Santa Cruz - Wines of Surf City

It’s no surprise that oenophiles flock to California, but it is a surprise when instead of heading north to Napa, they head south to Santa Cruz... 

Known as Surf City, this beachside town of 80,000 is more famous for its waves than its wine, but the Santa Cruz mountain region is an undiscovered gem with over 70 wineries and some of the best chardonnay and pinot noir in the state.    Wine has been made on the area’s coastal slopes for over a hundred years, and names like Mount Eden, Ridge Vineyards and Boony Doon all hail from this area, yet fame has been elusive. Part of the problem is that unlike Napa or Sonoma, the appellation is huge, and one single varietal doesn’t dominate.    The Santa Cruz appellation is blessed with shallow, rocky soil, similar to the Sonoma Coast. It has a cool moderating ocean climate to the west and warmer temperatures in the east.  This gift from Mother Nature is why so many varietals work. The lack of land devoted to vineyards in this area has kept the industry from flourishing, but it also has led to winemakers taking more risks, making wines that taste more French than California. 

BOUTIQUE WINERIES. Because the Santa Cruz appellation covers such a big area and there isn’t a formal wine trail, the easiest way to experience a terrific cross-section of the region is to stay in town and head to Surf City Vintners, a collective of 12 boutique wineries housed in a renovated warehouse space.    Many of the tasting rooms have fully working wineries inside where you can see and learn about the wine making process. Unlike the tasting rooms in Napa, here it’s often the winemaker himself pouring the wine and sharing the stories behind the winery.    That was certainly the case at Equinox, where owner and winemaker Barry Jackson sat down with me to taste some of the sparkling wine the label is known for. We kicked off with some bubbly – a Blanc de Blanc Monterey, a light, crisp, 100 per cent chardonnay. Somewhat dry, this aperitif was perfect for cocktail hour. We followed it with a Rosé, also from Monterey, that was just waiting for a hot summer day to pair with it.    As we sip, Jackson tells me how the Surf City Vintners, despite all being in the same business, view each other more as family than competition.    “We’re really just good friends and colleagues here. We cooperate and collaborate on winemaking,” he said. “We help each other and share resources.”    You get the feeling that this is the sense of community Napa and Sonoma had when winemaking was in its infancy and family-run wineries dominated.    Our next sips were the Brut Reserve and extended Blanc de Blanc Cuvee de Chardonnay, both from Santa Cruz vineyards. Both wines are aged for nine and 11 years respectively, resulting in a much more complex, yeasty, deeper coloured sparkling wine. I’m not surprised that my favorite sip of the afternoon was the most expensive… sigh.

MOUNTAIN VINEYARD. Next up is the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, which has a 40-year history of producing Burgundian style pinot noir, something detractors said couldn't be done at the time. For the past 39 years Jeff Emery has served as winemaker, and the winery has created so many wines that it split into two labels; Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Quinta Cruz.    The amount of different, unusual wine you can taste here is almost overwhelming, so I decide to focus on the Quinta Cruz wines, which are all made from Iberian grapes, the first in California to focus on these varietals.    The whites are crisp, lean and acidic, with no oak and butter overtones that so many California whites display. They’re fun to try because the nose belies the taste. Take the Albarino, which smells sweet and fruity, but is bone dry, or the Souzao, which smells like tires and oil and, according to tasting room manager Andrew Cohen, “is like a car crash you can’t take your nose away from.” Thankfully, it sips better than it smells!    While the whites are interesting to taste, it was the Rabelo port that won my heart and taste buds. Aged for over six years in oak, it is one of the few California ports that is made in the classic Portuguese method. There are many more wineries I could try out, but sadly while the spirit is willing, my tolerance levels are weak – it is time to find some food. PINOT SORBET. I head to Soif in downtown Santa Cruz, a local favourite for hard-to-find wines paired with food created from local ingredients, run by former Bonny Doon employees. Tolerance be damned, the Birichino 2013 pinot noir is far too good to pass up.    This is not normally a grape I love, but the expression of it in this local bottle is stellar and pairs well with the family-style dining going on at our table. Our group feasts on starters of chickpea panisse, DiStefano Burrata and my favourite, grilled octopus. Mains include Manila clams, grilled pork tenderloin and crispy fried quail.    Save room for dessert at the nearby Penny Ice Creamery, owned by the former pastry chef for the three Michelin star Manresa restaurant. Today Chef Kendra Baker is making sophisticated, composed desserts from this childhood delight. There’s even a wine tie-in. After the annual Pinot Paradise wine festival, one of the wineries gave Baker some extra pinot and she created a mouthwatering Strawberry Pinot Sorbet. Talk about a good use for leftovers!

SURFING SUCCESS. I waddle back to my room at the new Hotel Paradox. This Marriott Autograph Collection property is transforming Santa Cruz, bringing luxury accommodations to the city for the first time. The hotel pays homage to the stunning Redwood Forest surrounding Santa Cruz.    The front desk is actually crafted from a mind-boggling huge tree trunk. The rooms continue the nature vibe, done in warm creams and greys and featuring custom furnishings. In the summer, enjoy handcraft cocktails (or wine!) by the pool during the day and the fire pit at night.    If you want to work off the wine in a decidedly Santa Cruz way, book the Hotel Paradox’s special Exactly Like Nothing Else Package that includes a lesson with surf legend, Robert ‘Wingnut’ Weaver.     Wingnut, a Santa Cruz local, is the former director of the O’Neil Surf School in Europe and star of Endless Summer II. He normally only gives private lessons to Silicon Valley tech stars, A-list celebs and Wall Street tycoons, but he has partnered with the hotel to create this exclusive experience for its guests. Wingnut has a 100 per cent record of getting students up on the board during the first lesson; so even newbies are assured of success.    After the lesson, select whatever your favourite wine was and raise a glass to your success, the discovery of a new wine country and a relaxing holiday on the California coast.