The Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation
In 1981 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
approved the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. The first wine growing region to
be defined by a mountain range, it runs from eight miles north of Woodside,
near Half Moon Bay, to fifty miles south near Watsonville and includes parts of
three counties.
Of the approximately 350,000 acres within the borders, most
of the land consists of rugged steep terrain. The proximity to the Pacific
Ocean and the San Francisco Bay, with the related fog, makes the Santa Cruz
Mountains one of the coolest grape growing regions in the world and allows a
long growing season.
The Santa Cruz Mountains have been recognized as a premium
wine-producing region since the late 1800s. In 1891 the counties of Santa Cruz,
Santa Clara and San Mateo together had nearly 14,000 acres of planted
vineyards. The individual micro climates, marine influence, mountain terrain,
distinctive soils and low crop levels all contribute to the production of
intensely concentrated grapes with rich flavors. In the famous 1976 Paris
tasting at which California wines proved their worth against the best the
French could produce, two of the eleven wines chosen to represent California's
best were from the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Wineries
Drinking wine is an experience that involves many factors.
In addition to the color, the smell, and the taste, a little history about the
winery and the winemaker adds to the enjoyment. The thirty-five wineries
referred to in this series, each producing wine in the twenty to forty-dollar
range, are located in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.
With the help of June Smith, one of the original owners of
the Roudon-Smith winery, seven wineries were chosen for the first book. We
included wineries that had small to medium production and owners who were
colorful individuals. So in Murder
Before the Bell the owners had a variety of careers including a river guide, a hardware
engineer, a golf course developer, a grocery
store owner, a communication technology specialist and as a lawyer. This model has been used to select the wineries for the remaining
four books. The information comes from
talking with the owners, the winemakers, or knowledgeable employees at the
wineries or when that is not possible, interviews at their tasting rooms
Before we list the wineries in the series, one final word
about the selection of the wines for the food pairings is in order. Carrie Bradshaw in a Sex and the City episode talks of the za-za-zoo. It is her opinion
that relationships won't work without this magical quality and when it comes to
wine, I agree. The experts look for hints of fruits and spices in the wine and
analyze the balance and the body. Rick looks for the za-za-zoo. You don't need
to analyze a great wine to just enjoy it.
The wines can be purchased from the winery websites or from
the Vinocruz Website at www.vinocruz.com
The Wineries and the Wines featured in the Series
Information
about the wineries and the owners can be found at the end of each mystery.
Murder Before The Bell
River Run Vintners Cote D' Aromas
Burrell School Syrah
Nicholson’s Pinot Noir
Naumann's Tre Rosso Cali
Downhill Winery’s Susannah’s Barbera
Villa del Monte's Cabernet Sauvignon
Loma Prieta Merlot
Santa Cruz Mountain Durif
Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir
Salamandre Coyote Cuvée
Fernwood Mirepoix
Hunter Hill Zinfandel
Alfaro’s Billy K Merlot
Kathryn Kennedy Lateral
The Winning Certificate
Travieso Winery's Amaranta
Hallcrest Pinot Noir
Soquel Vineyards Trinity
Vine Hill Zinfandel
Silver Mountain Winery's Alloy
Martin Ranch Grenache
Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc
Woodside Vineyards Kings Mountain Cabernet
Clos LaChance Syrah
Poetic Cellars Mourvedre
Roudon-Smith Duet
Big Basin's Pinot Noir
Roudon-Smith Claret
Zayante Merlot
Beauregard's Late Harvest Zinfandel
Pelican Ranch Cinsault
Windy Oaks Pinot Noir
Rexford's Pinot Gris
Odonata Malbec
Mun's Pinot Noir Rose
Myka Cellar's CFM
MJA Winery's Rose
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