Big Basin Vineyards - Tasting Room & Tapas Bar — Restaurant in Santa Cruz

My +1 really wanted to try a wine bar while we were out here. The ambiance was nice, the wine was fine, the food was good, but service was "meh" and it didn't really come together like it should have. I gave 4 stars because 3 was too low, but I really wanted to give like a 3.5.

We came in on a week night and the place was empty except for one person sitting at the bar, who didn't stay long after we got there. We literally stood around for a few minutes until a person on a computer in a dark back room noticed we were there and greeted us. He offered us the couch and cleared an empty bottle and some plates that had been left behind by other customers.

My +1 wanted to try the mid-tier flight selection that started with chardonnay (her favorite). I'm more of a cabernet kind of guy, but they didn't have one so I tried a glass of their house blend, which was close enough. We also asked for their warmed olives and a beef empenada.

The wine was decent, the olives were good, and the empenada was tasty (but they forgot the chimchurri sauce!), but we had to remind the guy serving us that my +1 had ordered a flight. A group of 4 came in a bit after us and I think the guy kinda forgot about us a couple times between them and whatever he was doing on the computer. And like other reviewers had mentioned, the food offerings were good, but nothing was really paired up and it was pretty random.

Overall, the place was quiet and we had the corner of the room to ourselves, but it felt like the guy serving us was more interested in the computer, and the lack of paired wines/foods was surprising. I feel like a little effort in both areas would go long ways into what could be easily 5-star...

Today was my first time experience with Big Basin Vineyards. Unfortunately, the poor customer service and the $12 tasting didn't meet my expectations. If you go to their website, they are known for their Syrah wines. That would be great if the guy who served actually gave us a tasting of an Estate Syrah or any pure Syrah wines. When we asked why they weren't serving one on the list, his answer was that it wasn't opened. Really? However, I think the poor customer service met the bar of "the last straw that broke the camel's back" because I simply didn't want to buy any bottles from them. I make every attempt to buy at least one bottle from every place I taste but the guy was paying more attention to his computer and emails than to us. Was it because we look like wine amateurs? I'm sad to give them a 1 star but unfortunately, they weren't great and I was very disappointed. I hope my review will improve their customer service over time. My recommendation, walk over to Cinnabar and enjoy their wines due to their better customer service and lower...

I've been a BBV wine club member continuously since 2009, and I have enjoyed seeing Bradley's wines evolve with time. I was sad when they closed their old tasting room in Saratoga, but I've always enjoyed visiting the estate winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I enjoy the winery so much, I only visited the Santa Cruz tasting room for the first time today, Easter Sunday.

I loved the space (much roomier than the old Saratoga venue), and the food menu. The wines are excellent as they always have been, and the service was outstanding. Sarah (Sara? Sorry I didn't catch the spelling!) was my gracious hostess, and she helped make my tasting and club shipment pickup a real joy.

If you're looking for great wines, small plates, and company in Santa Cruz, stop by the BBV tasting room...