Windy Oaks Estate Winery

I am only giving this place 1 star because I couldn’t leave zero. Drove quite a ways to this place because Unilocal showed they were open. No sign at the gate but fortunately Unilocal directions got us there safely. No parking on the same level at the winery so we parked up the hill and walked down. We stopped at several locations and asked about tastings and we were directed to check in with Judy. She stated this was a private event for members only and basically too bad you drove out of your way, you’re not members so you’re not welcome to stay and try our wines. She didn’t even offer to sign us up so that we could become members. Very poor regard for people who drove out of their way to support their business. Spoke to a member there that said the wines were ok. We will not be back even if the wines were more than just ok. There are so many wineries in the area to chose from, it is unimaginable that someone would make no effort to make a first time customer feel welcome. Shame on you Windy Oak.

Was very disappointed with this winery, came a long way to review this winery for our newspaper, and was turned away because we had two small dogs in a pet stroller. The old woman was rude, not very good customer service, the place was hard to find and not busy. Had NO signs off the road just an address. Won’t be going back there again!!!

Our children, Noah and Ammee, had a fantastic time running through the vines. After only few minutes and into the second wine, I think it was a white, they found another boy to play with and they played hide seek around the patio. The staff was very encouraging and before long the whole patio was watching duck-​duck goose as the kids stood, ran around, and stopped at a seat when the server said ‘sit’. We were happy to finally find a safe dog-​free environment (Noah is allergic to dogs) to take the kids to. I do caution, the clientele seems a bit snooty but for the gains of everything else I’d bring the family back any time. This was a great place.

just a partial interview now.
My friend is a member here and the club had new tastings with a BBQ and Miyagi oysters.
The oysters were darn good, sweet with a happy ending.
Their Pinot Noir, imho, is the star here.
The BBQ was catered and was of sufficient quality.
Today’s jazz band was musical and fun.
Customer service: ok.

The view is the best part!
We did enjoy the wine tasting and will come back!
Don’t get discouraged by the long drive, it is definitely a gem when you arrive at the place–
The actual wine tasting us done at the bottom but you need to get a full glass and trek to the top–
You get a full view if the Monterey Bay from the top!
Watsonville needs to continue expanding these type of establishments!

Good Pinot, but overpriced and not the best service or ambiance in the tasting room. When I went, there was an issue with double charging my card. They were immediately aware of the mistake but could not resolve it that day and kept following up with me by email. It was awkward and inconvenient.

The first time I was here was very pleasant. I was alone and made conversation with a couple who were members and «know the family well». We talked about winemaking and the history of the vineyard. It was nice.
I did not join the club then but bought a couple of bottles of their Reserve Pinots. The best wines are pricy but that’s the norm these days at CA wineries. The other bottles were in the 25 to 35 range. Not bad for good quality, solid wine.
Fast forward five months: After drinking one of the Reserve Pinots at home my friend wanted to check out the winery first hand. The next day we headed out after breakfast.
When we arrived the two cars in front of us turned into the driveway also. At the top of the hill we saw lots of people. I said to the man directing traffic «Wow you’re busy today!» He told us it was «Pick-​up» day and we were directed to park up the dirt road in the vineyard.
I was pretty excited to be there on a special occasion and to see so many people. I was looking forward to meeting some of the members.
When we got to the tasting room we were told «Start with Judy out front. We’re opening our newly released Rose’ and she’s pouring it out there.» Cool right?
When we saw Judy she asked our name and referred to a list. I told her we probably weren’t on the list but were there to do some tasting. That’s when she told us it was a private party for members only. «That’s why we don’t have the signs out by the road.» she said as if we had crashed the party.
I stood there for a second or two kind of expecting/​hoping she might say «Join in the fun anyway» but she did not and then began helping another couple that walked up.
Really? We drove all the way out there, watched lots of people enjoying themselves and had to drive away empty handed? It was just disappointing but I understand they were already very busy that day.
As I learned later (from Unilocal) Judy is one of the owners! Take some advice from someone who has been management for many years: customers and employees LOVE to be appreciated. It costs the company almost nothing to give out a small freebee (or even being asked to join in the fun anyway so we can spend some $$) and it makes the customer feel special – like a million bucks.
At least it is a very pretty drive out to the winery and you can always stop at the Corralitos Market for their Famous sausages. I do love Corallitos. The Coralitos Wine Trail? Guess what. every winery in the area is closed on Sundays. What again? I’m sorry but whoever wrote this business plan must be consuming the «other» cash crop that they grow in the Santa Cruz Mts. Either that or these cute mom-​and-​pop wineries don’t really need the $$ generated from weekend tastings.
Because the wines are great, the setting is nice (and casual) and the drive is beautiful I will probably be back to Windy Oaks when I have out of town guests.
Ironically we ended up at Bargetto Winery in Soquel, just a ½ mile from where we had breakfast and our day began. My friend joined Bargetto’s Wine club and we walked away with 2 bottles of La Vita plus other 4 other very fine wines. Our day was completed at home on the deck in the shade with glasses in hand, smoked BBB ribs and no need to drive. Yumm. oh yeah!

