Came to Martin Ranch on a Sunday in September. It was a gorgeous day and there were a number of other parties there, but it wasn't too crowded. They have a couple different areas to sit and a dedicated tasting bar. The property was absolutely beautiful, surrounded by vineyards and with a small pond. I wished we had explored more, because you can roam around a good portion of it. You can bring your own food, which we did, but they also sell snacks. And they even sell beer for the non-wine drinkers. The tasting menu had 4 wines, though there were plenty of extra open bottles, so we were able to try a few more. read more

See all

My mom has been a member here for sometime. I truly enjoy coming here to taste and pick up wines before heading out. They tend to have case specials and they are such great deals. This time I got the Malbec 1/2 case special, last summer I got the 1/2 Viognier special. The way The Martins make their wine is just perfection! I look forward to my visit here when I get to come to Cali. The ambience is chill country outdoor setting with great vineyard views. They even have a cute pond up top you can walk to. They are great with bringing you your tastings to the tables if they see you are ready for the next wine. Such great service. read more

See all

We stopped in at Martin Ranch Winery Saturday afternoon. It is off the beaten path, but well worth the drive. It's beautiful and feels like a working winery, farm, and lovely gathering spot. I felt warmly welcomed and encouraged to explore the grounds, enjoy the hummingbirds, and hang out for a while. The wines were very good. We enjoyed everything they poured and loved meeting one of the winemakers and the tasting room staff. All were very knowledgeable about wine and wanted to talk with us. They also roast coffee, and had samples of that available, too. We took coffee and wine home. We will return to this special place, bring a picnic, and spend the afternoon. It was definitely a hidden gem! read more

Martin Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Gilroy, California

See all

Martin ranch winery is a lovely experience. The Owners and Sommlier are amazing. Everyone is so friendly and knowledgeable. The grounds are beautiful and the views are spectacular. This winery experience is made complete by the the exquisite wines they produce. read more

Martin Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Gilroy, California

Such a beautiful, welcoming experience!Immediately upon arriving at Martin Ranch Winery we felt right at home! Therese (owner) welcomed us and made us feel like old friends. Skip had us laughing and engaged in great conversation while he served us our delicious wine tasting. We decided to become wine club members because we enjoyed every single wine we tasted and had such a great time. When guests come to our home for dinner we are always proud to serve their wine because we know they will love it as much as we do. Now, each time we visit the winery we feel like we are coming home because they make us feel like family The grounds are so beautiful and we feel so comfortable there that we always want to bring friends and family when they come to visit. Hundreds of hummingbirds agree with us and so do the geese that have decided to make their pond home. The gardens are a feast for the eyes and their chickens seem happy and content. We just love it here! read more

First time here but what a great experience and well worth the drive. The venue was beautiful, the staff were friendly and engaging. The owners were always present and engaging as well. We also tried the charcuterie which complimented the wine. We ended up with a case of their Chardonnay and look forward to our next visit read more

We had 1:30 reservations for Saturday but we were like 20 mins late.But it was ok since it's a big spacious winery. There wasn't a lot of people there. Plenty of outdoor space with shade. Looks like only has outdoor seating. I think it only has 1 restroom too. It's 21+ only. Red wines are their strong suit. Wines are fruity. The owner, Dan was nice to walk around and say hi to everyone. All the staff were really friendly and nice. $20 for 5 wines plus a couple of extra ones that were open. The wines we liked were Grenache, Sangiovese, Cab, Sauvignon blanc, GSM. The Grenache and Sauvignon blanc were probably our top 2. The pour amounts here are average. Pricier wines and they don't waive tasting fee. You can bring picnic food here. They grow their own vegetables and stuff here too. Lots of things to see so walk around! read more

See all

If you're tasting wine in the area, this is a must-stop. The drive in was delightful. You almost forget you're in Santa Clara County. The wines were very nice. Our favorite was the merlot but we also walked out with a case of the sale syrah. It's a very nice property with many outdoor seating options. A very fun time unless you are among the snootiest of wine snobs. read more

Martin Ranch Winery - Beautiful! - Wineries Near Me - Gilroy, California

Came here yesterday for wine tasting and lunch for my friend's birthday. $30 a person or $20 if you're a wine member for choice of pizza and about 6 pairings over lunch. I talked to Margie, who is very nice. You are allotted 90 minutes for outdoor seating that is socially distanced. Was a good experience for the wine connoisseur in you :) read more

