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Hecker Pass Winery outdoor seating

When most travelers think of Gilroy, they picture garlic. The annual Garlic Festival put this small South Bay town on the map decades ago, but those who venture beyond the freeway exits soon discover that Gilroy has a second claim to fame: wine. Long before Silicon Valley was filled with tech campuses, the surrounding foothills were dotted with vineyards.

On a sunny afternoon, I visited two of Gilroy’s oldest family-run wineries, Fortino Winery and Hecker Pass Winery, both of which have been producing wine for over fifty years. This trip was part of our continuing project exploring the wineries of Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail Pass Deck.

Fortino Winery: 50 Years of Wine

The drive along Hecker Pass Highway is a reminder that Silicon Valley hasn’t swallowed everything. The road winds past oak-covered hills and farmland, eventually revealing a cluster of vineyards that look much as they did decades ago. Fortino Winery sits right along this route, its weathered sign marking an institution in the local wine scene. 

By chance, my wife and I arrived at Fortino Winery on a special day: the 50th anniversary celebration of the winery’s founding. You first get an idea of the age of this winery by the old-growth wines near the parking lot. A small crowd of regulars mingled with new visitors like us, while the staff prepared for a party later in the afternoon.

The tasting room manager’s playlist featured yacht rock classics. I thought maybe this was a callback to the 50th anniversary, but no.

We visited on a hot September afternoon, so we opted for the tables in the tasting room, although the winery does also offer outdoor seating.

Fortino isn’t a slick, polished tasting room designed for Instagram photos; it’s a working winery celebrating its legacy. The wine list featured familiar varietals. Visitors can choose from several tasting flights:

• White Wine Flight – $20: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Extra-Dry Sparkling
• Premium Red Wine Flight – $25: Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel
• Sweet Flight – $20: Extra Dry Sparkling, Blackberry, Pomegranate, Raspberry
• By the Glass – $10 each: Bellini, Beer, or Wine Slushie

Blackberry, Pomegranate, Raspberry, and Wine slushies are not the kind of offerings you will usually find in Napa and Sonoma, but they offer something for someone who is less fixed on the usual varietals.

We opted for the Premium Red Flight. The first pour, the Grenache, had a lively, fruit-forward profile that I enjoyed, though Joan found it less smooth. The Syrah leaned toward a grape-forward taste, while the Cabernet Sauvignon had more structure but carried a strong, slightly chemical nose that didn’t appeal to either of us. The Zinfandel was my favorite overall, although Joan thought it could have been more flavorful.

We also tried the Mirabella, a red blend that struck a nice balance between structure and softness, the sort of wine you’d bring to a dinner without fear of overcomplicating things.

Fortino’s longevity is impressive in a region where small wineries often disappear under development pressure. It’s still a family-run operation that has chosen to stay local, selling much of its wine directly from the tasting room. For visitors, that means the bottles you take home are often unavailable anywhere else. The staff will happily walk you through the lineup.

If you go, check the winery’s Instagram page for event announcements. They host everything from music nights to weddings. 

Hecker Pass Winery: Old-World Charm and a Sweet Finish

Just a short drive down the same road lies another survivor from Gilroy’s winemaking past: Hecker Pass Winery. The entrance winds past trees and a simple sign, leading to a red-roofed building that looks more like a farmhouse than a commercial tasting room, the sort of spot where you half expect to see an old tractor parked beside the vines.

Inside, the tasting room was calm and a bit old school, with just a few other visitors chatting quietly at the bar. The tasting menu offered five wines of your choice for $10, a refreshing price in an era when tasting rooms in Napa charge at least six times that. The pour list leaned toward approachable, everyday wines rather than collector bottles.

We chose the Grenache rosé, the Red Velvet red blend, Petite Sirah, a ruby Zin, and a ruby port. We opted to take our wine out to the tables in the yard, where we met their friendly dog, Lucky.

