MJA Vineyards Wine and Tasting Room....I love you! I always have a wonderful time when I stop by, and I am always treated like family; Marin's energy and generous Aloha spirit make customers feel welcome. There are all kinds of varietals--seriously, there are so many to try! Plus, it is easy to leave having made new friendships. I also love being part of the wine club and the perks, and I have been a member for about ten years. The wine club member parties and movie nights are a great time. There is a wine for everyone. The Cabernets age very well. I just opened a 2013 Cab this week ("Still Horny" ????) that was awesome. read more

MJA Vineyards - Awww Larry! We miss you. The employees at MJA are the best. - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stopped here for a wine tasting and had a nice experience. The tasting was $25 and focused mostly on whites. We tried Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, two different Sauvignon Blancs, and a Red Zinfandel. The wines were good and the staff provided great service throughout the tasting. The setting is relaxed and perfect if you're looking for a casual place to enjoy some wine while in Santa Cruz. read more

MJA Vineyards - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Ambience is convivial. I sipped by way through a wine tasting. Here are my rankings on a 5 point scale. The 2019 Cab from MJA vineyards (Suave) had the best value: 4.7: 2018 Cab "Penetration". Serene Cellars. Vermouth note. $135. 4.7: 2018 Cab "Too risque". Serene Cellars. Deep and smoky. $135. 4.6: 2019 Cab "Suave". MJA vineyards. $80. 4.6: 2019 Cab "Lei'd". Serene Cellars: $135. 4.5: 2011 Cab "Distraction". Serene Cellars. Almost gone. 4.5: 2017 Cab "Foreplay". Serene Cellars. $135. 4.5: 2020 Pinot Noir "Wink". Davine Cellars. Nice layer of smoke. $48. 4.4: 2020 Cab "Debonair". MJA Vineyards. Concentrated and peppery $85. 4.3: 2018 Malbec "Sneaky". Davine Cellars. $58. 3.0: 2017 Merlot "Elegant". Davine Cellars. Too sour. $58. They also had a pizza popup on Saturday by Italia Fire, a wood-buring pizza popup. I tried the chicken pesto pizza $22, but it was lacking in flavor, and the crust was doughy and undercooked. read more

MJA Vineyards - On Saturday, they host a food truck. This is the Pollo pesto pizza from the Italia Fire popup. $22. - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Wow. What an amazing place. Ron was awesome. Wine is above and beyond. Highly recommended. read more

We have been coming here for years. We visit family in Santa Cruz often and it's a tradition to go to MJA and bring some food and relax with some wine. We always enjoy the staff and the hospitality they show. This time was no exception. Normally we sit outside but it was rainy and dreary so they let us sit in the back room and Meredith got us all set up and made sure the lighting was right and even offered any plates or napkins we may need. As usual the wine was excellent and we left with a bottle and some great memories. read more

Love to stop by there for music and a drink. And I absolutely love the dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Don't miss. I usually stop by the Westside New Leaf next door to food shop where you can also pick up snacks or more. Then, just go next door before you head home so friendly. You might be able to hear the owner sing with the band. read more

this winery is a true gem that captivates visitors with its charm and warmth. The owner, a genuinely kind-hearted individual, brings a unique story to the establishment--having previously cultivated coffee in Hawaii, specifically the renowned Kona coffee. This background not only enriches the winery's narrative but also adds a distinctive touch to the experience. The wines offered here are exceptional, showcasing a range of flavors that reflect both the local terroir and the owner's passion for winemaking. Each sip reveals the dedication and artistry that goes into crafting these exquisite wines, making it evident why they are celebrated among connoisseurs. The atmosphere at the winery is inviting and vibrant, creating a perfect backdrop for relaxation and enjoyment. The outdoor area is particularly enchanting, featuring comfortable seating where guests can unwind with a glass of wine in hand. This space serves as a social hub, where people from all walks of life gather to share stories and forge connections, all while basking in the beauty of the surroundings. Adding to the ambiance, the winery often hosts talented local musicians who perform live, infusing the air with delightful melodies that enhance the overall experience. Whether you're sipping fine wine or mingling with fellow patrons, the combination of great company, beautiful music, and the serene environment makes this winery a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a memorable outing. read more

Wow so good found on Groupon 10/10 w the staff and service had nice seating and music

Fun place to taste wine. Took my mother there to have a day out of the house, she enjoyed it as well

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon at MJA Vineyards! There are enough wine choices to keep you busy for HOURS, luckily we had a lovely woman with a TON of knowledge that catered our tastings to our likes and we were a bit different in what we each liked! We sat on the patio as there was a break in weather and it was warm and inviting! The staff here are incredibly friendly and helpful, they share their knowledge of the wines and where the grapes are from! Oh and they had a great deal that day when you purchased wine they not only waived the tasting fee, but really amazing value for the quality of wine! We will absolutely be back and looking forward to it! read more

Head next door to the market and get a bite or snack plate to have with their wines! My favs are the cabs! Pricey but yummy!

