While the city of Santa Cruz is famous for it's beaches and surfing culture, not many realize that there is a fantastic wine region just up the hills from the coastline; Santa Cruz Mountains. The terroir here is extremely unique in that the western half of the mountains has a cool climate, so it is well-suited for Bourgogne varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. However, the eastern half of the same mountains experiences a completely different climate, a much warmer growing area since it is not exposed to the fog unlike the western side. Therefore, the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains is well-suited for Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon. This premium winegrowing region is neighbors with the world famous Silicon Valley, so you don't need to travel far to drink great wine!