True to the Mountains… True to the Grapes

Bonny Doon, CA

Located in the Santa Cruz mountains, the Beauregard Vineyards tasting room provides a trip back in time and an experience full of history and character. A six-minute drive up Bonny Doon Road from the Coast lands you in the community of Bonny Doon, whose main attraction is the Beauregard Vineyards historic wine tasting room, at the heart of the Ben Lomond AVA (American Viticultural Area).

The Beauregard tasting room is rich with local history, from its days as The Lost Weekend Bar, community market, and general hang-out spot. It has aged very well, in redwood, inside and out. Co-existing with the California “big tree” coast redwoods that surround it, a beautifully-crafted redwood bar creates a natural platform for wine tasting that hints at the roots of Bonny Doon’s fruits.

On a warm Saturday afternoon in the Fall, the place is buzzing with wineclub members picking up their wine, locals coming in to chitchat, and tourists seeking out good wine and new wine experiences.

The wine and the tasting experience here is great. Beauregard’s wines have won acclaim from Wine Enthusiast Magazine, the San Francisco Cronicle Wine Competition, Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition, Wine Advocate, Planet Grape, and Pinofile, to name a few, primarily for their Chards and Pinot Noirs.

The unique climate and geology create unique flavor patterns that open up into a bouquet of “typicity”, which is a wine term used to characterize how well a wine reflects its varietal origins and characteristics that keep it true to the grape.

The staff is very knowledgeable and accommodating, and the menu of flights available for tasting offer a deeper understanding of Ben Lomond AVA wine.

There is much to enjoy here, inside and out. The inside is like a cozy mountain hideaway. The outside is Mother Nature embracing you with big trees, lush meadows, and natural alcoves perfect for a wine picnic for two or for a group outing. Picnic tables and live music bring the party outside.

There is truth to be found here. Breathe deeply, hug a tree, and sip yourself into Santa Cruz Mountain nirvana…

About Author