The tasting room opens into a patio area, where there are tables and chairs, and is not that great of an area to sit and sip wine. Apparently, at the top of the hill, there are views, and that is where wine members (and others) hike for a picnic area The property is in a nice location but there are many other wineries with awesome views, less bugs, and a friendlier staff.
The cost of the wine tasting is high and the price point for the wines is high, as well. There are other wineries charging less for wine tasting and where you can have a better experience. (We had just come from one and actually joined their wine club.)
Also the place is not dog friendly, unlike so many other wineries. (Actually we should have left after the initial unfriendliness if it wasn’t such a trek to get there as previous reviewers mentioned.)

Great Pinot. Great views (walk up the hill). Decent pricing, $ 10 per person for 6 wines

I’ve been here a couple of times over the years and have found this place nothing short of magical.
Perched on a hillside overlooking Monterey Bay, not far from Watsonville and Santa Cruz, these vineyards are quite a well-​kept secret in that they’re a perfect location for pinot noir grapes, what with the elevation, proximity to cool ocean air, modest temperature swings, and otherwise relatively dry weather.
Indeed, their pinot noirs are quite solid, and you can try all of them, plus some of their whites, in their compact tasting room right off the dirt parking lot. You can also arrange for a group to have a private picnic on a ridge overlooking both the vineyards and the bay, which makes for an unforgettable experience, especially in clear, sunny weather where you can see all the way to Monterey.
I’ve always found Judy and Jim to be courteous and obliging, and also eager to educate about all the intricate details of learning how make wine, building and operating a vineyard, and running a fledgling business. Do make reservations before you come, and you’ll be rewarded with quite the pleasant morning or afternoon visit.

The winery is pleasant. The view from the ridge very nice. The experience could have been a whole lot better.
We are a group of 7 friends hanging out for the weekend at a local vacation rental at the beach. Someone suggested we check out this winery so we take the 20 mile trek to get there. Upon arrival Judy, the owner, asks if we had an appointment. Well, no. We didn’t know we needed one. Apparently a group of 6 or more needs an appointment before showing up. Judy was very put off. A fellow visiting taster told us to hang in there because the wine was good. She told us that if we paid by cash, we wouldn’t be charged tax. True. So we each did a tasting. You must pay before tasting any wine. Unlike other local wineries, if you do a tasting, Windy Oaks does not give you a small discount on a bottle purchased. Also note, they have no food or snacks there, so plan accordingly.
Needless to say, none of us decided to join the membership of this winery, though most in our group belong to one or more wineries. After our group enjoyed the views, purchased 7 tastings, 5 glasses of wine, 6 wine glasses and 10 bottles of wine, Judy apologized for the rough start she gave us when we got there. Thank you for that Judy. We enjoyed ourselves, but this winery lost its chance at having us as members, regulars or glowing referrals to our many other wine loving friends. There are so many winery choices in our lovely area of California.
Reader, I hope you have a better experience. The vineyard and views are lovely and the wine is good but I didn’t find a favorite. Please call to make an appointment if you are a group of 6 or more. If you might get hungry, bring something to eat.

We love WIndy Oaks, and the Schultze Family. They make fabulous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and are now branching out to make more varietals. The winery is a great place to visit, and also to bring visitors from out of town. Bring a picnic, buy an inexpensive glass of wine, and head up to the ridge for great views and the best picnic spot in the county.