See all

Great winery! Went here with my in-laws for Father's Day weekend. So much seating area space. Most people bring a picnic with them, so they can just enjoy the surroundings. I would come back here for sure and just enjoy the property. Prices range from $25-60 for a bottle of wine. read more

See all

Brought my son (who just turned 21) here for his very first experience with wine tasting. Martin was our second stop and this experience (and definitely the wine) blew the first one away (won't disclose the first stop). Lorrie was really good about walking my son through the tasting and describing the differences between the 'his and hers' wines. For those who are on the fence if they are white or red lover - choose the red / white tasting. Reasonable tasting fee - $15 - and you get $5 off if you buy a bottle of wine. read more

We understand business do not operate the same with COVID protocols. Today was our 3rd experience at Martin Ranch Winery. It's our preference to experience wineries multiple times before joining a membership. The other two times we visited was before COVID. Today, we had precise 1 ounce pours or less (literally two small sips). The man who was our server seemed uninterested, we did have a 330 tasting appt. We normally leave with something and we left with nothing because he didn't seem to want to sell anything. Would have purchased 2 bottles of the Granche Blanc, 2 bottles of rye Privita Reserve, and a case of the special. The server seemed more interested in helping and talking to younger females who were members than us. Would recommend better service to increase sales and memberships. read more

Love this place. Wine is good. We are going there to enjoy view and a great company-it feels like at home there. Every person is very pleasant and positive. What is great, that they know lots about wines and conversations are always interesting. Join the club! read more

We stopped by yesterday on this rainy weekend and it was a nice visit. The grounds are gorgeous and they have some good wine. You're greeted well and they give you a little tour of where everything is located. There's also food available for purchase and you can bring outside food for a picnic. The wine clubs members have more access however to the area with the pond overlooking the vineyards and they taste in a different section. The only negative part is you don't get to taste the estate wines unless you are a wine club member. When I asked if we could even purchase the bottle to try, that was also only available to wine club members so it limits the ability for you to truly taste all their wines and learn what you like. It's also difficult to be able to decide whether you want to become a wine club member due to the limited tasting menu. We were told to try the cab made by the wife but again that wasn't available so we were a little disappointed read more

See all

There is one thing I would break up over, and that is if she caught me with another woman. I won't stand for that -- Steve Martin A day without sunshine is like, you know, night -- Steve Martin No, Steve Martin doesn't own this winery but he would feel at place here. Tucked away down Redwood Retreat Road about 3.5 miles from Watsonville Road, the drive to get here is truly spectacular. On an overcast Fall day with intense redwood and pine greens combined with the beautiful oranges, reds and browns of the other trees changing color, it must be heaven on Earth to live and farm out out here. Pity the wines do not live up to the scenery. Interestingly enough, one of the two winemakers, owner Dan Martin, admits as much on his website that he pushes the oak balance on his wines because his customers demand it. I'd say dial it back because out of the four reds I tasted, none of them were worthy of the $30-$40 price points they were asking for and they all were bludgeoned to death of any varietal characteristics so that the Syrah tasted like the Cab which tasted like the Zin. The one wine I purchased here was an interesting Sauvignon Blanc that started with some lovely upfront fruit, had a full mid-palate but then ended with a very weird veggie finish. I had to buy a bottle to see what this would taste like with a meal and study that finish a bit more. Service here was a bit strained...they are only open the third weekend of each month plus it was passport weekend. They do ask that you sign in and they then give you name tags but no one in the cramped tasting area (two tables shaped like an L in a small square sized area) ever used your first name. It just seemed like a waste of paper. However, the views are lovely and even if the wines are not made to my taste; you may like them if you like a lot of oak in your vino. They are certainly not as pretentious as The Winery That Shall Not Be Named but I would come back in the future to see if over time, more balance is achieved and the wines can earn those lofty price points. read more

Two stars for beautiful area and beautiful venue, but what a joke to drive all the way there to only be told that since we aren't members we can't use the best area of the winery. We used to be able to use the playground area with the kids, but now we are relegated to a small area with picnic tables. And the pours are small and stingy. What exactly am I getting for the fifteen bucks??? For the drive and the cost, I felt like we were cheated. Oh, and those stupid name-tag things need to be discarded. I felt unwelcome and second class. Maybe if the wine was super excellent I would feel different, but even the wine needs improvement. read more

