Nicholson's is the winery you didn't know you needed! It has all the Fs too: Fun, Fab (people), and a Feel-good vibe. (Okay I stretched it with my "F" motto but it sounded good for a quick minute!) They have a little cart where you can help yourself to food that would accompany the wine, like cheese, local salami, and crackers. I've tried a couple of their flights, and rarely am I able to say this about a winery, but... The wines are all delicious! The service is top-notch. And the property is just beautiful! It's at the end of a gorgeous dirt road that's lined with trees and vineyards. We even had to stop for a mama and baby deer to cross! We felt like we were in a different country! It was so pretty there. Nicholson has events here over the Summer, too! read more

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They are open for wine tasting Friday-Sunday 11-5. Marguerite is the very engaging owner. They make refreshing, light-bodied wines that are great for summer sipping on the patio. You can bring in picnic food onto the patio. They also have a snack cart. It's a very pleasant way to spend a summer day. read more

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We were members of this winery until last weekend. We came to the winery to pick up our quarterly shipment and they were very busy. We asked if we could do a tasting and the greeter rudely said there was no place for us to slip in. No problem we said - we asked - can we open a bottle of our shipment and simply drink it and enjoy one of your beautiful outdoor green areas? Again, she said no, there was no place for us to be and we had to take our shipment and leave. The last straw was communicating our grievance to the winery directly and the wine club manager responded "we accept your wine club resignation - we were just too busy". I didn't know wineries in Aptos / Watsonville area were so incredibly profitable that they were willing to lose wine club members at the drop of the hat. Never again will I go to this winery. Highly recommend finding another place. read more

This winery is such a hidden gem! Our friends who live in Aptos took us here and we had a fabulous chill afternoon with our toddlers. They allow you to bring in food! Highly recommend sipping some white wine at their outdoor tables under the big oak trees overlooking the vines. read more

Wonderful winery and experience at Nicholson. We were vacationing from out of town and wanted to find a good winery whose focus was on Pinot Noirs. Couldn't have picked a better spot. Beautiful grounds, incredibly helpful staff, and delicious Pinot Noirs. They also have snacks for purchase which we indulged in for our flights. We ended up buying 3 bottles. Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

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Returned to Nicholson Vineyards almost a year later and I am still impressed. This is a small winery that produces wine with big flavor and uniqueness. The Barberas and Pinots are phenomenal. The wine tasting experience here is quaint, familial, and relaxing. Make reservations, sit outside, and enjoy. read more

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Nicholson Winery is a beautifully and peacefully placed winery with delicious offerings. The staff is equally knowledgeable and delightful. Thank you for a memorable experience! read more

Terrific setting, wonderful staff, and most important, well-made wine! Additionally, the prices are very fair!

I visited this winery on a beautiful Saturday morning. The weather was perfect and the property was stunning. We were quickly greeted upon arriving and had a scheduled private tour with the winemaker, Marguerite. My mom and I rally enjoyed our tour which included tasting their menu and learning SO much about the behind the scenes of wine and olive oil making. She was so sweet and knowledgeable and you can tell that their family winery is ran out of pure love and enjoyment. The wine was delicious and we really enjoyed the barrel select Chardonnay and petite sirah. The olive oil was also delicious! I highly recommend this winery to anyone who wants to enjoy some good wine with a beautiful view. read more

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We were visiting friends of ours last weekend who live on the Monterey Peninsula. They invited us to join them at their favorite winery: Nicholson Vineyards Winery. What a wonderful experience this was! The vineyard is in a bucolic setting and, in the shade of the late afternoon sun, was ideal for tasting Pinot Noirs. I do want to give a shout-out to Victor the staff member who helped make our wine tasting so pleasurable. I hope the four of us will visit Nicholson Vineyards again soon! read more

This place was a wonderful drive in but arrived earlier than opening time it was hard to find winery at first but if you wait await you'll see the signs you missed the first time passing through. The Winery was open to tasting at the time my sister and I went. Plenty of parking and the hosts were very kind and welcoming. COVID protocols were in place and the staff was able to guide us to the bathrooms in the matter that we kept distant with other guests. Although they didn't serve food at the time they did welcome outside snack for picnicking during our tasting which was great. This winery is known for its Pinot noir which was delicious but ending up buying the Chardonnay instead which was equally good. Our pourer was able to let us know where the grapes were grown and surprisingly they were grown right in the vineyard which we were seated across. Will come again with my fiancé in the future. read more

