August 15, 2025 – In the Winery Consolidation and Departures Department, we recently received a newsletter from Jerold O’Brien of Silver Mountain saying that his good friend Bob Mullen, who founded Woodside Vineyards in 1963, had grown weary of the business, and had made Jerold an offer that was hard to refuse. Woodside Vineyards was the second winery to be bonded in the 100-year history of the Santa Cruz Mountains at the time. Mullen is now 99.
O’Brien says, “My good friend for 55 years, Bob Mullen, is tired…… of the wine business. He has asked us to purchase Woodside Vineyards and at a more than fair price.”
For the past few months, O’Brien tells us his crew has been busy bottling and transporting all the new equipment, including tanks, barrels and inventory, from the San Carlos location of Woodside Vineyards at AutoVino to their new home at Silver Mountain.
“We never believed that this much stuff would fit,” says O’Brien.
He’s still noodling over what to do with all of the extra Woodside Vineyards wine. “It may take 2 or 3 years to thin out our inventory,” says O’Brien. “Eventually, 3, 4 or 5 years we expect to realize a profit. More importantly, my dear friend Bob Mullen may be at Peace.”
Jerold closed out the newsletter by saying, “Apparently this Old Man will be busy for a while. Will I make it to 99??”
We can almost bet on it. Wine keeps us strong.
Here is the text of the letter that was sent out to members of the Woodside Vineyards wine club and fans. This is reprinted from In Menlo, a daily newsletter produced by my good friend Linda Hubbard.
Dear Woodside Vineyards Friends:
I have a big announcement! After 63 years of continuous operation, I have sold Woodside Vineyards to a friend and colleague, Jerold O’Brien of Silver Mountain Vineyards (269 Silver Mountain Dr., Los Gatos).
We are winding down operations in San Carlos and transferring inventory and equipment to his winery in August.
We will continue to be open on Saturdays and Sundays until Labor Day and will have all wine club shipments, futures shipments, Port and other orders available for you to pick up until August 31st.
While we have cancelled our Thursday evening events on August 28th and September 25th, we will be open with our team to assist with filling orders and pick-ups from 12–4pm on Saturday August 30th, and Sunday August 31st.
If you wish to pick up wines earlier than August 30th, please contact Phil at AutoVino to arrange a time, (650-444-2358 or phil@auto-vino.com). AutoVino will continue to operate at the San Carlos location, including serving food and WV wines and all the other activities and events they host!
Thank you for your years of support — I hope you’ve enjoyed our wines as much as we have enjoyed making them and sharing them with you!
As I approach my 100th birthday in February, I will now officially retire!
Cheers! L’Chaim! Cin Cin! Salute! Sante! Salud! Prost! Ganbei! Kanpei!
– Bob Mullen
The post Woodside Vineyards sold to Silver Mountain Vineyards appeared first on InMenlo.
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