• The Grenache Rosé was surprisingly light in color, simple, and sweet.
• The Red Velvet lived up to its name, smooth and drinkable with light tannins.
• The Petite Sirah was quite dry, too dry for my tastes.
• The Ruby Zinfandel was sweet and light with notes of raisins or prunes like a Muscatel.
• The Ruby Port finished things off with richness and dessert-level sweetness. Bring a piece of dark chocolate to go with the port if you choose this wine.

The wines may not chase the latest oenological trends, but they have a sincerity that reflects decades of steady craftsmanship. The owners and staff seem genuinely happy to share what they make. It’s that kind of place that is unpretentious, relaxed, and rooted in a different era of California wine culture.

Interestingly enough, although both wineries are the legacy of Italian wine-growing families, they did not feature Italian varietals. 

Hecker Pass Winery tasting room

The Gilroy Wine Trail and Nearby Attractions

Both wineries are part of the Gilroy Wine Trail, a collection of family vineyards scattered along the Santa Clara Valley AVA. This area doesn’t have the international fame of Napa or Sonoma, but it holds an important place in California’s winemaking story.

Grapes were planted here as early as the mid-1800s, and many of today’s vineyards trace their lineage back to those early farmers. The volcanic soils and mild climate that make Gilroy perfect for garlic also nurture a range of grapes, from robust reds to fruit-forward whites.

One of the pleasures of exploring this region is accessibility. You can visit several wineries in an afternoon without the crowds or prices found farther north. The tasting fees are modest, and the winemakers themselves often pour your samples.

If you’re planning a visit, spring and fall are ideal seasons. The weather is warm but not hot, and the vines are at their most photogenic.

Things to See in the Area

Many visitors combine wine tasting with a stop at Gilroy Gardens, a family theme park filled with gardens and gentle rides. Others stock up on souvenirs at The Garlic Shoppe, a few minutes away, where everything from pickles to ice cream comes infused with garlic. Outdoor enthusiasts often extend their day with a drive up to Mount Madonna County Park, where forest trails overlook the valley.

Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park

We made a quick stop just a few minutes from both Fortino and Hecker Pass Wineries at Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park, which offers a completely different kind of history.

Set along Uvas Creek, the park preserves the site of a former Ohlone village that thrived here for centuries. A self-guided loop trail winds through native vegetation and past interpretive signs that tell the story of the Amah Mutsun people, their daily lives, and their relationship to the land.

You can still see petroglyphs carved into the bedrock, mortar holes used for grinding acorns, and the remains of an early Adams Schoolhouse, built during the ranching period that followed.

It’s a quick stop with only about 1 mile of walking trails, but a local site that was completely new to me.

Admission is free, and the park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset. You’ll find it at 10001 Watsonville Road, about five minutes from Hecker Pass Winery and right on the way to Mount Madonna County Park if you’re continuing into the hills.

Practical Tips for Visitors

• Location: Both wineries are located on Hecker Pass Highway, just west of downtown Gilroy. You can easily visit them back-to-back in one afternoon.
• Tasting Fees: At the time of visit, Hecker Pass offered tastings of five wines for $10. Fortino’s tasting flights range from $20 to $25.
• Hours: Typically open Thursday through Sunday, but check each website before visiting, especially if you plan to attend special events.
• Best Seasons: Spring for wildflowers in the hills, or fall for harvest colors. Although when the nearby garlic is being harvested, everything around Gilroy smells strongly of the “stinking rose”.
• Pair Your Visit: Stop by Gilroy Gardens, the Garlic Shoppe, Chitactac-Adams Heritage Park, or plan a picnic at Mount Madonna County Park.

Reflections: Heritage in a Glass

Neither Fortino nor Hecker Pass has the marketing polish of California’s larger producers, but that’s precisely their charm. They’re living examples of how family traditions endure in places that outsiders often overlook. 

If you find yourself in Gilroy with an afternoon to spare, skip the outlets and drive west on Hecker Pass Highway. Between these two wineries, you’ll experience more than just wine tasting; you’ll taste a bit of California history still being written one vintage at a time.