Most open space preserves don't come with a tasting room. Picchetti Ranch does. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's 308-acre preserve has 3.7 miles of trail, a pond and the historic Picchetti Winery, which Midpen calls one of the oldest surviving wineries in California.
The Picchetti brothers
Vincenzo and Secondo Picchetti settled on the ridge in 1877, according to Wikipedia. They bought 160 acres for $1,500 and named the ridge "Monte Bello," or beautiful mountain. By 1904 the ranch had grown to 500 acres. They first planted Zinfandel, Carignane and Petite Sirah and sold the grapes, then began making their own wine in 1896. The complex at 13100 Montebello Road has seven buildings from 1880 to 1920.
Commercial wine production stopped in 1963, and much of the land was sold to Midpen. The Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission helped pay to restore the winery building. Today a private lessee runs the winery, and Midpen says visitors can do public tastings in the historic building or at the picnic areas next to it.
The trails
- Bear Meadow Trail: an easy walk to a small pond, then up to a knoll with views
- Zinfandel Trail: a 1.9-mile shaded hike past ferns and seasonal creeks with views of Stevens Creek Reservoir. It connects to Stevens Creek County Park
Midpen says spring is the best time to look for frogs and newts at the pond. On clear days you can see Mount Umunhum to the south. Most preserves don't have trash cans, so pack out what you bring.