Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Passport: Opening Closed Doors

The saying goes, “Napa? They sell auto parts.�? While that’s only partially true, other wine regions in California do exist. For people in the Bay Area, that means looking no further than their back yard.

The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA claims just over 60 wineries; however, many are quite small and usually inaccessible to the public. This Saturday, though, is one of those rare opportunities, that when presented, must be taken. Passport Day happens only four times a year, but it opens up a world of possibilities. With the passport, you can get into wineries that are normally closed, as well as receive special treatment at certain restaurants (in towns such as Palo Alto, Saratoga, and Los Gatos). All while enjoying picturesque views of the ocean, S.F. Bay, and mountains.

To obtain more information about the Passport Program, check out these places:www.wineoutlook.com and www.scmwa.com.

For those who are not local or who want to create a lovely weekend getaway, Half Moon Bay would be the optimal place to stay. Possible game plan: begin the day early, maybe going down to Soquel to enjoy SCM wines at Michaels on Main, working up through Scotts Valley, on to Saratoga, then finally up to scenic Skyline Boulevard, taking State Hiway 92 down to the Pacific Coast (with that one last tasting room on the way). Once in Half Moon Bay, the choices are many: Lodging could be the luxurious Ritz-Carlton or a charming B & B, and dinner could be seafood, Italian, or anything else your palate prefers.

Whatever your route, take it slowly, carefully and enjoy. And if you can’t make it for this one, there’s another the third Saturday of January, 2007.

One Response to Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Passport: Opening Closed Doors

  1. Branden says:

    Looks like a great program Farley. Thanks for sharing.

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