The Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail was established in 2014 as a collaboration between the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County and the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association, complete with roadside trail signage to steer visitors between cellars. It threads through California's first premium wine-producing region - the valley the AVA petition called home when Gene Guglielmo, grandson of winery founder Emilio Guglielmo, filed it in 1986. Since 2020, a year-long Wine Trail Pass has offered a one-time tasting at each member winery, anchored by three Wine Trail Days held in winter, summer and fall.
The Member Wineries, San Jose to Pacheco Pass
Listed roughly north to south: the San Jose and Saratoga hills first, then the Morgan Hill and San Martin cluster, the Gilroy and Hecker Pass corridor, and finally the Pacheco Pass gateway stops.
- Alamitos Vineyards
- Bella Montagna
- J. Lohr San Jose Wine Center
- Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards
- Cinnabar Winery
- Guglielmo Winery
- Cottage Creek Vineyards
- Lightpost Winery
- Moose Mountain Vineyards
- Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery
- Miramar Vineyards
- CordeValle Winery
- DeRose Winery - San Martin Tasting Room
- Horse Thief Vineyards
- Twice Tyger
- MOHI Ranch
- Little Uvas Vineyard
- Martin Ranch Winery
- Sarah's Vineyard
- Solis Winery
- Fortino Winery
- Hecker Pass Winery
- Besson Family Vineyards
- Kirigin Cellars
- Satori Cellars
- J Winston Winery
- Verde Vineyards
- Calerrain Wines
- L & M Vineyard
- Casa de Fruta Winery
What the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail Is Like
This is a trail of family names and long memory. The person pouring is often the winemaker, several member estates farm vines over a century old - Besson's Grenache dates to 1910 - and the range runs from working ranches (Cooper-Garrod, farmed since 1893) to a Trappist-quiet hillside above the old Mirassou property (Bella Montagna) to Casa de Fruta's roadside empire on Pacheco Pass. Expect picnic grounds, bocce courts, live-music weekends and fees that stay friendly by Bay Area standards. The trail's spine is the Hecker Pass corridor west of Gilroy, where five member cellars line one mountain highway, but the full run stretches from San Jose's New Almaden hills to the Pacheco Pass gateway.
Planning Your Visit
Most members pour on weekends with several open daily; reservations are recommended for the smaller estates and required at a handful. The Wine Trail Pass, sold through the association, is the best-value way to work the full roster across a year. Distances are short - San Jose to Gilroy runs about 45 minutes - so a Hecker Pass Saturday plus a Watsonville Road Sunday covers the heart of the trail in one weekend.
The trail is the visitor route: the 30 member wineries of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association, marked with roadside signage since 2014. The Santa Clara Valley AVA is the federal growing appellation - petitioned in 1986 and including the smaller Pacheco Pass and San Ysidro District AVAs within its bounds. Some valley wineries pour without joining the association, and our Santa Clara Valley region page tracks the full picture.
Explore More of Santa Clara Valley Wine Country
Browse every winery on the winery browser or plot your route on the map.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail Pass?
A year-long pass created in 2020 offering a one-time tasting at each member winery, with three Wine Trail Days held in winter, summer and fall; it is sold through the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association.
How many wineries are on the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail?
The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association currently lists 30 member wineries, from San Jose and Saratoga south through Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy to Pacheco Pass.
Where does the trail start?
There is no fixed start: the Hecker Pass corridor west of Gilroy holds the densest cluster, while San Jose visitors often begin at Alamitos in the New Almaden hills or the J. Lohr San Jose Wine Center.
Do I need reservations?
Several larger rooms welcome walk-ins daily, while smaller estates pour weekends and recommend or require reservations; check each winery page before the drive.
Member list verified 2026-08-05 from the trail's published directory. Membership, hours, and pass availability change; confirm with the trail and individual wineries before visiting.