneers in one of California’s premiere Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions.
Fun, unassuming tasting room. The service was really friendly and I got the impression that the "$10 for 5" tasting is rarely a sticking point. Meaning, they poured my group additional samples and even asked me which one I wanted to try one last time as I was paying. Never with the feeling I was being pressured to buy anything, far from it. Ample picnic area in the back. BYO whatever and enjoy the scenery and play a game of bocce ball in one of their 2 courts. This is a perfect stop on your way to the beach or when heading back home.
Winemaker Denis Hoey released his first commercial vintage at the age of 21. He now blends old-world methods with new-world techniques to create nouveau-style wines. His goal is to produce wines that are rich, textured, and balanced, while respecting both terroir and varietal character. Hoey's success stems from meticulous attention to detail and the purposeful application of each step in the winemaking process, including grape sourcing, fermentation techniques, pressing regimens, barrel selection, and aging programs. The result is a line of clean, focused wines.
A native of Sacramento, Hoey grew up in a family that appreciated fine wines, exposing him to a diverse range of quality selections that helped refine his palate. In 2004, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a degree in Business Management. Shortly after, he met Jeff Emery, the owner and winemaker at Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. This relationship quickly evolved into an Old World apprenticeship for Hoey, who eventually became the production manager at SCMV before founding Odonata Wines in Santa Cruz in 2005.
Hoey honed many of his cellar practices at Bison Organic Brewery in Berkeley, where he worked with a more perishable product. This experience emphasized the importance of careful attention to spoilage organisms. He continues his education by following current trends in winemaking research from major universities and has traveled to Italy and France multiple times to gain a broader perspective on European winemaking techniques and varietal fidelity. His commitment to quality is evident in his practice of tasting frequently to maintain a sharp palate for the nuances of wine. He consistently challenges himself to improve by learning from the successes and missteps of others in the industry.
In 2014, Hoey and his wife, Claire, relocated to the Santa Lucia Highlands, where they are raising their family and operating Odonata Winery. Their property features a 2-acre vineyard, a production facility, a tasting room, and a welcoming patio where visitors can enjoy their unique wines.
Sones Cellars is a local, urban family winery producing small lots of fine quality, distinctive wines from grape varieties that flourish in California. Since 2003, Sones has focused on Petite Sirah and Zinfandel from exceptional vineyards in Central California. We also explore other grape varieties for ones that produce top-quality wines reflecting our local environment. All Sones wines are made in small lots with careful attention to detail and with minimal intervention during the winemaking process.
Open every Thursday through Sunday
Thurs: 2-5 PM
Fri: 2-6 PM
Sat: 1-6 PM
Sun: 1-5 PM
The Perrucci family is dedicated to crafting wines of exceptional quality that offer both value and enjoyment. They employ advanced agricultural techniques in their vineyards and exclusively use grapes of the highest caliber. Involved at every stage, from vineyard management to bottling, the family's hands-on approach ensures meticulous care throughout the winemaking process. Their commitment to producing outstanding wines has garnered numerous awards and accolades for their recent vintages.
Perrucci Family Vineyard operates as a genuine boutique winery, deliberately limiting annual production to uphold the utmost quality and customer experience.
Alfaro Family Vineyards is everything a local Santa Cruz Mountains winery needs to be. The owner is incredibly passionate about his work and drove us over his lovingly cared for property in his pick-up truck. It was an adventure to remember! Fun fact: he is so passionate about the local environment that he re-fenced his property so that the deer can go through it, without being able to access his vineyards. I had a great time touring the vineyard and an even better time tasting the wine. There was a wide variety of wines available for the tasting, and all of them were both tasty and very reasonably priced. Everyone we met here was a great conversationalist and really made me feel comfortable and relaxed. I wish I lived closer so that I could come to taste wines every Saturday for their open tastings! Open Saturdays from noon to 5:00 pm year-round; Sundays June 16 - September 1. Enjoy a flight of 7 or more wines.
Since their first vintage in 1998, Jim and Judy Schultze at Windy Oaks objective has been to produce world-class Pinot Noir that represents their unique vineyard terroir, no compromises, minimal intervention to fully preserve the grape quality achieved in the vineyard.
Stephen Storrs and Pamela Bianchini-Storrs begn Storrs winery with their first harvest n 1988. Both are trained winemakers at UC Davis, they have wrked at a number of wineries which include Domaine Chandon, Felton-Empire and Almaden before starting their own venture. Stephen and Pamela appreciate the cool Burgundian climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This winery grew to a comfortable 10,000 cases per year and in 2001 realized a dream with the purchase of land in Pleasant Valley district of Corralitos.
At Rhys Vineyards we aspire to make great Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from some of California’s most unique and expressive vineyards. This pursuit has led us to search the state for exciting rocky soils that exist within the mountainous, cool, Coastal climate zone. Over the last 15 years, we have developed seven estate vineyards, six in the Santa Cruz Mountains and one in Anderson Valley, each capable of producing uniquely compelling, distinctive, soil-driven wine.
