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Experience
the Fine Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains
has been recognized as a premium wine producing region since the
late 1800's when local wine growers first began to win acclaim for
their wines in national and international competitions. Few of
these original wineries survived prohibition, but many new
wineries have developed since the 1940's. In 1981 the Santa Cruz
Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized,
one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by
geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the
Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to
Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are
defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and
400 feet in the west.
The number of wineries and
the acreage planted in the Santa Cruz Mountains has increased
dramatically in recent years as the area has become recognized as
a unique grape-growing region. The individual microclimates,
marine influence, mountain terrain, distinctive soils and low crop
levels, all contribute to the production of intensely concentrated
fruit.
There are now over forty,
small, family-owned wineries in the region. The small size of
these operations allows the winemakers the opportunity to
hand-craft their wines and to maximize the potential of the
grapes. The same spirit of innovation, independence, and
determination that distinguished the great winemakers of the 19th
century lives on today.
Santa Cruz
Mountains Winegrowers Annual Events
- Vintner's Festival
- The Vintners' Festival
takes place 2 weekends in June at wineries and restaurants
throughout the area. Many Festival locations offer special
wines, food, music, art shows and other entertainment. To join
the festivities, you purchase a glass at any, participating
festival location. The glass is your ticket to all other
festival sites.
- Passport Program
- The wineries of the
Santa Cruz Mountains invite you to become citizens in their
Passport Program. For $10, you receive a Passport to the
wineries, including many that are not open to the public at
other times. You may tour the facilities, meet the winemakers,
sample the wines, and learn more about what makes Santa Cruz
Mountain wineries so special. Each winery will stamp the
Passport, and when a completed Passport is turned in, the holder
receives a reward. Passport wineries will be open to stamp your
Passport on selected Saturdays in January, April, July and
November, as well as during their regular hours.
- Santa Cruz Mountains Wine
Auction
- An afternoon wine
tasting and auction held each Spring at the historic Stanford
Barn in Palo Alto, offering great food, music, and exclusively
Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers wines. Professional wine buyers
preview Spring releases at this event, and you can too!
- Wine & Roses Benefit
Tasting
- A gala event for
Watsonville Community Hospital in the Fall, featuring an auction
of double Magnum bottles, spectacular roses, fabulous food and
exclusive tastes of Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers wines.
- Santa Cruz County Fair
- Come to the Santa Cruz
Mountains Winegrowers booth in mid-September and see the many
medals won by the wines of the region.
- The Ultimate Winemakers'
Dinner
- A chance to dine with
the winemakers and sample a cross section of Santa Cruz
Mountains wines with a delicious meal.
For information about
these and other events call
Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Growers Association
(831) 479-WINE (9463). (Event conditions subject to change)
For additional visitor
information contact:
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