Madson Wines Celebrates Grandmother's Legacy in Santa Cruz

Winery's tasting room offers weekend tastings and appointments during the week.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:38pm

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph of wine glasses and bottles on a wooden table, with warm, golden light creating a soft, hazy atmosphere that evokes the cozy tasting room experience at Madson Wines.The intimate, cask-filled tasting room at Madson Wines offers visitors a chance to experience the winery's Danish-inspired heritage and locally-sourced wines.Santa Cruz Today

Madson Wines, a family-owned winery in Santa Cruz, California, is honoring its Danish roots and the legacy of winemaker Cole Thomas's paternal grandmother. The winery uses grapes grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains to produce a variety of red and white wines, including chardonnay, Aligoté, syrah, cabernet franc, and two different pinot noirs. The tasting room on Ingalls Street is open to the public on weekends and by appointment during the week.

Why it matters

Madson Wines represents the enduring spirit of small, family-owned wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains region, which has seen an influx of larger corporate players in recent years. The winery's commitment to its Danish heritage and focus on quality, locally-sourced wines helps preserve the area's unique wine culture and identity.

The details

Madson Wines was named after winemaker Cole Thomas's paternal grandmother's maiden name. His grandmother, who was originally from Denmark, came to the United States in search of opportunity and a better life. The winery's tasting room on Ingalls Street is open to walk-in visitors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and by appointment from Monday through Thursday.

  • Madson Wines was founded and began producing wine.
  • The winery's tasting room on Ingalls Street is open to the public on weekends.
  • Madson Wines offers tastings by appointment during the week.

The players

Madson Wines

A family-owned winery in Santa Cruz, California that produces a variety of red and white wines using grapes grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Cole Thomas

The winemaker at Madson Wines, who named the winery after his paternal grandmother's maiden name.

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The takeaway

Madson Wines' commitment to its Danish heritage and focus on quality, locally-sourced wines helps preserve the unique wine culture and identity of the Santa Cruz Mountains region, which has seen an influx of larger corporate players in recent years.