Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Tasting...on a Monday

I know that many tasting rooms are closed on Mondays, particularly in smaller regions like the Santa Cruz Mountains. And yet, when I found out last minute that my friend from London, Eve, was in the SF area and available to do something on Monday, I thought - wine tasting!

I researched online and picked four wineries that were all meant to be open: David Bruce and Byington, on Bear Creek Road, and Bonny Doon and Storrs, in Santa Cruz. Nevertheless, after winding our way up to David Bruce, we found it closed! Apparently they had just changed their hours - that week! Byington was open though, so we meandered further down the switchback road to tasting a nice range of whites and reds at Byington Vineyard and Winery. Here, I bought one bottle of reduced 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon that needs to age another 5 years. But at $18/bottle, I thought it was worth a try, and it waived the tasting fee.

Byington has a nice property where they often host events, such as weddings, so Eve and I explored before heading down the mountain to continue on Highway 17 towards Santa Cruz. It was a crystal clear day, and here is a photo of the Pacific Ocean from Bear Creek Road. The bright white in the distance is not clouds; it is reflection from the sunshine!

Once in Santa Cruz, and finding Bonny Doon closed (they also had apparently just changed their hours this week), we found our way to Storrs Wine off River Street in the Old Sash Mill area. I had heard of Storrs, but couldn't recall trying any of their wine. It turns out that they have a lot to offer considering they produce only 8,000 cases/year. I ended up buying three bottles - 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Monterey, a 2005 Rhone style blend, and a 2006 Pinot Noir. Here is the label for the red blend:

All in all, it was a good day and a successful exposure to new wine. Next time, I will be more careful about opening hours though!

Also in Santa Cruz over the weekend, I discovered Soif wine shop. One of the buyers, Luke, is a friend of one of my college friends. After being introduced, and trying a few things, I walked out with half a case.....It is great to know that Downtown Santa Cruz is going a bit more upscale than when I lived there for university nearly a decade ago.

And finally, as the temperatures in the Bay Area have dropped over the past week, the vines themselves are telling us it is definitely autumn.