Wonders From The Aptos Wine Wander 

March 4, 2022 – From the Ser tasting room and deck at Cat and Cloud, the view to the ocean was gorgeous, as stray shards of sunlight made their way to the water through a thin veil of overcast. A perfect day for winetasting in charming Aptos offered 14 stops with 18 wineries that showed off the region’s depth and breadth in Burgundian varietals—with a few surprises thrown in. 

It also proved that you can very quickly blow an entire afternoon exploring all the nifty shops and tasting rooms in this very compact, yet diverse town. Who among us didn’t buy something at Magnolia or Warmth? Or Caroline’s Thrift Shop? It’s been so long since I did in person hands-on shopping, I’d forgotten the thrill of actually touching exotic fabric, instead of trusting a dubiously generated online review with suspicious spelling. Throw in a few ounces of alcohol and the urge to make an acquisition proves irresistible. 

My friend Connie could have gone for the indigo cashmere wrap, but the matching hat perched above it on the mannequin made a more practical appeal. With a little Twelve Stones Pinot Noir in the glasses of the gathered crowd at Magnolia, she modeled several others, but the vote was the blue and white boater. Group shopping provides perhaps a little too much encouragement to spend money, but it sure feels a bit like walking the runway at a fashion show. 

Magnolia Gifts & Gallery has such a compelling collection of candles, we couldn’t help but getting sucked down that olfactory rathole, although the hashish, leather and black cassis scented numbers left perhaps too much of a lasting impression. No less inviting is Warmth & Co, where irresistibly soft robes, socks, linens and sleepwear encourage heavenly slumber. There’s something about chenille. 

But back to the wine. We started out at the Sante Arcangeli tasting room, where Alex Baker and her Dad, Chris, were pouring the Aptos Vineyard lineup. The 2020 DaLarDi Pinot Noir rosé got a big thumbs up and the 2018 DaLarDi Pinot Noir and Lester Vineyard Syrah, all made by John Benedetti, were much enjoyed. 

On the lighter and brighter side, the 2019 Integrato Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from John Benedetti of Sante Arcangeli, delivered deftness and articulation. They positively soared. The Chardonnay is all wildflowers, with a touch of honey, Meyer lemon, nectarine and quince. The Pinot’s lovely strawberry and rhubarb flavors are positively perky. Benedetti shared that he finds Chardonnay tough to make sometimes—some hits, some misses—but really likes this one. 

Then it was on to Ser, where we delighted in the gorgeous 2019 Vermentino from Arroyo Seco, while taking in the brilliant metallic leaf accented paintings by local artist Hannah Baldrige. Mostly ocean scenes, with skies ranging from soothing to ominous, these come alive when the light hits the thin lines of silver, gold and copper, creating bursts of drama. 

Without a doubt, Pinot Noir was the star of this wine walk, and I could easily name a dozen that were stellar or approaching that designation. 

On top of the list would be the 2018 Twelve Stones Pinot Noir, made by Peter Kirchner (Coastal Range Vineyards) from fruit grown at Affie and Karen Munshi’s home estate in Scotts Valley, a seriously attention-getting wine, especially considering it was done in 100% new French oak (Francois Freres). The Pommard and 777 from this site make quite an impression. The 2019, done in 75% new barrels, was hugely spicy, and a tad more racy, but the wood was much more prominent. It needs time. This is a label to watch. 

The 2018 La Vida Bella Estate Pinot Noir was an all around favorite in my posse, for its finesse, fine breeding and perfect balance, a delightfully beguiling wine that invites contemplation. So, too, was the 2018 Charmant Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, named by Connie as a wine you want to spend the last half of the evening with, rather than something you make merry with over dinner prep. We put the 2018 Domingo Pinot Noir from Lester in the latter category, with its approachable and expansive dark fruit and just right acidity. 

Winemaker Brandon Armitage knows how to capture the essential energy of Pinot Noir in a way that delivers a taste of the wild and raw. Although served a tad too warm, a crime against this grape, the 2019 Meadowridge Vineyard Pinot Noir was impressive, with its core of sweet red plum jam woven with pomegranate, red cherry and a decided lick of cinnamon, nutmeg and Asian five spice. 

Served at absolutely the right temperature, the Big Basin Vineyards 2019 Coastview Vineyard Pinot Noir was like a falcon that swoops from the glass and soars above your tongue, touching down gracefully and coating it with delightful bursts of red currant and cran-raspberry. Its energy is inescapable: this is Pinot Noir that commands your attention. Racy acid keeps it flying high long after the satisfying finish becomes a memory. A masterfully orchestrated wine. 

Chardonnay is underappreciated in this AVA, as Pinot Noir often eclipses its subtler nuances. Though there were few on offer, those we tried were beautiful, delicate and charming, including the 2019 Charmant from Tondré Grapefields (SLH), the aforementioned 2019 Integrato from Benedetti (all SLH fruit), and the stellar 2019 Howard Family Chardonnay from Big Basin Vineyards, close to perfection in its weight, juiciness and exceptional balance of fruit and oak. 

For those with a preference for weight and heft, there were some righteous Syrahs: looking at you, Lester Vineyards. And the 2018 Wirz Vineyard Carignane from Big Basin Vineyards that is such a fun mashup of sweet fruit and vegetal undertones, creating a broadly appealing food wine for vegetable stews and bean dishes. My posse universally loved the arresting 2018 Left Bend Cabernet Franc from Camel Hill Vineyard, on Bear Creek Road, with its essence of red fruit, cedar and satiny tannins. 

Even though it was impossible to make it to all the stops, unless you did a forced march, and didn’t linger to chat with the winery folks or winemaking legend, Tom Stutz, or stop to enjoy the music of guitarist Ed Lane, who was playing in front of Cantine, the overall impression was of high quality excellent wines with an appealing breadth of expression. 

The Santa Cruz Mountains have it all going on, and Aptos is certainly a worthy destination for tourist dollars. But where do you stay if you’re visiting and want to overnight here? 

Which leads to this overriding question: why hasn’t someone restored the Bayview Hotel yet?