Salvaje
San Francisco and Oakland wine drinkers have been enjoying minimal-intervention natural wines in adorable little bars for years. Now there’s no reason to leave Silicon Valley to savor this sometimes funky, always exciting wine genre served in hip, cozy spaces, thanks to Salvaje in downtown Palo Alto, the Peninsula and South Bay’s first natural wine bar. Burgundy and California heavyweights (Leflaive, Failla) share space on the concise list with under-the-radar regions and varietals (ever had Pais from Chile?). All of these energetic wines perfectly complement the tidy yet ambitious food menu that is miles above the usual wine bar nuts-and-cheese fare (like the phenomenal steak frites). Together, they’re a delightful food-and-wine pair with the oh-so-charming bungalow in which Salvaje resides. 369 Lytton Ave., drinksalvaje.com
Lexington Wine Co. and Mindego Ridge
Saratoga locals and visitors can find two exceptional wineries sharing one tasting room in the heart of downtown, or as locals refer to it, the village. It’s a strong pairing highlighting two of the smallest local producers making distinct, gorgeously expressive wines. And they’re very different from one another, so don’t worry about chardonnay overload. Lexington is part of the Thomas Fogarty family and exclusively makes wines from its high-altitude Gist Ranch Vineyard, which grows only Bordeaux varietals. Mindego Ridge produces pristine pinot noir and chardonnay from its 10-acre Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard. A flight of five pours in the handsome, cozy tasting room or beautiful sidewalk patio combines both wineries and shows the true breadth of our local terroir. 14598 Big Basin Way, mindegoridge.com; lexingtonwines.com
Byington Winery
Los Altos is known more for the apricot groves of its agricultural past than its emergence as a center of chic sips derived from today’s more prevalent regional crop, grapes. But Byington, an acclaimed Santa Cruz Mountains biodynamic wine producer, has brought its wonderful pinot noirs, chardonnays and more to Main Street, making it possible to have a weekend winery getaway any day of the week without trekking deep into the hillside terroir. The sleek, contemporary Los Altos Tasting Room offers all kinds of seating and drinking options, from a full flight at the bar to a quiet back table for opening a bottle of their premium Tin Cross Vineyards cabernet sauvignon. 366 Main St., losaltostastingroom.com
