Today’s Forecast

57º | Mostly sunny | 5% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:22 a.m. | Sunset: 5:06 p.m.

You had us at merlot

8 wineries in and around San Jose, CA

The exterior of Coterie Winery in downtown San Jose.

Coterie Winery describes itself as your “neighborhood winery.” | Photo via Austin Hwang

We’re highlighting places around town where you can sip wine, take in rolling vineyard views, and watch the sunset. We know — what a chore, right?

Keep reading for eight wineries in and around San Jose perfect for weekend tastings.

🍇 In the 408

Alamitos Vineyards, 23505 Alamitos Rd.

This family-owned winery specializes in small-batch wines. The estate features stunning hillside scenery — reserve an outdoor tasting to sip on wine and drink it all in.

Coterie Winery, 885 W. Julian St.

We love this winery’s frequent food + wine pairing events, like an upcoming lobster roll collab with Sam’s Chowder House. The wine is made by hand from start to finish — book a tasting to try it.

🍇 Around the greater San Jose

Big Dog Vineyards, 4545 Felter Rd., Milpitas

Just in time for spring, the winery has brought back its Sparkling Rosé and released its first still Rosé. Book a tasting reservation to try its selection.

Villa del Monte Winery, 23076 Summit Rd., Los Gatos

This winery produces single-varietal, single-vineyard wines. Check your schedule against its open wine tasting dates to book a winemaker-led tasting.

Picchetti Winery, 13100 Montebello Rd., Cupertino

This winery dates back to 1872, when the Picchetti brothers became the first family to plant vineyards on Montebello Ridge, according to the California History Center. Book a tasting — you might run into a peacock there.

SJtoday_Winery_Roundup_1 — Sample wines aplenty at Villa del Monte Winery.
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Photo by @winesofscm

🍇 Venture further

Lightpost Winery, 900 Lightpost Way, Morgan Hill

Visit the tasting room just three miles away from its 56-acre vineyard. Try the wines made by celebrated French winemakers Wednesdays-Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kirigin Cellars, 11550 Watsonville Rd., Gilroy

An award-winning winery, this historic vineyard is known for its coffee and chocolate-infused Vino de Mocca. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for indoor wine tastings.

Storrs Winery & Vineyards, 1560 Pleasant Valley Rd., Aptos

This family transformed soil depleted from a century of apple farming into a biodiverse, thriving organic vineyard (thanks to the help of some ewes). Book a tasting, picnic, or bocce + wine outing.

QUIZ

How much money did sports betters wager between January and November of 2022? (Source: Forbes)

A. $10 billion
B. $31 billion
C. $54 billion
D. $68 billion
E. $83 billion
F. $103 billion

Congratulations to Wendy A. for winning a $50 gift card to our online shop, Six & Main. Did you know you could be our next winner? Answer this week’s survey questions for a chance to score a gift card!

ANSWER HERE

Events

Monday, March 20

Trivia Night | Monday, Mar. 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Park Station Hashery, 1701 Park Ave., San Jose | Free | Grab a team of up to six at this weekly multimedia trivia event hosted by local comedians.
Intro to Digital Art with Procreate | Monday, Mar. 20 | 7:30-8:30 p.m. | Jiaren Cafe, 1171 Homestead Rd., Ste. 140B, San Jose | $30-$250 | This beginner-friendly class will teach you basic color theory, palette design, and more.

Tuesday, March 21

No Stress Watercolor Painting | Tuesday, Mar. 21 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | School of Visual Philosophy, 1065 The Alameda, San Jose | $39 | Learn the basics, techniques, and best practices when using watercolor.
Pow Wow Song & Dance Classes | Tuesday, Mar. 21 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Roosevelt Community Center, 901 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose | Free | The Indian Health Center hosts lessons to inspire cultural pride and connection.
Pretty Woman | Tuesday, March 21-Sunday, March 26 | Times vary | San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 S. Almaden Blvd., San Jose | Don’t miss one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories hit San Jose’s stage.
Classic Nickelodeon Trivia Night! | Tuesday, Mar. 21 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose | $8-$24 | Test your knowledge, enter a costume contest, and enjoy food + drink specials.

Wednesday, March 22

Paint Nite: The Original Paint and Sip Party | Wednesday, Mar. 22 | 7-9 p.m. | Strike Brewing Campbell, 469 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell | $35 | Follow along with instructor Daraja Asili to create your own masterpiece.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

Click here to have your event featured.

More to explore

News Notes

Weather

58º | Scattered showers | 40% chance of rain

Opening

Food truck Rosario’s Tacos announced plans to open a brick and mortar location at 889 S. Almaden Ave. this April. We recommend: the delectable birria tacos.

Try This

The city’s parks department kicks off a free Wine & Painting in the Park series this month. Think: Local wines and painting instruction. While the first two nights are sold out, registration opens for the Thursday, Mar. 30 and Friday, March 31 events at 10 a.m. a week before the event.

Biz

Pop quiz: What’s the oldest barber shop in San Jose? The answer is Bellarmine Barber Shop, which just celebrated 70 years in business. Read about the family business and what’s kept customers coming back. (The Mercury News)

Real Estate

Home Depot has leased a 126,700-sqft building at 1953 Concourse Dr. The logistics center and warehouse building was built in 2020, when it was valued for roughly $13.5 million. (The Mercury News)

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Shop

If your vacuum isn’t picking up dirt and debris like it used to, it may be time for a new one. This handheld Shark vacuum is lightweight, cordless, and highly rated on Amazon. Or splurge on the Dyson V11 Cordless Vacuum that sucks up particles as small as allergens and bacteria.
To celebrate the first day of spring, refresh your home with tea towels by Jessica Reynolds and find your city print by Signet Sealed, which can all be found in our online shop (Six & Main). Now, that’s how you start the new season.

Seasonal

Culture

Spring equinox in San Jose, CA

We’re ready for warmer temperatures and added daylight. | Photo via Pexels

Today marks the spring equinox (aka the first day of Spring).

Technically speaking, it’s the day that the sun crosses the Earth’s equator from the Southern Hemisphere into the Northern Hemisphere. The shift marks the astronomical start of spring and days will become “longer” because there will be more time between sunrise and sunset.

Looking to celebrate the season? Head to our events page to see community events happening this week and beyond.

If you’re in the mood for some spring cleaning, here are the essentials we recommend:

🧽 Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

💧 Microfiber cleaning cloths

🧹 Duster kit

🍓 Refrigerator organizer bins

🧼 Spinning scrubber brush

Bonus: Hire a cleaning professional to tidy up your humble abode.

The Wrap

Today’s Edition By:
Sarah Leonhardt

From the Editor

Consider this your weekly reminder to follow SJtoday on Instagram — where else can you find incredible footage of bagels in the rain?

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