MJA Vineyards, Ingalls Street westside

MJA is the initials of Marin John Artukovich, who comes from a line of Croatian tradesmen and farmers and was the first of his family born in the United States. He worked in the family business, surfed, played professional beach volleyball, then retired to Hawaii and spent more than twenty years farming Kona coffee.

The wine came later. He bought Napa vineyards in August 2007 and made a first barrel under the Serene Cellars label, then added Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards in 2011 for the DaVine Cellars wines. Two winemakers now split the work: Rob Lloyd handles Serene Cellars in Napa, David Middleton makes DaVine Cellars here in Santa Cruz.

The Hawaii years show in the room. The westside cellar and tasting room lean deliberately into an Aloha welcome, and tastings finish with a cup of the family's own Kona coffee rather than a spit bucket and a receipt.

There is space to spread out: a covered patio and courtyard with fire pits, an indoor bar, and a larger barrel room, which is also where the winery runs its Wine Cellar Cinema movie nights.

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