New Saratoga Wine Tasting Room Spotlights ‘Boutique’ Wineries

If you’ve lived in the South Bay for a few years you’ve probably heard of the Guglielmo, Cinnabar, J Lohr and Testarossa wineries.

But, you’ve probably never heard of little known wineries such as Poetic Cellars and the Dancing Creek Winery.

These “boutique” wineries, which produce less than 1,000 cases of wine a year, often have a hard time getting the recognition that the bigger wineries receive. Enter Ruthe Roberts.

Roberts celebrated the grand opening of her tasting room the afternoon of Dec. 3 at 14510 Big Basin Way, suite 10, in the Village Square Courtyard, called Ruthe Roberts Wine Collective.

She separates her new business from other downtown Saratoga tasting rooms such as Cinnabar Winery and Big Basin Vineyards, by offering 22 different wine varietals and three champagnes from small, little-known Santa Cruz Mountain wineries.

Roberts caught the winery bug while working in the tasting room at Burrell School Winery in the Los Gatos Mountains for the last three years.

She enjoyed that environment so much that she decided to open her own tasting room to represent small, local wineries that didn’t have their own tasting rooms. "Why not support the little guy?" thought Roberts.

“Everyone in Saratoga has been a pleasure to work with, and the other tasting rooms strongly encouraged me to set up shop here,” said Roberts. “It already feels like home.”

Roberts charges $10 for five wine pours and each month she plans to feature different varietals from local wineries.

The business' hours of operation are noon-7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Details: 408-872-1001.