San Francisco Peninsula

The Peninsula is Santa Cruz Mountains AVA — one of the most under-the-radar terroirs in the state. Vineyards cling to the ridgelines from Woodside down through Saratoga, Los Gatos, Ben Lomond, and Corralitos, 800 to 2,600 feet up, above the fog line most of the growing season. Thin, rocky soils and Pacific exposure produce cabernet and chardonnay with real tension; Ridge, Thomas Fogarty, Mount Eden, and Cooper-Garrod are the anchors. Most tasting rooms are tucked into back roads — call ahead, bring the dog, make a day of the drive.