Pietra Santa Winery

pairing chocolates and wine on valentine day, very friendly staff and clean ground with perfect weather what else
could we ask for thank you

Wines are pretty good and reasonably priced. The ladies pouring were pleasant and amicable. The winery itself is really beautiful and worth the visit alone. Can’t figure out why the tasting fee is $ 15 when it’s $ 10 up the road (for really good wine) and they don’t waive with purchase. We went just after it rained so everything was green and lush which made for a beautiful experience.

Imagine a two-​story working winery with a red brick façade, complete with twin bell towers, cut glass windows, carved wooden doors, and a pair of matching palm trees framing the front entrance. Situate this winery in a secluded, amphitheater-​like valley with olive groves, ancient oaks, pungent pines, and fragrant chaparral. Surround it with beautifully trellised vineyards arranged in neat rows and along rolling contours that hug the landscape for acres around. Take away all unnecessary indications of roads, signs, billboards, commercial spaces of any kind. Make it quiet in winter, low 60 degree temperatures in the middle of January.
Now, with help from El Nino, saturate the land with rain and cloud, so that the vines can rest and drive their roots even deeper into the rich mixtures of stone and soil, divided by one of the world’s most famous fault lines — the San Andreas — and then plant French and Italian grapes all over the place: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. Make all of your wine on the estate, saving the best plots and barrels for reserve releases («Signature» label, $ 25 – 50) and pricing the rest competitively in the $ 15 – 20 price tier. Build an attractive second floor tasting room with outdoor patio and interior glass-​topped barrel tables where visitors can sample the wines in semi-​private intimacy, or while socializing with wine club members and devoted locals directly from the tasting room bar. Release the wines at various intervals of aging in French and American oak, or in stainless only: 3 – 7 years for most reds, 1 – 3 for the whites and rosado. Make these aromatic and light on the palate with lingering finishes, distinctive flavor profiles, and food-​friendly balances of ripeness, acidity, and tannic structure.
If necessary, bring in your winemaker from Northern Italy. What’s that? Alessio C. Originally from Siena, with prior experience in Tuscany and Napa? Been making wine exclusively on the property for more than two decades? Well, then. I suppose so! That will just have to do.
Next, situate all of this in one of California’s oldest wine-​growing regions that is also one of its least discovered, where locals from Hollister drive in for Sunday wine tasting after biking to the top of Fremont Peak or sipping freshly roasted coffee in San Juan Bautista. Or possibly after riding their dirtbikes at the nearby (but too distant to be heard) off-​road vehicle recreation area. Charge moderate tasting fees for a mixed flight of 5 wines for $ 10 or 6 higher-​end reds for $ 15. Waive the fee with the purchase of two bottles of wine (or $ 40 equivalent). Have samples of estate-​pressed olive oil and cheese at a side table, for snacking with the wines. Stay open in winter 4 days a week (Thursday-​Sunday), allowing visitors to enjoy the classic wine-​growing downtime in-​between fall harvest and spring budbreak.
Do not, under any circumstances, move this place out of the Cienega Valley. Do not add any unneeded bells and whistles. Adhere to the «if we bottle it, they will come» philosophy and be patient about attracting too much attention. Let the landscape express its essence through the vines. Believe that American wine drinkers will come to love a great 2009 Dolcetto ($ 20), with its alluring almond and licorice notes; or a limited production (fewer than 250 cases) hillside-​grown 2013 Pinot Gris ($ 24), a truly unique, Alsatian-​oriented expression of this misunderstood grape; or an award-​worthy reserve 2012 Pinot Noir ($ 35), replete with wild berry and dried lavender aromatics and intriguing hint of white pepper smoked spice. If Miles from «Sideways» had ever gotten his anxiety-​ridden hands on a bottle of this liquid beauty, he’d have moved from L.A. to San Juan Bautista in a heartbeat.
Adhere to some simple rules along the way. Never peak too early. Keep all your eggs in one winemaker’s basket without fiddling or fidgeting. Let the sacred stones speak in their own mysterious but satisfying ways, one growing cycle and vintage year at a time.
If you haven’t visited an estate winery before (not exactly a Scarlett Letter offense, in any case), and if you don’t want to run herd with the Napa or Healdsburg or Paso Robles-​bound masses, give Pietra Santa a go. First time drinkers will be well served, and jaded palates accustomed to Old World imports will find something about the Cienega Valley AVA to appreciate.
As for all the rest of us who fall somewhere in-​between, there is always that deliciously crisp and velvety smooth Pinot Gris to keep us contentedly happy, the elegant, classically structured reserve Pinots and Merlots to tickle our taste buds, and the densely textured and teasingly tempting Dolcettos and Sangioveses to inspire our creative Cal-​Ital culinary imaginations.
The postcard pretty views of vines, wines, and valley ain’t too shabby, either!

Enveloped by hillsides and natural beauty, this winery is pretty, tranquil and timeless. Off the beaten path on the Hollister wine trail and located just behind DeRose Winery, first timers can get lost and or confused, so plan ahead and map it out. There is no cell service, so get lost on purpose!
Best way to enjoy this winery is pack a picnic, taste some wine, buy a bottle of what you love, sit outside and enjoy! They do offer some really great wine club member promotions and from what I hear, host some really fun events. Cheers!
Recommendations:
–Sangiovese
–Merlot

This winery is just behind Derose, on the hollister wine trail. We happened to come to this place with a groupon… or was it livingsocial… Anyhow! The deal gives you a tour of the winery and wine making facility, of course it ended with the tasting. Not my favorite kind of wine but the scenery is excellent. 3 stars, just a wine preference, everything else is great!

First of all, this place is BEAUTIFUL!
I have always had friendly service here, just joined the wine club. I’m in love with all of their wines. Such a local treasure!

Why do I enjoy Pietra Santa?
1. Their wines. Especially their Italian reds. Alessi, the winemaker, is a master of reds, and if you don’t fall in love with their Sassolino, you don’t like red wine!
2. Their location. It’s off the beaten track, and drop-​dead gorgeous. Plan on a half an hour to find it the first time.
3. Their people. They are gracious, knowledgeable, and helpful. It’s a pleasure to go there, and you will leave with a smile on your face and some wine in your hand.
Any more questions?