This place is so pretty that I couldn't just walk past when I say the cute patio. A very Inviting stop and I am so happy that I went in. Dog friendly so I had my two trusty companions with me, per usual. I had the mixed wine tasting and I thought that they were all very tasty. My favorite was the Pinot noir but that is my favorite type of wine so I'm not surprised. The staff member was very attentive and came as soon as my tasting glass got low. I am very thankful for how helpful she was because I sat the furthest from the bar as possible (sorry!) She even brought my dogs out some water which I appreciate so much. I will definitely come back! They also said this is the best place to drop off your significant other for daycare if you need some time away. I might just take them up on that ;) can't beat the 25 dollar price lol read more

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Okay so we sat there maybe two hours and exchanged entertaining stories and talked life, he would surprise us with chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate covered macadamia nuts to enhance the tasting, and it just added for an amazing first time experience. I really liked how intimate and personable he was and how he let me taste all the wines available until I was sure of the one I wanted to choose. Superb customer service and its dog friendly dog too. You can tell that he wants to keep the customers happy and coming back. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here and the bathrooms were clean too :) but a little trip behind the entrance. My favorite was the Zinfandel and second the Cab- La Plaisiar (sp?) read more

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Honestly, what a tragedy to grow up in a town with such good wine, unable to drink it for 18 years. Love returning to SC and discovering gems like MJA when I visit home. We stopped in for a flight on a rainy Saturday and were quickly seated. They clearly did their best spacing out the semi-indoor warehouse style space, but still a lil crowded for our liking during a covid surge. They also have a patio out front so we opted for this. Strangely, they had space heaters inside but not out when we were there. My sister had a more assorted flight while I tried their reds. We both enjoyed every single wine we tried. They advertise a 4 pour flight and we ended up with 6, and all of them were good. Plus, pours were pretty generous and we left feeling satisfied with the quantity and qualify of wine for a $20 tasting. Our server was a lot of fun and very friendly. They also bring out fun little extras like popcorn and chocolate covered coffee beans. Overall, a great experience. read more

MJA Vineyards - Two of the tasting options - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I have only been a member for about a year but so far I really enjoy this winery! (Don't tell my other wine clubs that) This is a good option if you live in San Jose/ South Bay and are looking to try some great wines without having to drive to other wine regions in the area. Anytime someone stops by and comes into the tasting room it really feels like they treat you like family. I always come to pick up my wine in person because I know I'll get to learn a bit and taste something new. There's seating both indoors and out and they have an area for members to do movie watch parties and more. The last time I was there, they even had live music! The location is also very close to some good restaurants. read more

MJA Vineyards is the cutest! I brought my parents here on Friday (no reservation) after a quick search on Yelp for wineries in Santa Cruz. Immediately, I was excited to see the pretty outdoor seating area (front patio) with lots of string lights and live music. The vibe here is extremely welcoming, with sweet and attentive servers and easy conversation between tables. Our server was so quick to bring us menus, water, and even some treats/water for my dog. All three of us decided to get flights (the most popular option, as we were told) - my father and I getting the red wine flight and my mom opted for the mixed flight. I honestly enjoyed every wine I tried, especially the Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon (ended up purchasing a bottle of this one). The pours were quite generous and our server even let us try an extra wine at the end. We had a wonderful time and I can't wait to come back! read more

MJA Vineyards - Round 1 of our flights - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Once again, another amazing visit to MJA. We've moved out of state to Tn and this was a must stop on a trip back for a wedding. Marin was an amazing host and a great source of information regarding the variety of grapes and methods going into so many of their amazing wines. Sipping on these flavorful masterpieces and taking in the ocean breeze made for a perfect revisit to one of our favorite California Wineries. We will certainly keep the shipments coming to our new home in TN. read more

MJA Vineyards - Only a couple blocks from the ocean - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The best wine in the South Bay. The owner Marin (MJA are his initlas) is a kick and his tasting pours are at least twice as much as other wineries. And he doesn't stop at just 4 or 5. He keeps going. The Hawaiian theme is fun and it is because he used to live there, and had the best rated Kona Coffee plantation in Hawaii, until he sold it to come to America to make wine. His staff is super friendly and he often has live music to entertain you while you drink. read more

I've been an MJA patron since they opened in 2010. The customers, staff, and wine quality will not disappoint! This Santa Cruz gem proves that first-rate Napa-quality Cabernets, small-town family vibes, and a Cheers-like atmosphere can all be found in one place. Do yourself a favor and indulge your wine itch at MJA! read more