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Lovely winery with a beautiful outdoor seating area. A nice place to relax for a wine tasting or picnic with a bottle of wine. I visited during Covid and was very pleased with the distancing and safety measures put in place. Everyone working was warm and welcoming. The owner was running around working just as hard as everyone else, even getting up on the chair to fix an umbrella for some guests, which was nice to see. read more

Nicholson Vineyards Winery - a hand holding a glass of wine - Wineries Near Me - Aptos, California

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Great wine and perfect location. We are club members. We have not attended any events yet because we are new. We do plan on bring family and friends for an outing. read more

We were introduced to Nicholson a few years ago by friends who were members. We were hooked from that point on. We became members ourselves and get to enjoy free tastings and discounts for the commitment of purchasing 4 bottles/quarter. Since we are local, we go to this winery several times a year, especially when the weather is nice. We love that we can bring outside food and picnic under the oaks, as well as next to the vines and olive grove. Of all the wineries in the area, this is the best (beautiful and affordable) place to spend an afternoon. The service is friendly and there is a good selection of wines to choose from. read more

Nicholson Vineyards Winery - 2023 summer events - Wineries Near Me - Aptos, California

As a local who was raised in the beautiful area . I always want to support local . This winery offers a very comfortable, warm and welcoming atmosphere. The Family is hands on and has put their entire heart into sharing their labor of love with the public . The Setting is beautiful. Has a casual feel , and still refined . They also have olive oil . I highly recommend stopping by and spoiling yourself . read more

Best wine, period. My favorite is the Pinot, but they are all excellent. My wife and I have been members close to ten years now, and we have never been disappointed. A family run business in a very quaint setting in the hills above Aptos, nestled in oak and olive trees. Amy and enjoy our wines and love Nicholson. read more

I live in LA but grew up in Watsonville- it is great to come home and experience all these wonderful vineyards in the area- The wine here is comparable to those you find in Napa, Paso and Santa Barbara!! We enjoyed this one so much we became members!!! read more

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The grounds and tasting area are really pretty, they are generous with their pours and the wines aren't half bad. They also allow outside food which is nice. Only downside is that they are only open Saturday, then during the summer they will also open on Sundays. read more

Decided to hit a couple of the Corralitos Wine Route vineyards on a recent trip to local wineries. In the past, the wineries were only open on Vintners and Passport Weekends, so it was nice to see them open. On this trip, we hit two of the four. Nicholson was the first. A small family vineyward with a very personable staff, the grounds are quite pretty. In fact, they rent the grounds out -- there was prep work going on for a wedding later that day. The winery charges $10 / person for tasting a flight of 6 wines. Of the six, they were all decent. The early tasting of their Old Vine Zin shows promise, but it was also still young. The Syrah and Pinot were also good. The group of us that went are considering the grounds for an event. They charge $1600 for 8 hours. Which is quite reasonable. I remember when the Santa Cruz Mountain wineries didn't charge for tasting. Unfortunately, most have started charging. Thankfully, they will usually apply the tasting fee to a purchase. As of this time, Nicholson is not doing so. read more

I was beach bumming it one day and decided I wanted to go wine tasting. I found Nicholson Vineyards on Yelp and decided to make the trek up the hill. It was my first time in the Pleasant Valley area and was amazed to discover such a beautiful region. The drive to Nicholson takes you down a narrow one lane road passing miles and miles of rolling hills with vineyards. It happened to be an event weekend when I showed up so they had a nice cheese platter and desserts out for guests. There's several little nooks for sitting and sipping the afternoon away. Must try wines (all are great, but these stood out): 2010 Old Vine Zin 2009 Pinot Noir read more

Nicholson Vineyards Winery - Wineries Near Me - Aptos, California

Absolutely exquisite grounds, friendly staff and wonderful owners, and great neighbors. During your visit you get to experience wonderful labor of love crafted wine. Beautiful place to sit and visit and enjoy life. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is such a beautiful and quaint vineyard. We walked here with a few friends of ours that live in the area. The winery has minimal seating, mostly standing room, but lovely views. There are a few tables outside as well. The wine tastings were well rounded and overall this was a great experience. One of their whites was my favorite, with a good blend of tart and sweet. Loved visiting this place. read more

