Day Trip: Wine Tasting and Hiking The Santa Cruz Mountains wine region is nestled in one of the most unique natural environments in the world. With its mountainous terrain, marine and valley influences, varied micro- climates and diverse soils, the Santa Cruz Mountains offers vintners the ideal place to grow high quality grapes and was named by Wine Spectator as “the most underappreciated appelation in the world.” The Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation spans more than 850 square miles beginning from San Francisco down the Peninsula to Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay. Due to the size of the wine region it is often useful for visitors to plan trips by winery hours of operation, sub-regions or by urban winery locations. Plan a day trip to four distinct wineries close to San Jose with nearby hiking options. Testarossa Winery Picchetti Winery Ridge Vineyards and Tasting Room 13100 Montebello Road 17100 Montebello Road 300 College Ave. Los Gatos, Cupertino, CA 95014 Cupertino, CA 95014 CA 95030, 408.354.6150 408.741.1310 408.867.3233 (open week- (open daily from 11am – 5pm) (open daily from 11am – 5pm) days by reservation only, Testarossa’s location at Under the gaze of the weekends 11am – 4pm) the historic Novitiate in ever-watchful peacocks Founded in 1959 by four downtown Los Gatos is Picchetti Winery produces Stanford Research Institute California’s fourth oldest approximately 9,000 cases engineers, Ridge Vineyards is continuously operating winery. of handcrafted award winning famous for its wine that won The old Novitiate Winery was wine each year. Drawing best wine in the Reenactment originally built in 1888 by from 100 years of tradition Jesuit Fathers to help fund their and winemaking craftsmanship, of the Judgment of Paris in new seminary college at what Picchetti’s vineyards include 2006 and retired winemaker is now Santa Clara University. 3 acres of over 110 year old Paul Draper. Draper began Today, the historic winery has Zinfandel vines. in 1969 and has produced been beautifully renovated world- class wines that into one of the gems of the Nearby Hikes: The Zinfandel California wine industry and Trail in Picchetti Ranch Open Cooper- Garrod have resulted in accolades including being named “Man produces around 20,000 Space Preserve provides Estate Vineyards cases annually. a 1.9- mile long, easy hike 22645 Garrod Rd. Saratoga, of the Year” by Decanter through shaded areas lush CA 95070 408.867.7116 Magazine, earning a James with ferns and a view of (open weekdays 12pm –5pm, Beard Award for winemaking Stevens Creek Reservoir. weekends 11am – 5pm) and being named one of the worlds five most admired The Garrod family continues winemakers by his peers by the agricultural tradition begun by winemaker Bill Decanter Magazine. Cooper and vineyard master Jan Garrod. Winemaker Emeritus George Cooper refined his craft by learning from his fellow vintners in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Napa Valley, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. Cooper produces wines from vineyards that have stayed in the family for over 100 years. Nearby Hikes: Saint Joseph’s Nearby Hikes: The Fremont Hill Open Space Preserve Older Space Preserve connects to the Los Gatos provides 14 miles of hiking Creek Trail, which extends trails. Cooper- Garrod is from the City of San Jose into accessible via the Wedding Los Gatos. From there, the Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail and popular Jones Trail connects- Bay View Trail. The vineyard to Novitiate Park with access also offers horseback riding to Testarossa Winery. tours on the vineyard trails. sanjose.org 1.