About the winery
Zayante Vineyards was the Nolten family's winery on Old Mount Road, in the mountains above Felton4. A vineyard was first planted on the land in 1875 and pulled out during Prohibition; Greg Nolten and Kathleen Starkey-Nolten bought the ranch in 1984, replanted it and bonded the winery in 19885. They planted the vines by hand, on their own roots, and dry-farmed them after the first year, on 18 acres4. A 2023 Lookout Santa Cruz column described its sandy soil, known as Zayante sand, as unique in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and its vineyard consultant, Prudy Foxx, said it had never been treated with synthetic pesticides3.
The winery made Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel and a red blend called Clos du Z4. It was seldom open to visitors, and in 2012 the family was selling its wine at the Tuesday farmers' market in Felton6.
Known for
- Estate Zinfandel
- Chardonnay
- Syrah
- Merlot
- Clos du Z red blend
Nearby in Santa Cruz Mountains
- Hallcrest Vineyards FeltonOpen
- Aptos Vineyard AptosOpen
- Bargetto Winery SoquelOpen
- Burrell School Vineyards & Winery Los GatosOpen
