UPCOMING EVENTS
Big Sur Food and Wine Festival
Big Sur's enduring spirit continues to be a beacon of hope as we relaunch planning and tickets sales after two significant fires and the vulnerability of the Highway closing again. The Highway is now open, businesses welcome you and we plan to have this year's Festival be the best yet. Supporting our neighbors and uplifting the community remains at the heart of everything we do. Thanks to your unwavering support each year, we’re able to fulfill our mission to empower non-profits in the most impactful ways.
Join us as the Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation raises a glass to 10 incredible years of supporting our community through food, wine, and philanthropy. Our Foundation has spent a decade cultivating connection — and the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival remains one of our proudest projects.
Come celebrate this milestone with us: a weekend of exceptional wines, inspired bites, and the people who make Big Sur unforgettable. It’s not just an anniversary — it’s a toast to ten years of passion, purpose, and the magic of this place we call home.
See event details below or purchase tickets here.
Harvest Party
After another successful harvest this year, we'd like to commemorate the 2026 vintage with all of you, Beaujolais Nouveau style.
We'll celebrate this harvest Beaujolais Nouveau-style, with community, live music, food to feast on, and our very own vin de primeur. As they say in France, "Invitez vos meilleurs amis et revêtez votre plus belle tenue pour l'occasion !"
Merci, J'ai hâte de vous voir!
- The Madson team
RSVP Here
Taste of the Warriors - Kaiser in Santa Cruz
Join us for a night of food, wine and family entertainment as we attend the Annual Taste of the Warriors event at Kaiser Permanente Arena!
- Enter a raffle to win Warriors Autographed Items
- Take a photo with the Santa Cruz & Golden State Warriors Championship Trophies
- Enjoy the flavors of local Santa Cruz Restaurants and Wineries
- Hang out in the Kids Zone with the Bounce House!
TICKETS:
$50 IN ADVANCE ($70 AT DOOR)
$10 KIDS (UNDER 21)
ALL NET PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT SANTA CRUZ CITY SCHOOLS
Surf City Stroll
Enjoy a Surf City Stroll with boutique wines, craft beer and cider from local Santa Cruz Mountains producers on the Westside of Santa Cruz
Discover the Westside at the Surf City Stroll!
Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the vibrant businesses on the Westside of Santa Cruz invite you to the Surf City Stroll on Saturday, November 21 from 1–4pm. Spend the afternoon exploring Swift Street while discovering boutique wines, craft beer and cider from small, local Santa Cruz Mountains producers poured at designated tasting locations.
Check in to receive your wristband, Govino tasting glass, and map, then set off at your own pace. Go from stop to stop, find new favorites, meet the producers and soak up the creative, relaxed vibe of the Westside.
The best part? When you find a new favorite, you can purchase it on the spot to enjoy later or share with friends. Stick around for dinner and make it a Westside day out.
Early Bird tickets are $45 until Friday, October 23 at midnight. Advance tickets are $50 from October 24 to November 20 at midnight, and day-of tickets are $55 (subject to availability).
Participating Wineries & Breweries
Madson Wines
Private Press Brewing
Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
Silver Mountain Vineyards
Sones Cellars
Tanuki Cider
EVENT DETAILS
Tickets
Includes Govino, wristband and map of all the tasting locations.
Check-in & Registration
Check-in starts at 12:45 pm (event begins at 1:00 pm). The check-in booth will be in the Swift Street Courtyard at 334 Ingalls St Suite A, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Printing your ticket confirmation or showing it on your phone screen is optional. We will have a guest list. Please bring a valid ID and have it ready when you check in. At check-in, you will receive a wristband, a Govino and a map to all of the tasting sites.
Taste responsibly
A typical tasting includes a 1oz pour.
Limit the number of alcoholic beverages you taste to ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone.
Arrive early to enjoy lunch at one of the fantastic Westside restaurants or linger after the event for an early dinner.
Parking
Parking is limited in the Swift Street courtyard but there is ample parking in the area within walking distance. Please have a designated driver or consider using a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft to the event. No ticket is required for your designated driver since they won’t be tasting.
FAQs
If it’s a stroll, why can’t I walk around outside businesses with an alcoholic beverage in my glass?
ABC regulations prohibit walking between tasting sites with any alcoholic beverage in your glass. Thank you for either pouring out or consuming at each stop before strolling on to the next tasting location.
Can I bring my baby or dog?
Sure, you can bring your baby. Please be cautious with strollers, as many of the businesses participating as tasting sites are fairly small. Service animals are always allowed; however, pets are not permitted in any establishment serving food.
Does my friend who will not be drinking need a ticket?
No, anyone tagging along who will not be tasting does not need a ticket.
Do you allow refunds?
No, tickets are non-refundable. The event will proceed rain or shine.
