About El Vaquero Winery
El Vaquero is a small family-run winery on Freedom Boulevard in Corralitos, and it is as much a music venue as a tasting room. Its own tagline, where neighbours become friends, is a fair description of what the room is for.
The name comes from the label's own story: a cowboy said to watch over the estate vineyard, an apparition the family says has made himself known more than once. It is a nod to Corralitos ranching heritage rather than a marketing invention bolted on later.
The wines are taken seriously despite the party. The list runs to more than fifteen varietals, led by a Cabernet Franc and a Carignane bottled as One-Eyed Charley, and the winery took five medals at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle competition with double golds on both flagships.
Live music runs two or three nights most weeks, usually with a cover of around ten dollars that the winery says goes entirely to the bands. Thursday is trivia, free and unreserved, with teams of two to six playing for a bottle. A local food truck is normally parked up alongside.
Readers of the local paper voted it the area's most popular live music venue two years running, and the Pajaro Valley chamber named it business of the year in 2023.
A Corralitos winery that doubles as the valley's favourite music room, with the cover going straight to the band.
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Music two or three nights a weekVoted the area's most popular live music venue by local readers two years running, with the cover charge passed on to the performers.
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Decorated flagshipsFive medals at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle competition, including double golds for the Cabernet Franc and the One-Eyed Charley Carignane.
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Free Thursday triviaNo booking, teams of two to six, and a bottle for the winners - a genuinely local midweek night rather than a tasting.
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Food truck on siteA local truck normally parked alongside, so the evening does not have to end when you get hungry.
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Dogs and families welcomeListed as both dog friendly and family friendly by the regional association.
"Corralitos's community room: award-winning Cabernet Franc, a band most weekends, and trivia on Thursdays."
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Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from El Vaquero Winery, please check the winery'Santa Cruz Mountains producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
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El Vaquero Winery has not published a current tasting menu or pricing that we have been able to verify. Check the winery website for what is being poured and what it costs before you visit.
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