Discover the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, Part 3: Exploring the Wine Trail

The 30-mile Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail is a loop that runs through Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Martin. It includes most of the 30 wineries that are a part of the Santa Clara Valley Wine Association. There are 25 Wine Trail signs to guide you along the way, with names of wineries, mileage to the wineries, and arrows to point the way.

Not all of the 30 wineries that are members of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Association are on the loop itself, but they are all labeled on the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley map, which you can download from the Wineries page of the Visit Gilroy website, or you can pick up a paper copy in our California Welcome Center in Gilroy. Some of the outliers are on smaller roads within the loop, while others are a little farther outside the perimeter. They are all worth checking out.

Award-Winning Wines on the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail

California is the greatest producer of wine in the United States, and the fourth greatest producer of wine in the world. Santa Clara Valley’s wine grape production accounted for over $13 million in 2020. With some of the oldest vineyards in the U.S., the Santa Clara Valley wineries are among some of best, with many awards to show for it. While many of our wineries have earned various medals for some of their wines, and over 90 points for some varietals from sources such as The Wine Enthusiast and The Wine Spectator, here we’ll highlight just a few of the most prestigious award-winning wineries with some of the highest ratings.

Lightpost Winery wine bottles in a row — Lightpost Winery

Lightpost Winery of Morgan Hill has earned ratings in the 90s and numerous awards for their wine, including platinum and double gold awards. Solis Winery in Gilroy has also scored several wines in the 90s and has received multiple double gold awards for their wines. A handful of other wineries have earned double gold awards and ratings in the 90s for some of their outstanding wines, including Satori Cellars in Gilroy, Guglielmo Winery of Morgan Hill, Clos la Chance Winery in San Martin. Martin Ranch Winery and Fortino Winery in Gilroy have also earned high scores and gold awards for several of their wines.

Unique & Unusual Wines on the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail

The Santa Clara Valley is most known for Cabernet Sauvignon wines. However, local wineries have a large selection of other varieties to offer in the red and white categories, along with rosé options. But there are some truly unique wines that you cannot miss if you are visiting the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley.

Dessert Wines: Kirigin Cellars in the Santa Clara Valley offers a delicious coffee and chocolate-infused dessert wine called Vino de Mocca. If chocolate really is your thing (how can it not be?!), there is also a “Cocoa Delight” wine available at Creekview Vineyards.

A bottle of Vino de Mocca Kirigin wine on a counter with wine bottles in cubby holes in the background — Vino de Mocca by Kirigin Cellars

Specialty Wines: Hecker Pass Winery is the only one in the valley to offer the classic Italian wine, Chianti. Solis Winery is the only winery on the Wine Trail to provide another Italian (award-winning) wine, Fiano. Fortino Winery and Guglielmo Winery both offer a California-inspired almond sparkling wine.

A bottle and wine glass of Fiano on top of a wine barrel — A bottle of Solis Winery’s Italian Fiano wine.

Fruity Wines: Calerrain Winery, Lightpost Winery, and Sarah’s Vineyard seasonally offer a light, crisp, lemon-lime flavored wine called Albariño, made from Spanish grapes. Another unique, fruit-flavored white wine produced by Clos la Chance is the Colibri (which means hummingbird in French), with pineapple and pink grapefruit flavors. Two wineries, Casa de Fruta and Fortino Winery, have several selections of fruit-flavored wines, including apricot, raspberry, plum, blackberry. Casa de Fruta also features its very popular pomegranate wine and pomegranate sparkling wine.

Casa de Fruta Pomegranate sparkling wine group of bottles with a Santa decoration over them on a table — Casa de Fruta Pomegranate Sparkling Wine

Great Gifts for Wine Lovers: If you’re planning to share some wine with a group or pick up a unique gift, you can get an old-fashioned growler of a red blend wine (the equivalent of 2.5 bottles) at Cinnabar Winery. If you want to give back while purchasing some wine, Guglielmo Winery has a few wines with a portion of the sales donated to charities. If it is around the holidays, Guglielmo Winery also has the perfect gift: a collectible, red-blend Christmas wine with a festive holiday label.

Guglielmo white wine bottle purchase for a cause — Guglielmo Winery’s Proud Pour Sauvignon Blanc: Proceeds from every bottle help fund wild oyster reef restoration across North America.

Get a Wine Trail Pass Deck to Explore 29 Santa Clara Valley Wineries

For just $90, you can purchase a Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail Pass Deck to explore 29 wineries along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail. The deck includes cards with special deals for each winery, including complimentary tastings, wine purchase discounts, 2-for-1 deals, and more, with a total value in savings over $450. There are even cards for hotel discounts so you can extend your stay in Gilroy and take in more wineries!

The Wine Trail Pass Deck is good through April 1, 2024. Stop by the California Welcome Center in Gilroy to purchase a deck, buy one at the wineries along the Trail, or from the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley and pick up at a designated local winery. The Wine Trail Pass Deck makes a great gift, too.

Plan Your Wine Tasting Tour of Wineries of Santa Clara Valley

Ready to go wine tasting in Gilroy? Be sure to plan at least a weekend stay to visit as many of our amazing wineries as you can. Check out our Great Garlic Getaways for a sample two-day Wine Tasting Weekend itinerary or plan your own custom tasting tour.

Lodging: Gilroy has plenty of choices for lodging, so check our listings of Hotels and RV Parks and Campgrounds to choose the best option for you and your traveling companions. Many wineries in Gilroy are dog-friendly; if you are bringing a four-footed friend along, you’ll find plenty of Dog-Friendly Places to Stay in Gilroy.
Wine Trail Pass Decks: Be sure to stop in at the California Welcome Center Gilroy (conveniently located in Gilroy Premium Outlets) to purchase a Santa Clara Valley Wineries Wine Trail Pass Deck and pick up complimentary winery maps, brochures, and coupons to the local wineries. We cannot wait to welcome you to Gilroy and will be happy to guide you to some of the best wineries in California along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail.
Restaurants: If you are staying a while, you will need some good nourishment between wine tastings. You’ll find fantastic restaurants and cafes along the Road to Garlic and the Gilroy Taco Trail; or check out the complete listing of all dining options on our Restaurants web page. For places you can take your dog with you to eat (or wine-taste), check out Stay Happy: A Guide to Dog-Friendly Restaurants and Wineries in Gilroy – Visit Gilroy. We also have printed copies of all maps and guides at the California Welcome Center Gilroy.

Find More to Explore in Gilroy

In addition to all the great wineries, you’ll find lots more to do in Gilroy, California! For inspiration, check our list of 33 Things to Do in Gilroy and Great Gilroy Getaways trip itineraries. Book a budget-friendly hotel room so you can stay a night or two and try even more wineries in Gilroy.

When you visit, be sure to stop by the California Welcome Center Gilroy in the Gilroy Premium Outlets, near Forever 21. Our friendly staff can help you pick the perfect place to eat and find other fun places to explore. We also have unique gifts and souvenirs of your trip to Gilroy and the Golden State.