The wife and I stopped by here last Saturday on a lark. We were driving up to Kirigin and saw the sign for Martin Ranch on the way. I thought, "Let's stop by that one on the way back." So as we were driving back down the road we made the right turn down Redwood Retreat road to check it out. It's a bit off the main road on a 2 lane twisty road far enough out that we were thinking of turning around when we finally saw the sign. It was pretty busy as there was a winery passport going on last weekend that Martin Ranch and many other wineries were a part of. We paid our tasting fee and bellied up to one of the "bars" and started tasting some wine. I had just tasted one of their reds when I remarked to the wife, "Not bad." Suddenly I hear a "Not bad?!?!" and an older gentlemen with long white hair in a pony tail walks over to kindly give me an earful. Turns out he was the Mr. Martin in Martin Ranch. I told him not to feel insulted as I am not a huge fan of red wine. So he begins to give me an education in wine making and wines in general. We spent about 20 minutes talking about the different wines he makes, his philosophy on wine, wine storage and many other things. I've been to many different wineries over the years but never have I had a conversation with the actual vintner. It was quite an experience. If you go up a ways past the tasting area there is a kids play area, a chicken coop, a good sized vegetable garden and a small pond where you can sit and relax. All of the wines we tasted were very good and I ended up buying a bottle of Zinfandel. Their reds were all very soft and fruit forward with a delicious nose. I believe that the owners live on the property as their is a small house next to the vineyard. That must be quite the life, living right next to the vineyards where you make great tasting wine. That guy's got it made. read more

Fantastic location! Yummy Wines! Wonderful, Magical, Peaceful and so BEAUTIFUL! I have had the opportunity living in the Bay Area to go to some of the most beautiful wineries. I have gone to wineries in Sonoma County, Napa, and Russian River since I was 18, let me tell you Martin Ranch is the place to go! The country drive itself is inspiring but the grounds are spectacular. Then when you meet the owners you feel blessed to have found this oasis. We have since now had two family celebrations here and honestly I can't think of a better winery to share the afternoon with friends and family. Thanks YOU Martin Ranch Winery for you kindness, compassion, care of nature, love of wine! You are true artists! Much Love Debbie Cetani-Arambula read more

This winery is fun! They're only open the third weekend of the month. There is definitely a following here as it was crowded and lots of people were setting up picnics. 10 dollars to taste 5 wines, and you can also taste their wine-club wine at a separate tent. They have a pond which is nearly empty because of the drought and a playground. The wines were wonderful...I like sweet wines but these non-sweet wines may just have converted me. None were so harsh that I had a hard time swallowing it. Delicious on the nose and never over powering going down I have no idea wtf I'm talkin bout I'm drunk read more

My daughter and I went with some friends who are members to a bottle it yourself event. It was a cold and rainy day but we were full of happy. They had put a shelter around picnic tables. The event was very well organized. The wines were delicious. The kids had a great time playing in the playground, seeing chickens and running around the lake. It's a bit of a drive but it's so beautiful back there that we didn't really notice. Now, of course, I'm thinking about signing up to be a member....Still dreaming about that sangiovese.... read more

Martin Ranch opened up this last weekend for outdoor winetasting. Reservations required with ordering of salads or various pizza's. It was so beautiful and covid safe. We checked in and were walked to a table where we sat for two hours and tasted different wines and ate lunch. Everyone that served us was amazingly clean and protective of us. We even ordered a bottle of wine after our tasting. The food came in individual containers with utensils individually wrapped. read more

Amazing wines, beautiful location and facilities, great staff - I highly recommend visiting (or just picking up) Martin Ranch wines - you won't be disappointed. read more

Had a great time yesterday on a warm and beautiful spring afternoon with old friends. The nibbles were great and the surroundings lend themselves to a slow and peaceful conversations without politics and the economy. The wines were okay; but, nothing to write here about as they were slightly above average not great (88 points). The owners are excellent hosts and made a very nice gesture of coming around to all the picnic tables to say hello with firm handshakes and talk wine. If you are looking for an adventure and a very nice drive along country roads -- then this is a place to consider. There is another winery just up the canyon which we chose not to visit. read more

