Wine Line: Walk and taste in Santa Cruz

It's official. You can add Santa Cruz and the Surf City Vintners to the list of walking wine tasting routes. This would be wine-walk No. 5. Can you remember the first four? We happened onto this area last year while tracking down the new Bonny Doon Winery tasting room and restaurant. Having "doon-sized," Bonny Doon Winery moved into this industrial-chic area on the west side of Santa Cruz on Ingalls Street. The tasting room and adjacent Cellar Door Café are quite impressive. We returned for a second visit and decided that this location definitely qualifies for a walking wine-tasting route.

You can walk and taste an incredible variety of hand crafted local wines from 10 wineries in this renovated former brussels sprout packing-shed complex. More than likely, the person who will be pouring the wine will be the winemaker. These wineries call themselves the Surf City Vintners, and on the third Saturday of each month, they host a special event, such as the wine and cheese pairing coming up this Saturday. Most of the wineries are open daily from noon to 4 p.m., with minimal tasting fees, refunded with purchase.

Pelican Ranch, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Sones Cellars, Vino Tabli and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard are located in the complex near Bonny Doon. Hillcrest Terrace Winery is located across the street, and Copious Winery, Equinox/Bartolo Winery and Trout Gulch are two blocks down Swift Street, toward the ocean. All tasting rooms are within walking distance from your parked car. If you've ever driven the narrow winding roads of the Santa Cruz mountains, you'll appreciate the park, walk and taste routine here at the Surf City Vintners.

Kelly's French Bakery draws a big brunch/lunch crowd if you arrive early and need a bite to eat. Also on the other side of the Bonny Doon Winery is the New Leaf Market, which has an attractive deli with both hot and cold selections for takeout. You can also order Kelly's Bakery-made sandwiches at the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery and sample a few specialty brews.

Lunch is served at the Cellar Door on weekends and dinner Wednesdays through Sunday. The delicious Mediterranean style food from Chef Charlie Parker's kitchen, paired with the perfect Bonny Doon Wine, would be an ideal way to finish the Surf City wine walk. Or if you are keeping track, that would be wine walk No. 5.

Finding the Surf City Wineries isn't hard. Take Highway 1 (also called Mission Street) north. Head into Davenport. When it looks as though you've reached the last stoplight in Santa Cruz, it will be Swift Street. Turn left, cross the railroad tracks and turn left again on Ingalls and you're there. Enjoy an inspiring day in Santa Cruz.

What's On Our Table 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay for those chardonnay fans out there, here it is. A great chardonnay for under $10 that has that rich buttery style without sacrificing chardonnay fruit flavors. Wine Spectator gave the wine a score of 90 and think it's an amazing buy for $8.99, and I do, too. This should be available at Raley's, Save Mart, Beverages and More and Safeway. Cheers!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can reach me a rgwinton@yahoo.com.