Day Trip: Wine Tasting and Hiking

With mountainous terrain, towering redwood trees, fresh coastal air, and breathtaking views, the Santa Cruz Mountains region is the perfect area to sip wine and go for a stroll into nature, and it’s all just a short drive away from San Jose. Featuring marine and valley influences, varied micro-climates and diverse soils, the region offers visitors spectacular views and even better wine in an area that was named by Wine Spectator as “the most underappreciated appellation in the world.”

Spanning more than 850 square miles from San Francisco down the Peninsula to Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay, this list will help you plan a perfect one-day adventure that features four stand-out wineries, all with small hikes that are close by.
 

Testarossa Winery and Tasting Room

 

Testarossa’s location at the historic Novitiate in downtown Los Gatos is California’s fourth oldest continuously operating winery. The old Novitiate Winery was originally built in 1888 by Jesuit Fathers to help fund their new seminary college at what is now Santa Clara University. Today, the historic winery has been beautifully renovated into one of the gems of the California wine industry and produces around 20,000 cases annually.

 

Nearby Hikes: Saint Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve connects to the Los Gatos Creek Trail, which extends from the City of San Jose into Los Gatos. From there, the popular Jones Trail connects to Novitiate Park, with access to Testarossa Winery. 

 

 

Picchetti Winery

 

Under the gaze of the ever-watchful peacocks, Picchetti Winery produces approximately 9,000 cases of handcrafted award-winning wine each year. Drawing from 100 years of tradition and winemaking craftsmanship, Picchetti’s vineyards include three acres and more than 110-year-old Zinfandel vines. 

Nearby Hikes: The Zinfandel Trail in Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve provides a 1.9-mile long, easy hike through shaded areas lush with ferns and a view of Stevens Creek Reservoir.

 

Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards

 

The Cooper-Garrod Vineyard has continued its agricultural tradition begun by winemaker Bill 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: The Fremont Older Space Preserve provides 14 miles of hiking trails. Cooper-Garrod is accessible via the Wedding Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail and Bay View Trail. The vineyard also offers horseback riding tours on the vineyard trails. 

 

Other San Jose Wineries and Tasting Rooms

 

If you’d rather sip than stroll, there are plenty of neighborhood wine stops around San Jose!

Ridge Vineyards

 

Founded in 1959 by four Stanford Research Institute engineers, Ridge Vineyards is famous for its wine that won “Best Wine” in the Reenactment of the Judgment of Paris in 2006 and retired winemaker Paul Draper. Draper has produced world-class wines that have resulted in accolades, including being named “Man of the Year” by Decanter Magazine, earning a James Beard Award for winemaking, and being named one of the world's five most admired winemakers by his peers by Decanter Magazine.

Alamitos Vineyards

 

The art of wine making at Alamitos Vineyards is a family legacy. John Enos Vargas was a winemaker in the early 1910’s on the island of Faiai, part of the Azores Islands of Portugal. In 1923, Vargas sailed to the United States and settled in Livermore, California, where he made wine for some of the best-known wineries in the Tri-Valley, including the Garatti Winery and Cresta Blanca. Vargas also made white wines for the Old Almaden Winery, which was located in San Jose. 

 

Today, the passion for wine making is shared by John’s grandson, Shaun, and his partner, Chris Maune, who produce an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc. 

J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines

 

Nestled in the heart of San Jose and residing in the historic Alameda neighborhood is J. Lohr’s urban wine center that brings the vineyard from rural areas to the city. Featuring a sleek tasting room and a variety of wines, J. Lohr has been a staple in Northern California wine making for 50 years. Whether you’re sipping limited releases during one of their tastings or checking out their signature J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s the perfect mini spot for wine lovers who aren’t looking to venture too far out of the city.

Coterie

 

Situated just a few minutes from downtown San Jose, Coterie is an urban winery that has been crafting wines from tiny, special vineyard parcels since 2007. Their standout bottlings include exceptional Pinot Noirs from Hartmann Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and their 2019 Grenache Blanc, which is produced by Catie’s Corner in the Russian River Valley. Coterie is yet another option for those travelers who prefer to sit, relax, sip, and enjoy the ambiance of San Jose.