Praise be to the gods of pizza and pasta, and wine. Fridays and Saturdays have already become legend at Little Uvas and DeRose Vineyards on Fitzgerald Avenue in San Martin, where the hospitality flows like wine, and the woodfired pizza oven turns out pies for which people gladly stand in line.
As longtime sous chef at Rosy’s at the Beach in Morgan Hill, Chef Berto Breton established himself as a beloved member of the kitchen staff there. When former owners, Rich and Rosy Bergin, sold the place in 2023 to Pam Novak and Vanessa Bermudez, he transitioned over to Little Uvas, where he brings his skills to the pizza oven. He makes all the dough and the sauces, and cooks up special pastas every Thursday evening.
Rosy and Rich purchased this sweet piece of dirt a few years back, knowing they eventually wanted to retire from the restaurant business. Turns out they haven’t fully managed to do so.
It takes a special love of endlessly hard work to be in this game. The hospitality gene is hard to turn off. Like it or not, the Bergins are well and truly still in the food service business. Wine is just another gateway to food. They’re now in it with both feet.
Consulting with other winemakers in the Santa Clara Valley on what varieties to plant on their parcel, they were encouraged to install cabernet sauvignon, which they did, and to avoid sauvignon blanc, merlot and syrah, which they also chose to plant. In retrospect, very wise choices.
Gene Guglielmo, of Guglielmo Winery, also suggested barbera to the Bergins, who planted a quarter of an acre. For other varietals, like chardonnay, they turned to Regan Vineyards in Corralitos, owned by John Bargetto.
Little Uvas just released a Fiano, a robust Italian varietal, from Michael Mann Vineyard. Rich Bergin knows there’s a dearth of whites in Santa Clara Valley, and is determined to broaden his selection.
When you visit Little Uvas, you are also visiting DeRose, as the two wineries share a garage filled with fun cars and tables for tasting. They also share a winemaker, Alphonse DeRose, who crafts all the reds and the chardonnay, for Little Uvas. Winemaker Jeff Fadness makes their sauvignon blanc.
Tasting options here are many: you can escape sun and wind inside their garage-turned-tasting lounge, complete with a walled off area that feels like a little café; or you can enjoy the bucolic views of the agricultural fields and green hills to the west outside at one of their many picnic tables.
On chillier days, you can taste in one of the adorable Airstream trailers they have on the property.
On a recent visit to Little Uvas, Bergin, wearing a t-shirt depicting the perils of nude flyfishing, poured us an easy drinking 2023 sauvignon blanc from the property, with flavors ranging from lemon grass to ripe melon and tropical fruits. This is the kind of sauv blanc that has broad appeal. The Bergins paired this with a shrimp cocktail gazpacho.
Bergin then served us lovely romaine Caesar salads with gigantic croutons, paired with the Little Uvas 2024 Rosé of Syrah, tangy but fruity with a big mouthfeel.
Breton then got to work on the first of three pizzas, each based on his recipe for a three-day sourdough ferment. Paired with a salmon pizza was the sensational 2021 Little Uvas “Puppy Luv” Merlot, which proves that people still grow this grape, long after the nearly fatal blow of the movie “Sideways.”
Perfectly soft, smooth and lush velvety in the mouth without being overripe or green, too tannic, too oaky or just too overwrought, this particular merlot may well become one of your favorite reds. With great fruit, acid and body, this is a merlot that you can proudly serve your friends and declare: Merlot Is Not Dead Yet. Take that, pinot noir!
Breton then served up the perfect slice of Santa Clara Valley, with garlic from Gilroy and mushrooms from Morgan Hill, plus pepperoni for the kind of savory meltiness that highlighted the earthy spiciness of the 2021 Little Uvas Estate Syrah.
Not one to skip dessert, Bergin and Breton surprised us with an apple pie (pizza) paired with the 2022 Little Uvas Chardonnay from Regan Vineyard, which proved an epic pairing, as the sweet and cream barrel toast made merry with the warm apple pie spices—emphasis on cinnamon and nutmeg. Bergin said he was pretty stoked about this wine, with bright acidity and coastal fruit which is nigh impossible to achieve in the Santa Clara Valley.
Make Little Uvas your destination on Thursday night for the “Corks & Pasta” event, from 4-8pm, where you can enjoy a bottle of wine and two pastas for $50, (upcharge of $15 for the barbera). Pasta choices are spaghetti and meatballs, chicken and fettuccine Alfredo, as well as pesto penne prima vera.
Pizzas are offered Fridays from 4-8pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5pm. Bergin says that the Friday night “happy hour” is pretty popular, and has become a favorite hang. Be prepared for a crowd.
Who can blame people for wanting to relax in this fun little spot with the feel of a mini camping resort? Plus, with a classic car restoration shop on the premises, there’s plenty of chrome to ogle while you’re contemplating the finer nuances of their sleek barbera and that faith-restoring merlot.
