Recently, Aptos’ Cantine Winepub hosted Sandar & Hem at a pop-up tasting. Cantine owners Jason and Keiki McKay regularly host pop-ups, especially for new, up-and-coming wineries—they have a terrific tapas-style menu too.
Sandar & Hem owners Rob Bergstrom and wife Recha enthusiastically buzzed around that afternoon pouring their elixirs to winetasters. The Bergstroms are doing well as word spreads about their exciting wines.
I tasted some impressive Pinots and Chardonnays poured by Recha, and loved the 2019 Mindego Ridge Chardonnay ($40), awarded 95 points by Wine Enthusiast. Mindego Ridge Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains is well-known for growing tasty Chardonnay grapes, and it shows in this complex white wine made by Rob.
“The combination of punch and finesse rockets through the finish as the citrus and tree-fruit core gives way to the subtlety of roasted nuts and crushed rocks,” he says. And with its striking notes of green almond, hazelnut and fennel, this Chardonnay is easy to enjoy.
Sandar & Hem labels feature intricate and mesmerizing original artwork by Santa Cruz’s Lili Arnold, a botanical print artist who Good Times showcased in 2017.
Sandar & Hem wines are available online only, as they don’t have a tasting room yet.
Cantine Winepub, 8050 Soquel Drive, Ste. B, Aptos. 831-612-6191; cantinewinepub.com. Learn more about Sandar & Ham at sandarandhem.com. Lili Arnold’s work can be found at liliarnold.com.
Los Gatos Spring Wine Walk
Doesn’t a spring stroll around Los Gatos sound lovely? The annual Spring Wine Walk is hosting 30 wineries and 30 businesses. It’s a terrific opportunity to taste all the wines you haven’t tried and get to know the businesses you haven’t visited.
Saturday, April 23, 1-4pm. $50/$55 (day of the event). losgatoschamber.com.
