To the east are the suburbs of san Jose and Santa Clara. To the west are mountains, canyons and redwood forests. And straddling the divide are towns like Los Gatos and Saratoga that, in many respects, have more in common with parts of Sonoma and Napa than with their neighboring cities. Expensive restaurants, boutique shopping, Victorian history, and million-dollar homes are the norm here, made all the more desirable by their proximity to the lush mountains visible from almost every vantage point.

The mountains, not the wine industry, gave these towns their start and the wealthy helped shape them. As loggers cleared the mountains, the eastern mountain towns sprang up to serve the lumber industry. Once the trees had served their purpose, the area became a summer playground for the San Francisco elite, who built breathtaking mansions and gardens. Today, the area is still a playground for the rich, as local real estate prices and the Ferrari dealership in Los Gatos illustrate. Ironically, the same natural beauty that helped start these towns and attract the well-heeled has also prevented further development as the mountains acted as a natural buffer to the spreading suburbs.

That’s not to say development hasn’t encroached on agricultural land. Although many of the wineries in the hills north of Saratoga share the landscape with ostentatious McMansions, as bland as the scenery is beautiful. But the land is not under the same development pressure as is the case closer to the suburbia of San Jose, where a few historic wineries still cling to life in a sea of concrete. Nevertheless, some of the rural charm that makes many wineries in Napa and Sonoma so individual is missing.

The Wines

As far as wine-growing conditions are concerned, the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation can really be divided into two sections. The eastern side of the mountains, along the ridgeline and down into Saratoga and Los Gatos (at the border of the Santa Clara AVA), is largely shielded from the cold ocean wind and fog. This is where much of the cabernet sauvignon tends to be planted, so it can fully ripen in the longer hours of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Chardonnay is also common in this area, and one of California’s best chardonnay producers, Mount Eden Vineyards, is remarkably close to Saratoga with private residences nipping at its borders.

Although the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is home to relatively small wineries, tasting fees have become more common. Most wineries in this area now charge but there are still some that offer freebies. Winery opening hours also tend to reflect the lack of tourist traffic in the area. Some wineries are only open weekends, others for limited hours or by appointment only. All tend to be open an hour later in the summer.

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