MJA Vineyards - Marin and I at MJA - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stumbled across this tasting room & it opens until 7pm. We ended up with the mixed flight so we can taste a little of it all. The sparkling wine was very tasty not sweet just how I like it. The rose was ok not one of my favorites. I really also liked their cab very bold strong and a little tanick. Staff was super friendly and we even got seated in the cellar room since there was no outside seating which worked out better because it was just our group seating there. read more

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If you want to be treated as family instead of customers, come visit MJA. I've read the negative reviews that are associated with the Yelp review, & all I will say is there are always people who find the glass half empty, but if you find your glass half full & overflowing, MJA winery is the place to be. We have been members for years, & have enjoyed the fruits of the labor that have been crafted in the beautiful art that is MJA wine. Not to mention the Hawaiian coffee & chocolate are to die for! The owner, the workers & the environment are all welcoming & wholesome. Don't bother looking for another winery, become part of the MJA family! read more

MJA Vineyards - Dog who loves wine - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Great winery! The owner is so sweet! He used to grow coffee on Hawaii! Best Kona coffee and best wine! Love the atmosphere ! The outside area is a great place to meet meet people while you sip wine and they have lovely local musicians playing sometimes! read more

My partner is a member here and he thinks it's one of the best splurges he has! Even though I am a normally frugal person, I agree. I love their wine tasting experience - an option of mixed ($20), reds ($20), or reserves ($40). With the membership, both the mixed and reds are free and the reserves selection costs $20. Plus the service is great. Nicole and Natalie are always super friendly and tend to give heavy pours. It's always fun to be there on a lighter day when they swing by with some of the extra favorites off the menu. Seating wise, they have both outdoor patio seating and an indoor wine cellar (sometimes closed due to Covid). Fun place for a date night and a really non-pretentious environment to enjoy some great wine. read more

Z. and I had the best of times here! This was our first wine tasting experience in the pandemic, and we wandered in here mostly on a whim, but boy I am so glad we did! We were the first ones at around noon on a Wednesday, and had the whole sunny front patio to ourselves. MJA got busy an hour or so later so we are glad we had a chance to talk to the nice woman who introduced the wines. I wish I got her name, but she was so fun to listen to because she described the flavor profiles with such animation and accuracy. I absolutely love what they've done to standardize the wine tasting experience, bottling the wines into small (but not too small!) tasting bottles after they've been aerated. I'm assuming they ship these out to customers wanting the virtual experience. In this way, they guarantee everyone gets an equal tasting experience. Fantastic! Z. did the mixed flight and I the red flight and we loved all of them. We even got a bonus pour which was great. I will definitely be recommending MJA to all my friends who visit SC. We hope to come back soon! read more

Took the family here & we had so much fun. The place is beautiful. Wine is delicious. I would highly recommend.

It's a become a tradition for our family to enjoy an afternoon tasting wine at MJA Vineyards tasting room. Been coming here for a number of years and also enjoyed being a member of their wine club. What experience can you expect? Great wine is at the top of the list along with great hosts, nice background music while you enjoy wine delicious wine after delicious wine. Also the tasting room itself is very comfortable. You'll also find along the walls local Art for sale, Merchandise and kona coffee from the owners own coffee plantation on Kona Island. The owner and his son are absolutely great hosts, very knowledgeable of the wine. There are several different wine tasting flights to choose from. My favorite is the Mediterranean flight and the red flight. One tip I could offer about their wine, when you taste a wine here it's going to be way different when you get home if you don't let it breathe. I would suggest decanting the wine first or letting it breathe for awhile. read more

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Fantastic selection of wines served in a casual atmosphere. Heavy pours served by knowledgeable staff. Only criticism is the lighting. Very bright fluorescent tube lights gave it a church basement vibe. Only one propane heater was available outside. read more

We live down the street from about 12 wineries. And we've tried them all. MJA is the best not only for the varieties of wine, and the taste of the wine, but for that special comradeship and fun of the staff and other patrons. We've developed a special relationship with the staff there such that every time we come in, they greet us by name. And we usually meet other people there just having a good time and feeling the cool vibes. We've had nothing but great experiences here. I highly recommend visiting and becoming a member. read more

Huge shout out to our friend JOHNNY!!! Johnny showed us a great time and entertained us well. He made us feel comfortable and made sure we were taken care of. We purchased 3 bottles and got to eat Skinny Pop, chocolate covered espresso beans, and crackers! We enjoyed the funky names on their wine bottles such as, "Still Horny" LOL. Great titles for sure! We loved their wine especially their Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc (chilled). The seating arrangement is great with lots of tables spread out and most under the tree for shade. Any questions we had were answered. MJA is an awesome winery room to go to when in Santa Cruz. This is a family ran winery with Hawaiian imported coffees, etc. They also sell other stuff inside their store. They have won awards and medals for their wines as well! I'd love to come back again for more! Thanks Johnny! read more

The owner was so fantastic and knowledgeable. Very generous with his tastings!! Wine, service and experience was better than Napa.

