Time to sharpen your wine-tasting instincts and prepare for some vintage fun, at this year's Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (whew!) 24th annual Vintner's Festival. This year's bigger-than-ever shindig is nicknamed “Roots that Rock” in honor of our region's long heritage as a winegrowing region. The event's title also honors the rockin' live music that will add to the ambience of the Festival's final day—a brand new event—the Vintner's Festival Street Faire. The latter event happens on Sunday June 9, from 11am until 3pm, and offers plenty of tasting from top area wineries, plus live entertainment, art opportunities and summertime artisan foods from purveyors such as Mission Hill Creamery, Buttercup Cupcakes (sign me up!), Center Street Grill, Pacific Thai, Chocolate and tons more. The great thing about this final day Downtown Faire is that it will offer a vibrant combo of outdoor festival action, plus a one-stop shopping taste of Santa Cruz Mountains wines.
But of course for many veteran Vintner's Festival-goers, the heart of the two-weekend action is the chance to tour the vineyards and winemaking facilities of favorite wineries.
This year's Vintner's tour will feature more than 50 Santa Cruz Mountain wineries that dot our coastline, hillsides and redwood forests. Here's how it works. You go to the website and purchase your $40 ticket—this gives you access to four days of tasting, 10 tasting tickets and wine glass, plus the big downtown Faire on June 9. Or, you can purchase your ticket for $50 at any of the wineries. On the weekend of June 1 & 2 wineries on the east side of the Mountains will be pouring at their tasting rooms and/or winery. On the second weekend of the event, June 8 & 9, wineries on the west side of the mountains will be open and pouring. Noon to 5pm each day.
And that festive downtown faire finale happens from 11am – 3pm, Sunday June 9 on Pacific Avenue, between Locust and Walnut. The street fest is open to the public. Wine tasting requires purchase of $8 glass and tasting tickets (additional tasting tickets are $1 each.) If you're confused by all of this, relax. It's Santa Cruz. Just visit the website and then head for a winery. Nature will do the rest.
Get Down on the Farm: You've heard about it, you've enjoyed its harvests, now why not actually get down on the farm for yourself? The UCSC Farm is offering guided public tours, from 2- 3:30pm on first Sundays June 2. You'll be able to see how all of this state-of-the-art organic growing is done, check out the laboratories and greenhouse research facilities of this agro-ecology site, see the hand-worked garden beds, orchards, and best of all—enjoy a splendid view of the Monterey Bay from these 30 gorgeous acres. If you've never toured the Farm, you owe yourself a chance to see how vibrant and fertile this place is. Tours meet at the Gatehouse, about 1/4 mile up the gravel road next the Blacksmith Shop. For details call 831 459-3240, or check the UCSC Farm website.
Almond Cakes of the Gods: Well, at least that's what they taste like. These lovely, utterly tender and blissfully satisfying little fresh-baked almond cakes will cost you a mere $1.50, and you'll go around all morning with a grin on your face. Get them at either of the two downtown Santa Cruz Lulu's coffeehouses —I lean toward the historic Octagon myself. I strongly suggest adding a double macchiato and then enjoying the intertwining sensations of earthy caffeine and toothsome almond cake. There are even gluten-free versions of these locally-made gourmet goodies, but they pop up when they want to, so stop by often.