My girlfriend and I live in Aptos and frequently passed by a sign which said «Free wine tasting» and one weekend we decided to follow the arrow which lead to a Windy Oaks nightmare.
We made the drive up to Windy Oaks Estate Winery, which is quite a drive, and be fare weren’t sure we had reached where the «Free wine tasting» sing was pointing us,… were greeted by Spencer (owners son apparently) at the tasting room. We inquired about the free wine tasting, explaining the sign we had seen. Spencer promptly told us that «that’s not our sign, we don’t do free wine tasting and that there isn’t anybody decent who does», Spencer was speaking in a borderline brash/​rude tone and both my girlfriend and I were immediately taken aback and looked at each other in surprise.
I informed Spencer that there certainly are decent vintners that offer free wine tasting such as Cline and Jacuzzi (right across from each other in Napa) and that we weren’t opposed to paying.
Spencer at this point saw fit to launch into a tirade sufficient to draw the attention of other guests and employees to our would be wine tasting. I don’t remember exactly what was said, but it wasn’t something that we (gf and I), as potential patrons, should have heard. I tried to interrupt Spencer several times to say yes, please can we just pay for the tasting. It was about this time that another sommelier approached us, gently trying to push Spencer aside, and did so amazingly even though Spencer was still trying to prove his point. He (other sommelier) managed to apologize over the top of Spencer, who was still talking AT us. We would have probably paid the price of 2 tastings just to get Spencer to shut up. Needless to say, we did the only reasonable thing to do,…we left.
My girlfriend and I were both extremely upset. I’m getting heart palpitations as I write this and it’s been over a year. We have never been treated so rudely at such an establishment.

Outstanding Pinot Noirs. The bottle prices range from $ 29 – 55 but generally prices matched quality. The tasting bar seems newly built and opens into a small courtyard and vineyard. Our pourer was a little overwhelmed but managed it pretty well. He was amiable, welcoming and friendly. He encouraged us to walk about ¼ mi to the ridge where they have a series of picnic tables. We enjoyed a picnic there in the vineyard with some lovely views of Corralitos beneath us. Tasting fee is $ 10, refundable with purchase. I’ll be back!

Well I have to say the Pinot Noirs are great. Probably the best in Santa Cruz. This is a very beautiful vineyard and the views are great. I don’t really like the name though. Sure there are oaks but there are so many more beautiful redwoods around here that hold onto the fog until the tasting room opens! Windy Redwoods? The drive up is really great too. The tasting fee is $ 10 for just a few wines but that is typical of Corrallitos.

My favorite Santa Cruz Winery. Prices are in line with the quality of wine (absolutely amazing Pinot Noirs) and the family is so extremely nice and helpful with any questions! We became club members last year and regret not joining sooner!!! This will be a long time relationship for us!
Oh and they have picnic benches at their scenic winery so you can take a picnic and wine taste while looking at the most beautiful and picturesque views!

Windy Oaks Winery was another stop on our Santa Cruz winery tour. The winery owners were out of town, so their son did the tasting for us. Luckily, he was also very knowledgeable about wines and was clearly passionate about the family business.
The wines at Windy Oaks were not the most or least expensive wines we had that day. Their wines had a decent price range, though, and they have varying levels in their wine club for their more and less pricey wines, depending on your budget. I was disappointed we only got to try a few wines, but they were all excellent.
The tasting finished with a walk to their grounds, which had a stunning view of the Santa Cruz mountains. There was a picnic table already set up that was perfect for drinking wine on a nice day. This was the final sight of our day in the mountains, and it was perfect. I’d love to come back and have a picnic.

Some mornings you wake up and you need a little adventure. Nothing crazy… just a little something out of the ordinary to spice things up. In my not so humble opinion, I truly feel this is what wine tastings are for.
With a few hours set aside for my Saturday adventure, my girlfriend chimes in that we should drive up to Windy Oaks (tasting room open Fri/​Sat 12:00 — 5:00). Sure. I love Corralitos. I can stop off at the Market (
) score a couple of sausage sandwiches for us and spend lunch sipping on wine in the countryside.
Coming from Santa Cruz, there is signage to direct you to the Winery. I hadn’t realized how far up into the Santa Cruz Mountains this place was, and so I foolishly double backed a few times thinking I had missed it. No, no. Once you get on Brown Valley, you will probably be driving another 20 minutes to get to the winery. You will drive through the last of the Corralitos flat lands, only to begin a long-​ish accent up through the redwoods. Don’t fret. Just keep driving. Brown Valley becomes Hazel Dell, and once you pass Sweetwood Way, the winery will be the next driveway on the right.
Now that you have successfully made it, you deserve to treat yourself to whatever tasting flight ($ 10) Windy Oaks has selected for the day. Today we sampled four different bottlings of pinot noir. The 2008 Cuvee, while still young, has clear potential. While it was an easily drinkable pinot at this age, I can only imagine how wonderful the wine will become in a few years. I bought a bottle ($ 40) to save and find out.
Spencer was very knowledgeable about his families wines and the terroir they represent. He graciously directed us up to the Ridge (see photo) from where, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Monterey Bay. Toting our tasting glasses, we scurried up the hill, made ourselves comfortable at one the seating areas amongst the vines, and chilled out admiring the amazing view.
As a small family owned estate, Windy Oaks can maintain an amazing level of quality control. Their pinots really are as special as everyone else has made them out to be. What makes this tasting room so special is that you will inevitably meet one, if not two, of the wine makers at any given time. Which I think justifies a little adventure Saturday.

