When I think of wineries in California, I think of Napa Valley. Although Napa valley is great for the wineries I wanted to explore wineries closer to where I live which is in the South Bay. My local friends told me about these South Bay wineries and I wanted to check them out. One of them is the Ridge Vineyards.

I didn’t even know wineries existed up these hills. When we rode the uber to the Ridge Vineyard I was a bit surprised at the elevation. The view of South bay from here is spectacular. It’s relatively quiet and peaceful.

I know Ridge is popular and is quite well-known with the wine lovers, but I'm relatively new to wine, so please bear with me! One of my friends from Japan who is a wine enthusiast knew about this place and of course I had to take her here too when she came to visit California. She loved it and was surprised with the scenery. We also loved how the staff were very nice, and you can tell they really care about the wines and are very knowledgeable.

Although Napa Valley is nice to go for the wineries, I think South Bay wineries are underrated and at least to someone like me who is not from California they feel like hidden gems. The wine is amazing here as well and I found the tasting price to be cheaper than most tastings I did in Napa Valley. It also wasn’t so crowded since Ridge is limited appoint-based only. I felt like the staff was able to talk to us more, be more personal and the service was great. It is one of my top favorite wineries here in South Bay Area.

I definitely recommend Ridge Vineyards as the perfect outing destination with your friends or even for a romantic date. It’s truly a wonderful place to drink some nice wine while soaking in the beautiful view on a sunny day. It’s also a nice escape from all the loud and bustling energy of the city.

Note: It is appointment-based only so highly recommend booking ahead of time.

Ridge Vineyards

Location: 17100 Montebello Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

Opening Hours: 11am-4pm Everyday

Website & Reservations: Home Page