Hecker Pass Winery is at 4605 Hecker Pass Road, Gilroy, CA 95020. Phone +1 (408) 930-6777. Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
About
Hecker Pass has been making Italian-style wines in Gilroy since 1972, and they still farm like it's 1972—head-pruned vines, wild yeast, zero chemicals. This isn't a winery chasing trends; it's a family operation now on generations four and five, bottling everything they grow on-site. The portfolio runs dry to dessert, but people keep coming back for the sweet stuff, especially their Muscat. Carlo's still in the tasting room telling the family story, pouring wines that taste like they came from somewhere else and some other time. The attached La Vigna event space books up for weddings, but daily tastings stay low-key and unrushed.
The Oxto Edit
Oxto AIEstablished 1972 by third-generation Italian vintner. Fourth and fifth generations still working the estate. Produces old-world Italian-style wines using traditional methods: dry farming, head pruning, hand picking, wild yeast fermentation. No herbicides, pesticides, or cultured yeast. Known for sweet wines, particularly Muscat. Also operates La Vigna Event Center on property.
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Hecker Pass Winery
4605 Hecker Pass Road
Gilroy, CA 95020
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