The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, established in 1981, was among the first American wine appellations defined by mountain topography rather than county lines, spanning the ridgelines above Silicon Valley across San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Cooled by Pacific fog on its western slopes and San Francisco Bay to the east, its high-elevation vineyards are renowned for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the Cabernet Sauvignon of Ridge’s Monte Bello ridge.
Its most famous moment: Ridge Monte Bello finished fifth at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, then placed first in the 2006 30th-anniversary re-tasting — a landmark in California wine history.
Bargetto Winery
Bargetto Winery has produced hand-crafted wines in the Santa Cruz Mountains since 1933. We specialize in estate grown varietals from our Regan Estate Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay. Our ...
Explore Bargetto Winery →Know the wines of Santa Cruz Mountains
Wineries to visit
Best time to visit Santa Cruz Mountains
The region interweaves redwood forests, chaparral and Pacific overlooks, with small family wineries clustered near Los Gatos, Saratoga and Woodside. The Winegrowers Association holds Passport Celebration Days on the third Saturday of January, April, July and November, when dozens of wineries open together; fall (September–October) aligns with harvest.
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Wineries to Visit in the Santa Cruz Mountains
- Ridge Vineyards (Monte Bello, Cupertino) — home of the Judgment-of-Paris Monte Bello Cabernet, with estate vineyards reaching ~2,700 feet; seated tastings by reservation.
- Mount Eden Vineyards (Saratoga) — founded 1945, estate-grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet ~2,000 feet above Silicon Valley; by appointment.
- Thomas Fogarty Winery (Woodside) — limited-production, vineyard-designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with bay views along Skyline Boulevard.
- Testarossa Winery (Los Gatos) — Chardonnay and Pinot Noir since 1993, in the historic Novitiate building, open daily.