Bent Dime Winery Lemoncello
Enrico Zampieti
Lemoncello Maker / Owner
Bent Dime Winery was born from a deep-rooted passion for wine, cocktail culture, and the art of traditional liqueur-making. For years, Enrico Zampieri crafted homemade limoncello using refining each batch with an obsessive attention to balance, flavor, and purity.
Enrico's firsthand experience in California’s restaurant scene—where he often faced the limitations of being able to serve only wine and beer—created the right circumstances for Lemoncello. A process of experimentation began, infusing and aging wine and sake to develop ingredients that could legally be used under a wine and beer license. Around the same time, a Meyer lemon tree in the backyard was heavy with fruit, and there was already a plan to make limoncello once the lemons were ripe. That’s when the idea was born.
The vision came to life through a partnership with Les Wright—long-time Silicon Valley CFO, start-up mentor, passionate winemaker, and owner behind 37th Parallel Wines.
Less than six months after the collaboration began, Bent Dime’s Lemoncello was born. And less than a year later, its Orancello followed—expanding the line of wine-based aperitifs designed for flavor, flexibility, and fun. Today, Bent Dime Winery is just getting started, with exciting new projects already in development and a clear mission: to revolutionize the world of drinks, one wine-based cocktail at a time.
Enrico's firsthand experience in California’s restaurant scene—where he often faced the limitations of being able to serve only wine and beer—created the right circumstances for Lemoncello. A process of experimentation began, infusing and aging wine and sake to develop ingredients that could legally be used under a wine and beer license. Around the same time, a Meyer lemon tree in the backyard was heavy with fruit, and there was already a plan to make limoncello once the lemons were ripe. That’s when the idea was born.
The vision came to life through a partnership with Les Wright—long-time Silicon Valley CFO, start-up mentor, passionate winemaker, and owner behind 37th Parallel Wines.
Less than six months after the collaboration began, Bent Dime’s Lemoncello was born. And less than a year later, its Orancello followed—expanding the line of wine-based aperitifs designed for flavor, flexibility, and fun. Today, Bent Dime Winery is just getting started, with exciting new projects already in development and a clear mission: to revolutionize the world of drinks, one wine-based cocktail at a time.
Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery - Corralitos
Richard Alfaro & Mary Kay Alfaro
Wine makers / Owners
Richard Alfaro and his wife Mary Kay enjoy the fruits of their labor. After a satisfying career as the founders of a restaurant and the wholesale baking company known under their own name, Alfaro's Micro Bakery, the couple shifted gears in 1997, acquiring an aging 75 acre apple farm south of Santa Cruz in Corralitos, California, which they subsequently transformed into Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery. There are 60 acres currently under vine.
Our estate grown and bottled Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and unique Gruner Veltliner reflect the unique terrior of the Santa Cruz appellation.
Our estate grown and bottled Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and unique Gruner Veltliner reflect the unique terrior of the Santa Cruz appellation.
Hallcrest Vineyards - Felton
John Schumacher
Wine Maker / Owner
Appropriately named by the Hall family back in the 1880s, Hallcrest is at the crest of a small hill above the old town of Felton nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was a retreat for the Hall family until 1941 when Chaffee Hall, a prominent business attorney from San Francisco acted on his obsession with wine and planted the first vineyard. At the time, it was one of only three wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the only one producing varietal wines from estate vineyards.
Hallcrest wasted no time proving to the world that wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains were of world class caliber and under Chaffee's direction, Hallcrest became one of the outstanding wineries in California and a benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon and White Riesling. The acclaim of the wines combined with Hall's reputation as a winemaking pioneer in the Santa Cruz Mountains elevated Hallcrest wines to a category we would now call, "cult wine."
In 1987, John Schumacher and his family bought the Hallcrest site, which had been operating as Felton Empire since Chaffee Hall's retirement. John and his family restored the name "Hallcrest Vineyards" and the guiding principle that Chaffee had originally established, namely making uncompromised quality wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, Hallcrest is still family owned and operated by the Schumachers and the focus is still on handcrafting small lots of premium wines that bear the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation in name and character.
Hallcrest wasted no time proving to the world that wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains were of world class caliber and under Chaffee's direction, Hallcrest became one of the outstanding wineries in California and a benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon and White Riesling. The acclaim of the wines combined with Hall's reputation as a winemaking pioneer in the Santa Cruz Mountains elevated Hallcrest wines to a category we would now call, "cult wine."
In 1987, John Schumacher and his family bought the Hallcrest site, which had been operating as Felton Empire since Chaffee Hall's retirement. John and his family restored the name "Hallcrest Vineyards" and the guiding principle that Chaffee had originally established, namely making uncompromised quality wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, Hallcrest is still family owned and operated by the Schumachers and the focus is still on handcrafting small lots of premium wines that bear the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation in name and character.