In Honor of 9÷11÷09 — Review #200
Out of all of the wineries that we’ve been to we’ve never experienced such a horrendous experience like we did at Windy Oaks. You think Napa Valley and Bordeaux are rude and snobby? This place would’ve made you cry. Never would I have thought that my worst wine tasting experience would be at a winery up in the hills near Watsonville.
It was a picture perfect day to go wine tasting and I wanted to try out a place we had never been to. I knew we wanted to drive over the hill so I began my Google search. Most of the places I called had limited hours or were closed until I hit the jackpot with Windy Oaks. The guy that answered the phone said «Yes we are open today come on down». We prepare for the long and windy road that awaits us. This place is so freakin’ far and hidden that many times we thought we were lost. Even then once you find it there is no sign but you find two barrels with the street number that lead you up the dirt road. We are slowly driving up and still wondering if this is the place when all of sudden the creepy drive turns into a picturesque view of vineyards set along a barnyard that turns out to be the tasting room. We see cars and people and whoa this brought a huge sigh of relief for us!
On this trip it was my wife, lil C, the mother in law and I. As we are getting the stuff out of the car to go inside a lady approaches us.
Judy: Hi, can I help you?
Me: Hi, yes we are here for the wine tasting?
Judy: The wine tasting. Are you members?
Me: Uhm. no, we are not members. we are just here for the wine tasting.
Judy: We are having a private event and I am the owner. how did you hear about us?
Me: Well I was Googling wineries and I came across your winery. I called about an hour and a half ago and the guy that answered told me you were open and to come on down.
Judy: Oh. did you talk to my son?
Me: Well I don’t know. I just called the business number and the guy told us you were open and to come down. We drove all the way from San Jose.
Judy: Oh… ok I dont know why he told you that. he must’ve thought you were with the private group. I am hosting a private event but I suppose you can stay. The tastings are $ 10.
Me: Uhm… Ok great, thanks.
Judy walks back to the barn and I look at everyone else and I tell my wife/​mother in law «hey what the heck we drove all the way out here we might as well stay».
They didn’t really want to stay but I wanted to taste some wine. Especially after that drive. I walked in with Lil C and Judy was busy with the group of about 20. I stood there patiently with the $ 10 in my hand and I never got a wine glass. I was completely ignored the entire time.
Then for an unknown evil reason two rude and snobby ladies tell my wife and mother in law «uhm, I think you guys are at the wrong winery».
It was at that moment vividly apparent that we did not belong at this Klan meeting. My wife and mother in law were so uncomfortable they pleaded that we leave immediately. At this point I too was upset at our experience. I walked over towards Judy and nicely told her «thanks for allowing us to stay but we will be leaving now». She said «hope to see you next time». Uh… ya right I thought to myself, there will never be a next time.
Never ever have I/​we had such an unpleasant and sour experience anywhere period. This place pissed me off so much that I will end this review here because it doesn’t deserve me wasting more time on it. I hope my experience saves you your time, gas and the embarrassment.

A year ago we went to a Pinot Noir fest in Campbell where out of 65 wineries, the taste of the Windy Oaks wines stood out. This year we spent some time in Carmel and decided on the way home on Saturday to stop by Windy Oaks.
On the drive up we thought ‘hey, just in case we better call ahead’. The wife called and got hold of Jim, the owner and winemaker. Turns out that Windy Oaks is only open to the public by appointment only (other than a few special occasions), and he handed my wife off to the winery business manager, Jim’s wife Judy. Judy says «Sure, come on in — we’re about 30 minutes away and would love to see you!»
When we get there Judy meets us at the gate and takes us into the winery. Jim shows up a few minutes later and between the two of them they tell us the story of their winery and wine making philosophy (well-​described here by Leela S). They opened four wonderful bottles of wine for us during our chat, which was an education for the wife and me. These two folks are very knowledgeable, eloquent and nice. It was a pleasure to spend time with them.
And time it was. By the time they were offering to take us on a tour of the vineyards we looked at the watch and had been there for two hours, making us late for later commitments. Needless to say, we bought a bunch of wine and joined their wine club.
To recap: great people, great wine. ..