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We live in the area and just recently have started exploring our wonderful local wineries. As a side note, we are big fans of Sonoma County (usually visit there at least 2x a year) and are heartbroken about the devastating wildfires ravaging that area right now. Visiting Nicholson reminded us very much of the beauty we love in Sonoma. They had a Pinot tasting going on for $20pp but instead we bought a bottle of their delicious Chardonnay ($28) and enjoyed it at one of their many picnic tables. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon! read more

Beautiful, charming, family-owned winery. Kind staff and delicious wine! Best winery in the area!

It was a breezy day in Aptos when a group of us planned to come to Nicholson Vineyards to do a wine tasting thanks to a coupon that a friend won. Unfortunately, her car broke down and everyone in the group except for the BF & I stopped by to give her a jump. We were well on our way to the vineyard by being stuck in traffic on 17. Sadly, it wasn't her battery but something else and when we found out, we had arrived at the beautiful winery. There's a tiny sign telling you to enter a tiny dirt road next to rows and rows of grapevines. Follow it down to a small parking lot and you're there! We ended up tasting without our friends and they were super nice to explain things to us. Loved the Old Vine Zinfandel (which I was surprised with since I don't care for Zin at all.) It's a great place to pick up a few noms (maybe at the Corralitos Market) and sip some wine. And Josie is an adorable sun-basking dog. Once the group arrived (finally!) about 2 1/2 hours later, we had a wonderful tasting experience and pooled together to buy 1/2 a case of the Old Vine Zinfandel, which is their only future release that they were tasting. I can't wait to pick up the bottles next month!!! read more

Capitola Art and wine festival 2014- my family and I were shocked and appalled to say the least after purchasing a taste from this vendor. A lady storms out the back of the tent demanding we take my crying baby somewhere other then behind her tent. Because he was unpleasant and nobody wanted to hear him! (We had been there no more then one minute;off the street;away from the festival!) She made me feel just awful over a situation I had no control of. Sorry this is the Family friendly Capitola village. As for the wine... Sour like the taste that lady left in my mouth read more

Excellent family vineyard and featured accompaniments. A total ruby hidden on the west side of the Santa Cruz Mountains... Enjoyable environment for dates and getting ataste of the local flavor... Forget the Boardwalk, pay the Nicholsons a visit! read more

I was there before Covid and a friend had rented the side room of the little Barn tasting room for 12 of us for her birthday. We brought in a light lunch and cake and enjoyed their wines. They were so accommodating and added to the Happy celebration. Most recently I took friends from Carmel and was pleasantly surprised at how they're managing during covid. The tables and picnic table area is just outside the main wine tasting barn, you need to make a reservation on their website before you go. They are now open on Saturdays and Sundays in 2 hr. blocks. All the tables are at least 6 feet apart and the picnic tables even further. We brought a picnic lunch and It was delightful to be that far apart from other people, covid or not. (I hope they keep this setup after Covid) The wines are delightful, we all took home a chardonnay, pinot and Zinfindel. The drive out to their tasting area is beautiful, like driving through Yountville 75 years ago. No traffic, no crowds, no snooty staff looking down their nose at you if you mispronounce Pinot Noir. Its just beautiful country lane and when you reach Nicholson you are greeted as if you're friends of the family. The folks that are pouring your tasting are friendly, knowledgable, and their eyes are smiling behind those masks. They do all the work and since I signed up for the Wine Club, so our tasting fees were waived. I look forward to returning when Covid is over to see what those smiles are really like without those masks! Make a reservation....it's been found out so it's quite busy. As we left they started sanitizing for the next group. It's very safe. Enjoy. read more

I genuinely enjoyed my visit to Nicholson Vineyards. They were extremely friendly and welcoming hosts. You could see that they enjoyed meeting people and sharing their wine. Overall, I thought the wines were mixed. We tried 2 Chardonnays, a Pinot Noir, Syrah, & Zinfandel. They were pretty good but for the prices ($25-40), I wasn't blown away. The tasting fee is $10. Even though they comped a couple fees I thought it was a little steep considering the area & wine quality. We tasted amongst the barrels. Just outside there was a grassy area with a garden and vineyards. My dog was having an awesome time playing with their Australian Shepard. I'm glad I went here but I'm not sure if I'll return. read more