Madson @ Premier Cruz - Los Gatos
Join us for Premier Cruz: A Mountain Cabernet Experience, a celebration of Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet in collaboration with our exclusive automotive partner, McLaren San Francisco. On Saturday, October 24, more than 15 acclaimed local cabernet producers will pour at picturesque Lexington Hills Estate and Winery, offering guests an intimate opportunity to discover the depth character and ageability of mountain cabernet.
Each winery will pour a current-release cabernet alongside a rare or older vintage, to showcase how these wines evolve over time. Enjoy thoughtfully prepared light bites from Oak & Rye and explore a curated silent wine auction featuring exceptional bottles, rare vintages, VIP wine experiences, and more.
McLaren San Francisco will showcase select McLaren models on the property. Experience the striking visual experience of the cars against the backdrop of the Lexington Hills while joining in the enduring decades-long legacy of Premier Cruz.
For more information and tickets, visit winesofthesantacruzmountains.com/events/ pc2026/. Mountain Network News readers can save 10 percent on Premier Cruz tickets with code MNNPC10. Skyland Church
10-Years at Madson - Anniversary Party
Tasting room CLOSED for regular service. RSVP via Eventbrite to join the party.
Private 40th Birthday Party (Tasting Room Closing Early @ 6:30 PM)
Private 40th Birthday Party. Tasting room closes early at 6:30pm. E-mail events@madsonwines.com to book your own event!
Private Dinner Featuring SIDEPIECE Sushi and Mindego Ridge Vineyards
E-mail events@madsonwines.com to book the tasting room for your own private gathering!
Private Bridal Shower (Tasting Room OPENING LATE @ 3:30)
Private bridal shower. Tasting room opens at 3:30pm. E-mail events@madsonwines.com to book your own event!
Tasting Room CLOSED for SolarWAVE Nonprofit Fundraiser
The tasting room will be CLOSED Thursday, September 17th. Thank you for your understanding.
UCSC Seed Conference
This is a private event hosted by one of our wine club members. E-mail events@madsonwines.com to book the tasting room for your event today!
Private Bridal Shower (Tasting Room LATE OPEN @ 3:30 PM)
The tasting room will be opening late at 3:30 PM. Regular hours resume Sunday. Thank you for your understanding.
Private Wedding Reception (Tasting Room CLOSES @ 6:30 PM)
The tasting room will be closing early at 6:30 PM. Regular hours resume Saturday. Thank you for your understanding.
Fall 2026 Release Party
Big gratitude for all of our Wine Club members. Come celebrate the debut of new wines with us!
Madson x Verjus Winemaker Dinner
8 wines, 4 courses.
An intimate dinner with the winemaker himself.
$195 per guest
(not including tax and gratuity)
Founded in 2018 in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Madson is a farming project first. Wine, second. Cole Thomas came to wine through farming. Organic vegetables, edible landscaping, and seed conservation before viticulture brought him to Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula in Australia, and Central Otago in New Zealand.
Ken Swegles brings the viticultural backbone. Over 100 vineyards managed, time spent at Rhys and Williams Selyem. Together, Cole and Ken built Madson around small mountain sites, serious farming, and wines that taste like cool, coastal, forested Santa Cruz.
His sites are distinct. A 2,400-foot vineyard on calcareous sandstone. An old vine Chardonnay block on rocky mountain terrain. A coastal Syrah a few miles from the Pacific. A Pinot site near Loma Prieta. All four at the table Thursday, plus library selections and a few surprises from the back of the cellar.
Native fermentations. Neutral oak. Minimal sulfur. Sunny and Californian, but fresh, with real tension. Come taste what good farming does.
Unfiltered - A Celebration of Wine on the Edge
Unfiltered is a highly curated two‑day celebration featuring 60 of the region’s most dynamic natural and low‑intervention winemakers. The festival brings together the full spectrum of winemaking—from small, avant‑garde producers pushing boundaries to long‑standing legacy wineries that have shaped their regions for decades.
Panel discussions throughout the weekend invite deeper dialogue, offering insight into the philosophies, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of wine and the culture it supports. Local chefs provide tasty bites, and ambient vinyl sets the tone for an intimate, engaging experience.
Schedule
Industry Tasting: 12:00–1:00 PM
General Admission: 1:00–5:00 PM
After Party: Sat & Sun 6:00 PM–9:00 PM at Vintage Berkeley (Vine Street Store)
TICKETS & PRICING
One day ticket – $65
Full Weekend Pass – $95
For Saturday, July 25th – purchase here
For Sunday, July 26th – purchase here
For Full Weekend Pass – purchase here
Sunday Jazz Jam
Every Sunday afternoon from 3-5 pm, come enjoy a jazz quartet and an open jazz jam at Madson Wines.
Follow us: @music.at.madson
Sunday Jazz Jam
Every Sunday afternoon from 3-5 pm, come enjoy a jazz quartet and an open jazz jam at Madson Wines.
Follow us: @music.at.madson
Sunday Jazz Jam
Every Sunday afternoon from 3-5 pm, come enjoy a jazz quartet and an open jazz jam at Madson Wines.
Follow us: @music.at.madson