This place was great!! The gal leading our tasting was extremely friendly and we got to try some amazing wines. I will definitely come back! read more

MJA Vineyards - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I really like coming here. You are taken care of promptly. Excellent wines. Good size pours on tasting. Unpretentious. Crackers on counter. Great sitting area outside. Live music weekend evenings. The owner is awesome - promotes the Hawaiian theme They have good coffee too :-) read more

I'm really glad we came across MJA The overall experience was amazing, the staff is the nicest wine staff I've ever had host me in a winery The setting is ok, industrial area but it's nice The wines are good, I especially liked the Howell mountain They do have the best pouring method I've come across ever, the individual bottles per taste was awesome read more

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Stopped by here while exploring Santa Cruz. Very reasonable prices ($15 for 7 pours in the mixed flight). They are also dog-friendly! I especially loved the first and the last wines in the pour (2017 Serene Cellars Sauvignon Blanc "Wipe Out" Pope Valley & 2015 Serene Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Amnesia" Napa Valley. We ended up getting bottles of the Wipe Out and the Ruby. The owner Marin, was super friendly and knowledgeable (and made some puns lol). They also have another location in Los Gatos that I'm definitely planning on checking out! Definitely would recommend stopping by! read more

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Oh my!!! Absolutely great experience. We were wandering through the neighborhood and found this fabulous gem. We did the reserve (absolute must). Napa wines with a home down fabulous feeling. Super great place to taste and hang out.. read more

Decent experience! We Called them on Valentine's Day to make a reservation for V Day for noon. The guy on the phone was very helpful and when enquirer about the two different locations on their website, he explained to us the setup and location for the wine tastings rooms: Westside- industrial area lookout, in Santa Cruz city limits, roadside sit out. Summit- located in Los Gatos, classic , wooden cabin kinda feel. Since we were already driving down to Santa Cruz we decided to make reservations at westside. It was just as he described, nothing fancy just a seat out with industrial lookout feel. There were quite a few open tables but the host repeatedly told us our reservation is only for 1 hr and we had wrap up within that time. We were 6 of us and order 3 flights of wine. Contrary to what I read on Yelp (15$ - 7 wine tasting) this place was a bit pricey for the location. We spent around 100$ for around 10 wine tastings (10 in total for 6 of us). We ran out of time and had gulp down a last few bottles due to time restrictions even though we could see empty tables around. Having said that, staff was friendly, wines ranged from okayish to really good. The weather was good and we enjoyed the tasting session. Just wished we weren't rushed into it. read more

MJA Vineyards - Wines were served in these small bottles - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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My girlfriend and I were in Santa Cruz for a relaxing weekend away from San Francisco and spontaneously decided to go wine tasting. We love going tasting in Sonoma and Napa counties but had never gone in Santa Cruz so were excited for a new experience. We chose MJA after a quick google search, we decided to just go for it and we couldn't have been happier with our choice. The service staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. We were laughing the whole time with both the staff and other patrons. The owner had creative, fun, and silly nicknames for each of the wines served, and we had a blast listening to him talk about each of them. This is the most laid back, community driven experience I have ever had at a wine tasting and can't wait to come visit again! On a final note, they offer a real bang-for-your-buck cheese/fruit/nut/bread platter that is a great accompaniment to the generous wine tasting. We left with a bottle of the 2017 Serene Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, also know as Wipe Out. read more

MJA Vineyards - Serene Cellars 2017 "Wipe Out" Sauvignon Blanc - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

We tried MJA for the first time today and were totally blown away with the customer service, the quality of the wines, and the very generous pours. Natalie was our server and she was SO nice and really made us feel comfortable. The tasting was $20 for the flight, which we split. Even with splitting the flight, each tasting was so generous and Natalie gave us a couple bonus pours. The vibe was super laid back and we cannot wait to come back! Highly recommend! read more

Wine was good but overpriced. Service was slow..we tasted on the deck and it seemed like the "party" inside was getting a lot more attention. read more

A friend and I were in Santa Cruz for the day wanted to taste some wine so we came across MJA Vineyards, and I'm so happy we did! We called when they opened and had a table reserved for us when we arrived. The staff is super friendly and they have excellent dog treats for all the doggies. The wine is also very good! We had such a great time chatting with the employees and tasting some delicious wine. If you are in Santa Cruz, definitely try this place out! read more

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