The Wine Lover: Exploring the Santa Cruz Region: Corralitos District

This column is the second of several in which I’ll describe my wine districts of Santa Cruz County. Last time, I discussed the Soquel foothills. This week’s focus, the Corralitos district of Santa Cruz County, is the most easily defined in our region.
Nicholson Vineyards, Alfaro Vineyards, Pleasant Valley Vineyards, Natal Winery and Windy Oaks Winery all belong to the Corralitos district. These boutique wineries are all well known for making fabulous pinot noir and being family-owned and -operated. Other notable vineyards, such as Deer Park, Lester and Regan, are also planted here and produce grapes bought by wineries all over the region.
The vineyards in Corralitos are some of the closest to the ocean in the Santa Cruz region. The proximity to the ocean and the morning fog cool the region down in the mornings and give the grapes a break from the summertime afternoon heat. Between terroir and a commitment to small production, the Corralitos district has all the ingredients to produce world-class pinot noir.
Alfaro Vineyards, owned and operated by Richard and Mary Kay Alfaro, produces estate pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah and merlot. The vineyards sprawl across the property and extend beyond the hills from the tasting room. It is quite a beautiful scene to sip pinot on their deck and enjoy a sunny day. All of the Alfaro wines are award-winners, and they are reasonably priced as well.
Nicholson Vineyards is also family-owned by Marguerite and Brian Nicholson. Their tasting room is surrounded by lush vines and olive trees. Among other wines, such as excellent zinfandel, they produce estate pinot noir and chardonnay. The Nicholson pinot is one of my favorite Santa Cruz wines. Unlike other pinots, it is a bold, spicy wine with balance and a deeper red hue. It pairs superbly with barbecued chicken or salmon.
Pleasant Valley Vineyards is another acclaimed pinot noir producer and is home to the famous Dylan David vineyard. The Dylan David is no everyday table wine. It usually falls in the $80-a-bottle price range. But if you are up for a treat, it’s worth every penny.
Windy Oaks Winery, up Browns Valley Road, is the only one of the five that isn’t within five minutes’ driving distance of the others.
Compared with other Santa Cruz districts, Corralitos is tiny. All the wineries are within about a mile of each other. That means the region is based in a very specific terroir.
The Corralitos District is one of the best known and most treasured viticulture areas that Santa Cruz has to offer. It has all the makings to become one of the top California pinot noir districts in the upcoming years.
In the next several weeks, I will continue to describe how I think Santa Cruz’s wine districts should be defined.
Austin Twohig is a certified sommelier and partner in The Santa Cruz Experience, which conducts winery tours in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact him at

au****@th********************.com











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