Ridge Vineyards - Santa Cruz Mountains
Kyle Theriot
Director of Vineyard Operations
Ridge Vineyards is a shining example of the wine potential of California's Santa Cruz Mountains. While officially established in 1962, the winery has viticultural roots stretching back to 1885 when Dr. Osea Perrone planted vines on Monte Bello Ridge. The winery remains a beacon in the Santa Cruz Mountains and continues to expand operations, with a second location built in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley.
Perched at 2,300 feet elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Monte Bello Estate serves as the home of Ridge Vineyards. Here, the unique microclimate and geology provide an ideal setting for viticulture, particularly for the production of their flagship Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine produced from this region has often been called "America's First Growth," as these Bordeaux-style blends have reached international fame. Furthermore, two of the estate's other notable vineyard sites include The Lytton Springs Estate and Geyserville Estate, both of which are located in Sonoma County. These estates produce beautiful zinfandel, providing variety to Ridge Vineyard's offerings.
Perched at 2,300 feet elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Monte Bello Estate serves as the home of Ridge Vineyards. Here, the unique microclimate and geology provide an ideal setting for viticulture, particularly for the production of their flagship Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine produced from this region has often been called "America's First Growth," as these Bordeaux-style blends have reached international fame. Furthermore, two of the estate's other notable vineyard sites include The Lytton Springs Estate and Geyserville Estate, both of which are located in Sonoma County. These estates produce beautiful zinfandel, providing variety to Ridge Vineyard's offerings.
Madson Wines - Santa Cruz
Cole Thomas
Founding Partner / Winemaker
Ken Swegles
Partner / Viticulturalist
Abbey Chrystal /
Partner and Sales Coordinations
Madson Wines, founded in 2018, is the brainchild of three friends—Cole Thomas, Ken Swegles, and Abbey Chrystal—who are deeply passionate about their roots in California's Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA). Their mission is to create wines that reflect this enthusiasm while also honoring the land they cultivate. Committed to organic practices and regenerative agriculture, they focus on enriching the soil and sequestering carbon dioxide, which enhances biodiversity and supports the local watershed. In the cellar, their approach is equally thoughtful, emphasizing minimal intervention. Fermentation occurs naturally and spontaneously, with only a small amount of sulfur added at bottling. This dedication to organic and sustainable methods results in low-intervention, natural wines that truly embody the essence of their environment.
Lester Estate Wines - Aptos
Steve & Lori Johnson / Founders
Lester Family Vineyard is situated in a quintessential cool-climate area characterized by sandy, loamy soil, making it an ideal spot for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. The vineyard's unique soil composition stems from its geological history as a former seabed, which was uplifted by the San Andreas fault, resulting in the formation of marine terraces that define the Santa Cruz Mountains. With its elevation just under 600 feet and proximity to Monterey Bay, the vineyard benefits from a significant marine influence, which contributes to a cool climate that fosters slow and even grape maturation, achieving full phenolic ripeness in most years. Spanning 14 acres, the vineyard employs nearly dry farming techniques, receiving water only 2-3 times a year for short durations. The deep root systems, extending over 30 feet, along with the consistent sandy, loamy soils, ensure that the vines have access to sufficient water and nutrients. Committed to sustainable practices, the vineyard avoids herbicides, utilizes VSP trellising, and implements careful canopy management to enhance air circulation and light exposure around the grapes. Additionally, they practice minimal irrigation, cover cropping, and no-till floor management to maintain soil health. The vineyard's proprietors, Dan and Pat Lester, entrusted viticulturist Prudy Foxx with selecting the most suitable rootstocks and clones for the site. Over time, the clonal selection has evolved, currently featuring a diverse mix that includes Pinot Noir clones such as 2A, 115, 667, 777, Mt. Eden, Pommard, Swan, and Vosne-Romanée, along with the Robert Young Chardonnay clone and Syrah Hermitage and 877 clones. This variety of clones results in wines that are rich and complex, offering both nuanced flavors and a full-bodied experience. While not certified organic, Lester Family Vineyard has never used herbicides, reflecting their commitment to natural farming methods
Santa Cruz Scumpy Hard Cider - Felton
John Schumacher
Cider Maker / Owner
Since its inception in 2009, Santa Cruz Scumpy has been passionately committed to crafting distinctive and innovative ciders using locally sourced organic apples from the Santa Cruz Mountains. This dedication to quality and creativity has allowed them to explore a variety of flavors and techniques, resulting in ciders that not only celebrate the rich agricultural heritage of the region but also offer a unique tasting experience for enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. By focusing on the natural characteristics of the apples and experimenting with different fermentation processes, Santa Cruz Scumpy has carved out a niche for itself in the cider-making community, continually striving to push the boundaries of what cider can be while fostering a deep connection with the local environment and its bounty.