So, a Croatian guy starts an award-winning coffee plantation on the Big Island of Hawaii. Said Croatian also loves him some Napa Cabernet and buys a vineyard high on Howell Mountain to grow his own. After a time in Napa, he decides it’s not for him and although still specializing in Napa Cabernets he moves the operation to a trendy, funky neighborhood a few blocks from the beach in Santa Cruz. Meet Marin J. Artukovich, owner, brain trust and lead entertainer at MJA Vineyards, whom I guarantee you will not forget.
You will find Artukovich holding court from the tasting room’s bar/dais where he pontificates in a most entertaining fashion on the wonders and intricacies of Cabernet from a multitude of the best Napa American Viticultural Areas, offering selections for multiple vintages.
A tasting experience like this of high-end Napa juice from a library of regions and years would cost a small fortune in Napa, but here it is all part of the fun.
A tasting experience like this of high-end Napa juice from a library of regions and years would cost a small fortune in Napa, but here it is all part of the fun — easy to access and quite reasonable with tasting fees from $15 to $40. MJA Vineyards also makes a dizzying number of other wines ranging from refined Santa Cruz Pinots to rustic reds from the Sierra Foothills to Russian River sparklers.
As for the off-the-charts entertainment factor from the owner, I overheard him describing two of his prized 2009 Stag’s Leap Region Cabernet Sauvignons. Of the “Dos Hombres” version, aged 5 years in new French oak, he said: “This wine will tell you to grab a rib-eye bone-in with lots of garlic — medium rare — and tell everyone to leave you alone until it’s done.”
Moving on to the “Temptation” bottling: “This wine says, ‘I’m complicated; I don’t like steak and I need conversation.’ ”
I am not sure what all that meant technically, but it did seem to capture what was in the bottles and when delivered with his infectious wry smile and generous pours of his excellent wine, it brought aloha throughout the room. Talking to other guests, I was informed the floor show is never ending and always delivered in good spirits.
As for the wines, I could tell he curates his vineyard sources and directs the wine making to create distinct and delicious wines. Again, the Napa Cabernets shine, bringing the kind of power and complexity that makes that region such a star.
Featuring smaller crowds and sunnier weather than summers, winter/spring is the perfect time to visit Santa Cruz. With great wine, indoor/outdoor seating, a most unique tasting program — including the mini-master-class in Napa Cabernet — plus a big wallop of fun-as-heck aloha, MJA Vineyards is a must-visit for wine lovers any time of year. For more information, visit mjavineyards.com.