In love with this place! Hard to get to. Just follow the street until it runs out. It's throw the woods awhile. Wine is AMAZING. View is Amazing! Grapes growing inches from you. Best club deals around. Lowest tier is 4 free guest tastings! Then all the events they have. They have an entire area that is private. As I have a broken ankle, it is NOT the best place for handicapped people. Pebbles. Uphill. In the dirt. Karen was awesome! read more

This is a great winery for those who enjoy red wines, and a relaxed, beautiful atmosphere. The hosts are knowledgeable and so nice. Jeff was wonderful at explaining each wine as we went along. You can pack a lunch and spend a good part of your day at Martin Ranch. They have an abundance of red wines to suit your palate. I recommend this winery 100 percent. read more

Martin Ranch Winery - Picnic at the pond on the property - Wineries Near Me - Gilroy, California

See all

We were very fortunate to have a near private wine tasting with Bonnie who made us feel ever so welcome. Martin Ranch is a bit off the beaten path but it's a beautiful beaten path to get there. All of their wines are great; tasted a Chardonnay, two Pinot noirs, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of their grapes are estate and local. Beautiful grounds to bring a picnic. Only caveat is their tasting fee is $15 of which you only get back $5 with purchase. read more

I had heard a few good things about this winery and finally had time to stop in this weekend. I wasn't sure of their hours so I messaged the business and received a quick reply letting me know they would be open. The winery is located kind of deep into the wine trail there in Gilroy. There is no cell service whatsoever, but were lucky that our navigation was working to get us there at least. It looked like a home with the winery on site. There were quite a few people there tasting and taking a break with their pets and even a picnic. Off to the left was a counter where you are greeted, given a brief overview of the winery as well as provided with a name tag and a wine glass. You are also supposed to pay for your tasting here. I believe wine members have a nice spot in this area for their pick ups. Nice idea about the name tags. We moved over to the other area to start tasting. There was space to move in so we did. Our pourer was named Steve. There were in fact, two Steve's behind the counter pourer. Our pourer was what I'll call the white-haired Steve. He was helping another group beside us and slowly made his way to us. He showed us the list of wines we would be tasting and then we started our tasting. I thought we were in for a treat. The first taste was a really beautiful white (Chardonnay). Next were the reds. From here on, the wine was speedily getting dryer and worse on our palettes. I'm not one to dump, but I literally dumped 3 of the 5 tastings. When I tried to get Steve to elaborate about the wine and why what we were drinking had such harsh tannins, he simply turned it back to me...asking what kinds of flavors are you tasting? You tell me? That was weird and not very helpful. Isn't the winery staff supposed to know exactly what they are pouring and be able to expand on the wine? I've seriously never had this happen at a winery. Btw, as we were leaving, we realized the girl at the front had not charged us, so we went back and paid the $10 fee. It was a 2for1 if you sign up to receive emails. I should have walked out, but that's just not me. These wines were just not my style, or to my liking. Really disappointed. read more

In my opinion there are two types of wineries... the "chain restaurant" and the "mom and pop." This is definitely one of the latter and if you are in the mood for the quirky owners and the deep location then you will love Martin Ranch. They are only open once a month, check online, i think its the third Saturday of every month. They charge a $10 tasting fee (which is waived when you buy a bottle) and they put a name tag on you. Yep a name tag....not sure how I felt about that one. The wines are very good, especially the Cab Sav and the Zin. They invite you to walk around, there is a pond and a swing-set on the grounds. There was big things of water and cheese, crackers and strawberries for everyone to enjoy. We were invited to come check out the barrel room which was cool to see. The crowd was a mix of older couples, hippie/granola types, and small families. I enjoyed going here and felt as if I could stay as long as I wanted. They will open any of the wines you buy to drink on the patio or you can buy wine by the glass at $5. I saw people bringing lunches, I would suggest that for a future visit. Its definitely worth the trek! read more

