As a part of the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail, Gilroy is the gateway to over 30 welcoming one-of-a-kind wineries. While the local wines are definitely worth sipping and the traditional wine culture is going strong, to keep it fresh, many of these spots also serve up fun, flavorful drinks in addition to their traditional wines—think wine slushies, hard seltzers, ciders, sangria, and more. These are the perfect way to cool off on a warm day or mix things up if you're wine tasting with friends and family who prefer alternative drink options.
Sample Seltzers & Specialty Drinks
Besson Family Vineyards, awarded the Best of Gilroy Winery 2025, stocks their own Dammit Jim’s Hard Seltzers, crafted by co-proprietor James Fahey. They are made with a white wine base and are available in a mouthwatering range of flavors, including mango, pineapple, peach Bellini, wild berry, watermelon, and cherry limeade, with seasonal fall and winter flavors such as spiced apple and blackberry sangria. These are sold on tap and in colorful cans onsite and even at a couple local taprooms in downtown Gilroy.
They also offer a fun variety of specialty drinks, including their customer favorite, a Frozé, and the Mango Michelada, made from a premium michelada mix combined with their own Mango Hard Seltzer, touched with Tajin around the rim. Besson’s Mango Michelada is served exclusively at the winery and at Covale Rooftop Beer & Wine Bar in downtown Gilroy.
Sip a Slushy
Wine slushies are making a splash around the world and in the Gilroy area. You can beat the heat in the warmer months with these light, refreshing drinks. It’s like being a kid again grabbing a slushy at the 7-11 on a hot summer day, but with an adult version!
Grab a wine slushy at local Fortino Winery, a 50-year-old family run winery, rotating through yummy monthly choices like margarita, blue raspberry, Georgia peach, and strawberry. Stop in at Guglielmo Winery, a beautiful Italian style property that serves tempting flavors such as margarita, watermelon, orange creamsicle, and pina colada on select days. At La Vie Dansante Wines, choose from the indoor tasting room, a French-styled courtyard, or a tropical lanai setting to sip tasty wine slushies on the weekends during the warmer months.
Chill with Frozé
For the hotter days, enjoy a sweet, cool Frozé—a slushy typically made of Rosé wine mixed with some frozen fruit, often strawberries, and a few other ingredients. Drink this sweet, cool option next to historical vineyards at Besson Family Vineyards or accompanied by stunning views at Tuscan House Vineyards. Try the DeRose Wine Frozé, made with their own Zin Rosé and ripe strawberries, inside the cool garage seated next to classic cars, or visit Horse Thief Vineyard and sample their Frozé while immersed in eclectic western and ranch decor.
Savor Summer Sangria
Another great option for a warm day is a housemade sangria, which Satori Cellars serves up nicely chilled. They blend their wine with a unique combination of organic nectars and fresh berries to create an invigorating treat!
Say Cheers to Suds & Mimosas
If beer or mimosas catch your fancy, Fortino Winery provides flights or by the glass options for each of these favorites.
Kick Back with Hard Cider
Ciders can be a satisfying option, too. At L & M Vineyard, while wine-lovers relish their wine with sweeping views of the valley below, cider-lovers can savor TenFiveOne hard apple ciders crafted by a local family-owned company and carried at the vineyard in flavorful choices like Bada Bing (cherry), Pineapple Shubbie, and Choir Practice (dry apple cider).
La Vie Dansante Wines offers their own homemade hard ciders, such as peach passion fruit, along with some inspired mocktails.
Tip: Check with each winery directly to learn what is being offered before your visit, as many of these specialty beverages are seasonal.
Travel the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail
Most of the wineries along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail also offer non-alcoholic beverages, such as water, sparkling water, sparkling cider, juices, and even mocktails. Some even offer kid-friendly drinks if they are a family-friendly winery. Check with your winery of interest to learn more before your visit.
We invite you to spend a weekend in Gilroy trying some of our local wineries’ fantastic wines and delicious innovative drinks. Our wineries often have food vendors, live music, and events that you can enjoy while you sip something fun. Book a stay at one of our budget-friendly hotels, and set aside some time to discover all the other great things to do in Gilroy.
