About This Winery
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Based in Santa Cruz, heartland of New Age thinking and deferred transition to adulthood, Bonny Doon Vineyard has a not-so surprising history of idealism and innovation. Founded by Randall Grahm in the bucolic hamlet of Bonny Doon, California, in 1983, Bonny Doon Vineyard is known for strikingly original wines made from lesser-known (though no less noble) grape varieties, the vinous Ugly Ducklings. Bonny Doon Vineyard made its mark with pioneering work with Rhône varieties, innovative production techniques, and imaginative marketing that has, truth be told, sometimes been too clever by half. Since the adoption of biodynamic farming practices in 2004 and the radical slimming down of product portfolio and case production in 2006 (with a concomitant greater degree of focus and attention to detail), the wines evince a more complex expression of varietal character, a more noticeable sense of organization, and a greater degree of life-force.
Bonny Doon Vineyard strives to make wines in a more or less oldfangled, unaffected manner, lacking flashy adornment, special FX, unnatural levels of ripeness, and other trappings of so-called winemaking progress. Their wines are moderate in alcohol, discreet in tannin extraction, fermented with indigenous yeast, and generally enjoy only nodding acquaintance with Quercus alba. Bonny Doon Vineyard seeks to produce wines that are profoundly organized, endowed with life force or the ability to tolerate oxidative challenge. Wines like this cannot precisely be made—rather, they must be translations of the vineyard’s own vitality.
The Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room is about 10 miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1. This is a wonderful intimate space that is the perfect venue to enjoy our doon-home wines, even if your home is perhaps Alpha Centauri. We’re here to serve mankind (wines that are out of this world).
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Winery Information
Hours: SPRINGMarch 01 – May 25
Hours
Open Daily 11:00-5:00*
* last pour is a half hour prior to close each day
SUMMER
May 26 – Sep 05
Hours
Sunday – Thursday 11:00-5:00*
Friday & Saturday 11:00-6:00*
* last pour is a half hour prior to close each day
FALL/WINTER
Sep 06 – Feb 28
Hours
Monday & Tuesday 11:00-5:00*
Wednesday closed
Thursday – Sunday 11:00-5:00*
* last pour is a half hour prior to close each day
Fees: Tasting fee $5 credited with $30 purchase
Price Range: $12 to $45 per bottle
Established: 1981
Vineyards: 140+ acres
Production: 45,000 cases
Discounts: 10% case discount
Tour Info: No scheduled tours. Exceptions can be made with one-month advance notice.
Amenities
- "Green" Technology
- Gift Shop
- Private Tasting
- Tours Available
Ambiances
- Casual & Relaxed
- Country Charm
- Family Run
- Hip & Stylish
- Historic Features
- Kid Friendly
- Off the Beaten Path
Wine Types
- Biodynamic Ag. Methods
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Italian
- Organic Grapes
- Syrah
Winery Video
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