Visiting San Francisco bay areas oldest vinyard/winery. Taking in grapes from San Francisco down to Monterey and creating array of white and reds. Great place for a short escape from the city. Like being being in northern Italy for a few hours. Wine taste for 10 dollars then apply the 10 dollars to any bottle. Be well vacationsensei
Wonderful experience wine tasting during Covid- lovely patio, lots of space between groups, and, of course, great wines!
Sorry but didn't mention new rule about kids. After driving there and getting refused....not real Happy
Have been wine club members for 5 years because of their superb Pinot Noir.
Beautiful winery, fun environment, and great service. It's nice to sit out on the patio and order a couple of glasses of wine and appetizers. Wine tasting is also available at this location for modest prices.
Nice little spot in the trees above Los Gatos for a glass of wine with your dog on the patio. I really liked the atmosphere of the staff want constantly glaring at us to order more...
Has improved substantially over the last decade. Highly recommend a visit and a tasting.
Great experience at the wine bar107. We had a nice conversation with the owner of this family owned business. Testarossa is a world renowned vintner of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Make a reservation, take your sweetie and enjoy. All accomodations are well thought out.
Live music. Good seating. Wines were OK. A bit crowded though.
It was my second time here and it started off uncomfortable. My aunt has been a long time member and invited us to do wine tasting. We were in town for the Easter holiday. There were five of us tasting under her membership; we figured it would be a non issue considering we were ready to spend money for a lot of wine (only 4 can taste for free under someone's membership). Greg the "lead" pourer was extremely rude and insisted we needed to pay for the fifth tasting. We didn't even get a chance to tell him our plan was to buy wine which would ultimately wave the tasting fee. He was aggressive pushy and terribly rude. We ended up having to walk away because he was getting too hostile for our taste. As we were leaving we ran into Linda. We told her about our horrible encounter with Greg, and she made it up to us. She had the best customer service. Was extremely knowledgeable on the wine,and introduced Ryan to us who was equally as amazing. We were able to taste some fabulous wines. During that process GREG came back and stared us down angrily. Which was terribly uncomfortable. My only word for him is BULLY. Please do not let him pour your wine, he'll destroy your experience. You need to look for Linda! She actually should be the "lead". She was awesome and turned our experience from horrendous to amazing. She's a real class act, and because of her we will definitely be back. Needless to say we left buying over $300 worth of wonderful wine...So this five star rating is a shout out to Linda and Ryan! Thank you for changing our experience. Greg gets a zero in my book.
Tom in the main tasting room was attentive and provided a wealth of information regarding the wines, locales, grapes etc. Cheese tray in bar 107? Was great.
Great ambiance, great wines, excellent service, the only possible downside is high prices.
Great environment, wine and food. They gave a free tour as well.
We enjoyed an incredible port. The setting is lovely.
Testarossa Winery: Producing World-Class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Testarossa Winery is a renowned winery located in the historic Novitiate Winery of Los Gatos, California. The winery has been producing world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for over 25 years, blending centuries-old winemaking techniques with state-of-the-art technology to create exceptional wines that are enjoyed by wine enthusiasts around the world.
The Testarossa Story
The story of Testarossa Winery began in 1993 when Rob and Diana Jensen purchased an old Jesuit novitiate in Los Gatos, California. The couple had a passion for wine and wanted to create their own label. They converted the property into a state-of-the-art winemaking facility while preserving its historic charm.
Rob Jensen is a graduate of UC Davis' viticulture program, which is considered one of the best in the world. He honed his skills at some of California's top wineries before starting Testarossa with his wife Diana.
Today, Testarossa produces over 20 different wines from some of California's most prestigious vineyards. Their focus on quality has earned them numerous awards and accolades from industry experts.
Winemaking Philosophy
At Testarossa Winery, they believe that great wine starts with great grapes. They work closely with their growers to ensure that only the best fruit makes it into their wines.
Once harvested, the grapes are sorted by hand before being gently pressed using state-of-the-art equipment. The juice is then fermented using natural yeasts to bring out the unique flavors and aromas of each varietal.
After fermentation, the wines are aged in French oak barrels for up to 18 months before being bottled and released for sale. This extended aging process allows the flavors to develop fully while adding complexity and depth to each wine.
Wines Offered
Testarossa offers a wide range of wines including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel among others.
Their flagship wine is their Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay which has consistently received high ratings from critics such as Wine Spectator magazine.
They also produce several single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that showcase different terroirs throughout California's Central Coast region.
Tasting Room Experience
Visitors can experience Testarossa's award-winning wines at their tasting room located at Novitiate Winery in Los Gatos or Carmel-by-the-Sea Tasting Room & Wine Bar.
The tasting room offers visitors an opportunity to taste through current releases as well as library vintages while enjoying views overlooking Santa Cruz Mountains.
In addition to tastings they offer tours where visitors can learn about history behind Novitiate building along with production process.
Conclusion
Testarossa Winery has established itself as one of California's premier producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir since its inception over two decades ago.
Their commitment towards quality coupled with use traditional techniques along modern technology have resulted in exceptional wines year after year.
Whether you're an experienced oenophile or just starting your journey into fine wine appreciation - visiting this iconic Californian winemaker should be on your bucket list!
testarossa.com