*** I am upgrading my original rating from a 2 star to a 5 star: Through my friend Tom From FindVino he told Therese Martin of our experience and she agreed that we should have been able to purchase the chardonnay. She has offered us the bottle at a discount and it is being dropped off to my home Thursday for purchase! Is that not the best!? Obviously she knows how to treat their clients. And I appreciate it. Martin Ranch has class, customer service and gets it. it is obvious to me that I was visiting on the wrong day and look forward to going back. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I so badly wanted to like this winery. We have been told countless times to go and try their wines. After an attempt to taste a few weeks back and unbeknownst to us they only have tastings on certain days/times. (they were"closed")Driving up and seeing the beautiful grounds and helpful owner we knew we would come back. We went back on the day they were having tastings and I was immediately billed $10.00. I swear everything was about me giiving them $ to taste there wine before anything. Left me with a bit of a negative feeling but I understand. They need to earn money and we were assured that we could put it towards a purchase....why not charge us on the way out? ...one transaction instead of two.....seems easier but there wine, their rules. The wines they were pouring were mostly red, I am moslly a white wine drinker and their chardonnay was good and I decided that I was definitely going to purchase that bottle. I did not care for any of the reds. Again I am not an expert. I at one point asked for a dump bucket, pretty standard at a winery and one girl working there seemed a bit pissed that I asked and said "soon soon we are bringing them out soon just use the sink for now" Here is the negative. The gal pouring our wine NEVER TRIED ANY OF THEM! I couldn't believe it. How can she talk about the wine if she never tried it? Our pours I swear were really very little. The stoppers they were using were not working and Im sorry those tasting sizes were little. At one point one of the pourers took it off because he agreed they were really not pouring enough at all. When we decided to leave and purchase a bottle of the chardonnay and one bottle of something red, the gal at the cc machine would not et me buy the chardonnay because I wasn't in their club. I just thought that was pretty negative. I have been to other wineries that will allow that or make an exception. These guys did not. And remember when I paid you $10 for a taste you assured me I could buy wine and get a credit for the tasting. We ended up just buying one bottle of the red we chose. Just not a pleasant experience for me and as we were going to other wineries throughout the afternnon we talked to other people that felt the same way. On a positive note their grounds are beautiful. Very nicely designed and put together. The vibe is casual and relaxed. the wine makers/owners were there and were accessable. I just don't think it was our day and I doubt we will go back anytime soon. read more

Martin Ranch was first recommended to me from a friend and oenophile who is very highly regarded in the wine business. From our first visit we were struck by the beauty of the winery and the low keyed approach from the owners. They have created a winery that represents what Napa used to be, farm first and no pretense. Dan and Therese Martin clearly have a passion for making great wine. They have scores of awards for their wine but that's not what they lead with. Their tasting room is welcoming and intimate. The view is stunning. The vibe is comfortable and engaging. The winery is a bit off the well worn path but worth the journey. If you're lucky, Dan will host a barrel tasting showing you how the same wine is influenced by different types of oak barrels. He will speak with professorial skill and answer any questions about production and the wine. The staff is always professional, helpful and pleasant. Martin Ranch produces a variety of wines from Chardonnay to Cab Franc, Sauvignon Blanc to Sangiovese . I've been a member of their wine club for the past couple of years and they've *always* satisfied. This is our current favorite winery because the people are lovely and the wine is fantastic. You should visit. It's fun and easy. read more

Slightly off the beaten path, it's worth the extra 10 minute drive to hit Martin Ranch. Of all the wine I tasted during Spring Passport '10, they definitely make some of the best. The nametag policy they employ is a little weird, but just roll with it because they really just want to be on a friendly, first-name basis with all their customers. It's very hospitable and fun, although you kind of feel like you're at a convention. They poured about 8 wines for the passpot-holder, and I was really impressed with 3 of them. The Grenache was very good, but I was sad it was only open to wine club members. I understand why they would want to drive wine club purchases, but I'm po'. I would have bought a bottle, but I was unable to because of the classist policy. Time tough. The two other standouts in my mind were the Therese Syrah and Cabernet. Very intense and complex fruit from Corralitos. Their wine is honestly miles ahead of a lot of the places around, but the price certainly reflects that and then some. It's a hard sell, to spend 40 or 50 bucks on a bottle from Santa Clara, when that precedent has clearly not been set elsewhere. read more

