Twenty three wineries. Two days. Get ready to wine, dine and
have a good time. The modest asking price of $30 will get some bang
for your buck during the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Passport
Weekend, which is happening this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
Twenty three wineries. Two days. Get ready to wine, dine and have a good time.
The modest asking price of $30 will get some bang for your buck during the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Passport Weekend, which is happening this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Meander the pastoral backroads of Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill for free tastings of award-winning wines, barrel samples, tours, music, antipasti and special discounts at more than two dozen wineries participating in the promotion.
As Passport Weekend only occurs twice a year in the first weekend of October and the last weekend of March, it’s a great chance to stock up for the year on locally made, discounted wines, as well as meet the makers behind the labels.
While the event has long garnered a healthy influx of visitors from around the Bay Area, Jane Howard, Executive Director of the Gilroy Welcome Center, said locals are slowly but surely beginning to take advantage of “the jewels in their backyard.”
“It’s one of those things you don’t know how fabulous it is until you tell others about it,” she said, of Passport Weekend, which directly benefits South County in terms of gas, restaurant, shopping and hotel revenue.
Howard also bragged about Gilroy’s featured wineries. Not only are they bringing home more awards and gaining more recognition in the competitive arena, they’ve also upped their monthly recreational activities and events, she said.
New to Passport Weekend this year are the Aver Family Vineyards at 2900 Soma Way in Gilroy, and Lightheart Cellars at 305 Roosevelt Ave. in San Martin.
Passports are $30 per person to take part in activities planned exclusively for Passport holders, and can be purchased at the Gilroy Visitor Center, the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce or at individual wineries. Santa Clara Valley Wines also has a free iPhone app to track the area’s wineries.
Details: 842-6436 or www.santaclarawines.com
Here is a glance at what some wineries will offer this weekend. All wineries will have free tastings as part of Passport Weekend.
SOLIS WINERY
The winery will serve burger sliders, a specially selected tasting, barrel tastings and bottle discounts. Co-owner/winemaker Mike Vanni suggested nabbing a bottle of Solis’s award-winning 2010 Estate Fiano or 2007 Estate Sangiovese. Located: 3920 Hecker Pass Road, Gilroy. Call: 847-6306
SARAH’S VINEYARD
Sarah’s will be serving appetizers and offering select wines on sale for $18 each. Visitors are encouraged to relax on the patio or play a round of bocce ball. Wags & Wine, a “day of doggy fun,” will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Guests are welcome to bring socialized and leashed dogs to enjoy a day at the winery, where canines and owners can explore 23 acres of of “dog-walking paradise” and a doggy costume contest at 2 p.m. with prizes. Guests are encouraged to take home a bottle of pinot noir, a varietal for which Sarah’s is known. Located: 4005 Hecker Pass Highway in Gilroy. Call: 1-877-44-PINOT
MARTIN RANCH WINERY
It’s a busy weekend for owners/winemakers Dan and Therese Martin, who, like other winemakers, are preoccupied with harvesting and crushing. But they’ll be open for business this weekend, and offering free tastings of all of their award-winning Santa Clara Valley wines. Passport holders and non-wine club members will get 10 percent off all bottle purchases of any of Martin Ranch’s Santa Clara Valley wines. The Martins suggest their 2007 Santa Clara Valley Sangiovese. Located: 6675 Redwood Retreat Road in Gilroy. Call: 842-9197
JASON-STEPHENS WINERY
“I’m just going to pump music outside,” said winemaker Jason Goelz. “I’m going to make it a little bit of a party.” Jason-Stephens will be serving appetizers, offering discounted bottles and the opportunity for Passport holders to “be a wine club member for the weekend.” Visitors will also have a chance to taste the new and yet-to-be-unveiled 2008 cabernet. Located: 11775 Watsonville Road, Gilroy. Call: 846-8463.
SATORI CELLARS
Will be open both days from noon to 5 p.m. and welcoming guests with four estate reds that have all been awarded Gold, Double Gold or Best of Class honors at regional competitions. Visitors who purchase a combination of any three bottles from the list of five wines available for complimentary tasting will receive a fourth bottle of equal or lesser value for free. Satori will serve grilled sausage sandwiches and “incredible” brownies. There will be music from R&B/jazz musician David Johnson; fresh herbs and vegetables on sale from the San Martin-based Ynot Organics farm and custom jewelry for sale. Local painter JoAnne Perez Robinson will also display her original artwork. Located: 2100 Buena Vista Ave. Call: 848-5823.
KIRIGIN CELLARS
Will feature a champagne greet, pork sliders and mouth-watering sundaes made with their signature dessert wine, a coffee and chocolate port called “Vina de Mocha.” Kirigin will be open until 6 p.m. on both days. Located: 11550 Watsonville Road. Call: 847-8827.
HECKER PASS WINERY
Will have “big” discounts, music, appetizers (meatballs, cheese, crackers, olives) and all of its wines available for tasting. Visitors are encouraged to get their hands on a bottle of Petite Sirah. Located: 4605 Hecker Pass Road. Call: 842-8755
FORTINO WINERY
Will make pizzas in a brick oven and serving delicious almond champagne cupcakes. There will be five wines included in the free tasting and a sale on pinot noir. Entertainment will be provided by local blues guitarist/singer John Garcia from 1 to 5 p.m. on both days. Located: 4525 Hecker Pass Road. Call: 842-3305.
RAPAZZINI WINERY
Bring your appetite: Rapazzini will be serving up homemade, old-fashioned paninis with different cheeses, cold cuts and artisan jellies, plus delectable edibles of olives, cured vegetables and their “famous” garlic blue cheese butter. There will be specials on all the red and white varietals, with 25 percent off each case. There will also be 15 percent off mixed cases of specialty fruit wines, so patrons can mix and match choices like apricot, peach, raspberry delight and berry berry wines that are “out of this world,” which Rapazzini co-owner Alex Larson suggested mixing with almond champagne for a concoction he calls “the baby maker” – because if you have two of those, “you want to practice making babies.” Located: 4350 Monterey Road. Call: 848-3646.
