Wine Lover: New additions add to wine trail’s charms

The Summit to Sea Wine Trail, which runs along Bear Creek and Summit roads, once comprised only Byington Winery, David Bruce Winery, Burrell School Winery and Silver Mountain Vineyards.
Over the past few years, however, it has become more and more popular, and new wineries have opened along the trail. Loma Prieta Winery opened a few years ago, followed by Regale Vineyards soon after.
Recently, we’ve had two more additions to the trail, with the opening of MJA tasting room and Villa Del Monte Winery this year. The new additions bring the total to eight wineries on the Summit to Sea Wine Trail and make it an even more enjoyable wine region to visit.
Loma Prieta and Regale have the most extravagant views and properties, in my opinion. Loma Prieta has been doing well ever since it opened and is making delicious, award-winning pinot noir. Regale is one of those places that you visit and feel like you are at an Italian villa. Its outdoor grounds are serene and make it easy for visitors to enjoy a picnic lunch while tasting wine. Regale also recently had the brilliant idea to offer sparkling wine tastings, which helps to set it apart from its neighbors. Regale and Equinox are the only two Santa Cruz Region wineries to offer sparkling wine.
MJA opened a tasting room just this year and offers Napa cabernet sauvignon and Santa Cruz pinot noir, among other wines. The owners started out in the Kona coffee business, and they have excellent coffee beans available at the winery, as well.
Villa Del Monte Winery is the most recent addition to the trail. John Overstreet and Neil Perrelli are the winemakers and buy their grapes from Napa and from local Santa Cruz Vineyards. Call before you try and visit Villa Del Monte, as the winery is not open every weekend.
It is wonderful to support these new wineries, but don’t forget the original group that made the Summit to Sea Wine Trail famous. Jerold O’Brien has been making wine at Silver Mountain since 1979 and is still going strong. I have visited Silver Mountain many times and always enjoy listening to Jerold’s winemaking stories. Burrell School is a can’t-miss and can easily be seen from the road. Just look for the little red schoolhouse.
If you haven’t had a chance to explore the Summit to Sea Wine Trail, get up there while they are still harvesting and the weather’s still warm. Cheers!
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.