What a great time. Beautiful wines in a gorgeous setting. Newer addition to the wine tasting room makes it open and fun. Great staff, easy to talk to, owner there and excited and open about her wines. A must go to when in the Aptos area (or even within 50 miles!) read more

We moved from another wine region and tasted at several wineries in this area. We found Nicholson and fell in love with the wines, the servers, and this little spot of beauty and serenity in Aptos. We became members after several visits because our litmus test for joining a winery is we must like ALL the wines...and we do! Marguerite, the owner, is gracious and thoughtful and very talented. The events they hold are delightful. We feel as if we are coming "home" on the afternoons we get to sit in the quiet and enjoy all the surrounding glory of their vineyards. I am a zin fan and theirs is the best! My husband is a pinot noir fan and loves their pinots (and he is hard to please)! The servers are personable, professional, and really know wines. This vineyard is a GIFT to our region of wines! read more

Truly a hidden gem! Great wines paired with a lovely setting and wonderful hospitality. Great place to have a picnic and savor the flavors. My favorite winery in the Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay area! Check them out, they won't disappoint read more

Loved this spot. Great wine and amazing venue with indoor/outdoor space overlooking the vineyards. Highly recommend!

There are tiny ads for this winery in the local mags and not any signage, but people find it! I went to secondary school with the owner, so I really wanted to make a visit (and he was out of town!!!). We were so glad we went. It is tiny and oh so sweet. Has chairs and picnic tables outside to enjoy the lovely surroundings. The wine is good, but i'm a white winer and it's almost all reds. We ran out of time to visit the other three in the area, but so happy we made this one a destination!!! read more

I went to this winery this weekend and I adored it. The people there were friendly, it's beautiful there - the vineyards grow all the way up to the pouring area, and the wine was truly tasty. I did the $10 tasting and was prepared to shell out a chunk of change for their old vine zin. When I realized that the delicious wine was only $32 a bottle, I became a member and left with a few bottles. This place is definitely worth a stop when you're in the area. I liked it much better than Alfaro (which was also more expensive) and the people here were MUCH nicer than at Alfaro. Of course, I also liked Windy Oaks (also in the area), but Nicholson was my absolute favorite. read more

GREAT boutique winery.....They do everything very well. They add a personal touch to tastings and you don't feel like cattle...And they offer the BEST treats to taste the wine with.....The grounds are beautiful and you can bring a picnic...there is plenty of room to spread out and relax....Vines and olive trees line the property and the view is amazing. I recommend the old vine zin, pinot and viognier..... Prices are super reasonable too! Big fan!!! :) read more

This was a pleasant surprise. Such a quaint winery! Good wine, great people pouring it. It was really beautiful, if a little bit small. But, it was such a great contrast from the ultra-snobby wine country. It was a truly beautiful there and the weather was perfect. This place is definitely worth trying out. And the wine was priced well. I've been to numerous wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and now Santa Cruz and this was the first place that actually inspired me to become a member! I'll definitely be back! read more

Great wine, great environment great staff! Enjoyed a wonderful time talking wine with the staff and other visitors. We ended up buying a case to have and share. This is a hidden gem. read more

Since moving to the Bay Area three years ago, I have visited many wineries. One of the first ones I ever went to was Nicholson, and though I have visited many since then, Nicholson remains the best. Not only is the wine (all of it!) far superior to most I have tasted at other wineries, the atmosphere is unbeatable. Small and family-run, the winery has a casual, personal feel. The recently-renovated tasting area is beautiful while maintaining the personalized, friendly feel. Since it's a little bit of a hike from San Fran to Aptos, we hoard our bottles of Nicholson, only drinking them on special occasions. My only wish is that I could find the wine closer to home! read more

Had an amazing experience at Nicholson Vineyards at the recent "Pinot Paradise" tour of Santa Cruz mountain wineries. The atmosphere is perfect for small-large groups, with lovely sprawling vineyards and olive groves. We were able to try 5 different wines, including an incredible unlabeled zinfandel that they brought out just for our group to taste. The staff was very knowledgeable and welcoming; I would visit again in a heartbeat. read more