This story originally appeared in this week’s Lily Belli on Food newsletter. Be the first to know about food and beverage news in Santa Cruz County – sign up for Lily’s email newsletter here and text alerts here.
Cider goes to the dogs: Support everyone’s favorite tiny pups with the launch of Santa Cruz ciderChihuahua-themed Yappy Hour, a spicy mango cider with a label designed by local artist Claudia Sánchez. The cider will launch on Saturday in the cider house’s Watsonville tasting room. A portion of the proceeds from each pour or can will go to Friends of the Watsonville Animal Shelter. Food will be available from Vegan Donuts from Hole Foods and La Perrona. There will also be a live DJ and art vendors, along with adoptable dogs from the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter to tug at your heartstrings. The event takes place from noon to 8 pm at 65 Hangar Way, Watsonville.
Drink, stroll and shop: The Capitola Village Sip and Stroll returns Saturday with more than a dozen wineries, cider houses and breweries ready to serve at locations throughout the town. advance tickets, what can be bought herethey are $45 and include a commemorative glass and 12 tasting tickets.
A gathering at Big Basin Vineyards’ Pacific Avenue tasting room.
(via Big Basin Vineyards)
The next Big Basin Vineyards party: Big Basin Vineyards will host its next Winemakers Dinner in its downtown tasting room on Friday, May 19, with a focus on wine made from fruit purchased from Alfaro Family Vineyards in Corralitos. The event will feature a vertical of five Alfaro pinot noirs (2009, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018) accompanied by a five-course meal starring duck. The courses are still being finalized. Tickets are $140 ($120 for club members) and are available here.
Came with friends: Hopulo Craft Beer House has built a reputation for its wide selection of beers, but a new monthly series of events also focuses on wine. Wine with Friends is a collaboration with Soif and Redwood Records. This month’s event, scheduled for Friday, May 19, will feature select flights of wines from Santa Cruz Mountains winery Margins Wine, led by winemaker Megan Bell, including a chenin blanc and a grenache. The Redwoods Records team will be spinning vinyl, and Lupulo’s beertenders will also serve up a select flight of specialty beers, which are still being finalized, according to manager Tom Bentley.
The events are a chance to break down some of the silos between beer and wine, and give lovers of each new things to try, he said.
Flight dumping starts at 4 p.m. Music starts at 6 p.m.
Practice your matching skill: If you’ve always wanted to know which cheese to pair with which wine, an upcoming extension course from Cabrillo College will have you covered. Lindsay Eshleman, who has tended bars across the county and regularly teaches drinks courses, is hosting a wine and cheese pairing course at Equinox Wine’s Westside tasting room on June 20. Equinox sparkling wines will be served alongside a selection of select Capitola’s cheeses. cheese831. The course is $60 for a two-hour session that also includes a deeper dive into how Equinox champagne-style wines are made. sign up here. It’s just one of the food and beverage themed classes in Cabrillo Extension’s spring and summer schedule; To view the full list, including an introduction to high mountain teas, come here.