I agree with Ashley K's review and would add that I always feel at home and very comfortable at Martin Ranch. I think it begins with the kind greeting you get on arrival and the sense that you've been invited over to someone's house and guess what? They happen to own a vineyard. Dan and Therese make you feel at home and it's refreshing to find owners that are not only passionate about their craft but so welcoming and available. Truly a labor of love. My kids love the swings, walking around the pond, and last year bottling our own wine. So much so that we made a video of the experience. It may seem far away, tucked in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but the drive is worth it. Which is why we became wine club members on our last visit. If you are visiting south Santa Clara county, and it happens to be one of the weekends that Martin Ranch is open...stop and enjoy a glass or two. Victor Gaxiola http://www.twitter.com/victorgaxiola read more

Slightly off the beaten path, it's worth the extra 10 minute drive to hit Martin Ranch. I found this winery during Spring Passport '10, and really not that great. I found a better winery down the street from them and bought there. They poured about 8 wines for the passport-holder, and I only liked two of them. The Grenache was very good and the other was Therese Syrah and Cabernet. Very intense and complex fruit from Corralitos. Their wine is just too pricey at 40 or 50 bucks on a bottle from Santa Clara, especially when you can buy a bottle of Au from the Grocery Outlet for only $3 and it's just as good if not better. read more

Well it's almost the 4th anniversary of my "first to review" review of this winery, so I thought it was time for another update. Ignored the gloomy skies this morning to go down to Gilroy to pick up my last Wine Club allocation and taste some new wines. It was a little chilly but totally worth the trip. Every person that works at this place is so friendly, including the winemakers Dan and Therese. Dan shared a barrel tasting from a sauvignon blanc that is currently in barrels made from acacia wood. How cool is that? Pretty darn tasty, too. Can't wait until it is bottled. I learn something everytime I go. As usual the other visitors were also friendly, both club members and casual visitors. Met some nice folks and their sweet dog and got me some canine lovin' while I enjoyed my picnic and good wine. The Winery had moved barrels out of the warehouse to shield visitors from the wind and provide a warm inside area for tasting. I just noticed J.B.'s review from yesterday and almost wonder if he stopped at a different winery. I'm not sure how the miscommunication about his ability to buy wine club wines could have occurred. This is a relatively small winery and it is not unusual for small production wines to be available only to club members first (or rarely, only to club members). If he really only likes white wine, the list of wines available right when you sign in could have provided a clue that Martin Ranch is red-wine-focussed. I do love Dan's Sauvignon Blanc and his occasionally dry rose, and look forward this first effort at Chardonnay (which I barrel tasted last fall - YUM) but the vast majority of their wines are red. Still kicking myself that I did not buy more of the Nebbiolo last year. Great wines, great winery, great people! read more

My family and I had a great time here! Wine was delicious and at a great price point. The owners and staff were friendly and knowledgeable. We also felt comfortable with the COVID protocols in place, including the fact that us and other parties were incredibly spaced out (we were all in different areas of the property). Would highly recommend not only their wines, but visiting the beautiful property for a tasting! read more

My parents are wine club members here and we initially tried Martin Ranch at the Lis Altos Art & Wine Festival. We came as guests of wine club members today for tasting. They were very welcoming and the wine was fantastic. The winery is beautiful and the tasting room is outdoors with picnic tables so you have an amazing view of the vineyard, my only complaint is that they really need misters or fans around the tasting area. I definitely recommend trying their Chardonnay! read more

We held a rehearsal dinner there in September and it was absolutely gorgeous. I worked with Michelle and was super in NC every way. The wine is delicious and grounds spectacular. Thank you for creating a most memorable experience! read more

Loved this place! The owners were right out there with the crowd and showed us all around. Super kid friendly and the kind of place you can hang out for an afternoon. And they make a pretty darn good Sangiovese. read more

This is the most beautiful winery I have ever been too! My daughter in law talked me into accompanying her to a tasting. I was having a terrible and stressful weekend and didn't want to go. I'm so glad I did! It is beautiful, the staff are just wonderful and the wine is awesome. Next time I will bring a picnic lunch and my dog and just enjoy the beauty of the place. Completely turned my weekend around. read more

The Martin Ranch gang are the greatest! Everyone is friendly open and very comfortable to be with. I am in love with their reds...Which one do I like the best...Depends upon the mood!!!!! It is totally worth the trip along Redwood Retreat Road, beautiful drive and spending an afternoon there is relaxing and good fun for everyone! read more