VinoForLess.com

I’m always extolling the virtues of the Santa Cruz wine region, particularly because it’s in my backyard. In my humble opinion, too many Santa Clara county locals make the long haul to Napa for overpriced and sometimes overly pretentious wine tasting. I have a feeling that the majority of Santa Cruz county folk don’t bother with Napa, at least not very often. But I digress. I hope to enlighten some readers about a number of wonderful wineries, a couple of which I visited this weekend. And yes, you can find some great wines for under $25.

This weekend, I made my way to a not so well known winery located in Campbell–Pinder Winery. Pinder is family run and has a number of great wines under $20. They include a 2003 Lodi Merlot, a wonderful 2003 Mourvedre, and a great 2002 Zinfandel to name a few. Pinder doesn’t boast the beautiful property that most of its Santa Cruz region neighbors do. However, the wine speaks for itself.

Another stop this weekend was Picchetti Winery. These guys do sport the beautiful property complete with peacocks, picnic area and hiking trails. It’s one of the nicest spots to visit within the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. Most of their wine list is over the $25 mark, but you can find a half-dozen from their list that are under $25. Among those, my personal favorite is their 2004 Chardonnay. One disappointing note about Picchetti , is that club members are now limited to one free tasting per month.

Cooper Garrod Vineyards was our final stop this particular Saturday. I haven’t been here in at least two years. There was a reason for that, but I must admin, I’m a fan now. They have excellent reds including a 2004 Merlot, 2003 Cabernet Franc and a 2003 Morin Vineyard Pinot Noir ($20). I had the pleasure of meeting George Cooper, a gentleman who is 91 years of age. George shared stories of his parent and in-laws who settled in California during the 1800s and later founded Cooper-Garrod. I also learned that this scenic vineyard was once an orchard of apricots and other fruit. Worth noting is that Cooper Garrod has horseback riding tours that take you along some of the most beautiful hills in all of Silicon Valley.

Needless to say, I spent a few bucks on wine this weekend. You may not be tempted to buy at all of these wineries, but visiting their tasting rooms is a must for any wine lover.