Wine trail visitor center, commercial hub proposed near Cienega Road

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A sign at the entrance of Cienega Road noting that the route leads to DeRose, Eden Rift and Calera wineries is the only indication of the winery trail near Hollister. 

But Robert and Tina Enz are looking to change that by proposing a commercial project consisting of a wine trail welcome center, convenience store, a gas station and a self-storage facility on a 20.9-acre property at the corner of Union Road and Summerset Drive. 

The project is known as the Stockyard in homage to the property’s earlier use as a livestock yard.

About a third of the property would be developed while the rest would remain open space.

“We wanted the ability to showcase the wine trails, Pinnacles National Park, Hollister Hills [State Vehicular Recreation Area] and Mission San Juan Bautista,” consultant Victor Gomez said. 

The project still needs review and environmental studies, which means county officials could consider the project in late 2026, Gomez said, adding that it’s more likely it’ll be sometime in 2027.

According to the application, the property site currently has an apricot orchard and equipment storage area. The application notes that the site has been used for a variety of crops as well as a labor camp.

The proposed welcome center includes an enclosed building with a patio for events, a service desk for wine trail and tourist information and a kiosk for local wineries. The building would be 1,250 square feet and the patio area 3,150 square feet. 

The size of the convenience store would be 3,750 square feet. Its hours of operation would be 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and include an office, janitorial room and a covered patio area. 

The self-storage facility would have 31 enclosed, 300-square-foot units, 23 outdoor small RV storage spaces and 55 spaces for large RVs. 

The gas station proposes 12 fueling stations.

“Its a good opportunity without building housing because clearly the majority of residents don’t want housing,” Gomez said. “It’s a perfect opportunity to generate economic development.”

He said there is no estimate yet on how much revenue the project could generate but he anticipates a fiscal study will be conducted as part of the environmental review process, or it would be done independently. 

All the uses proposed in the project, Gomez said, are allowed under the agricultural land use designation of the property and does not require zoning changes, thus avoiding the need to get voters to approve it under Measure A, which was passed in 2024.

“We believe it is 100% consistent with agricultural uses,” he said.

As for the property that is not part of the project, Gomez said it was placed in an open easement that ensures it will remain open and used for agricultural purposes.

He said options for that portion of the property include leaving it as an apricot orchard and adding some interactive elements such as public picking days or planting grape vines to further highlight the wine trail. 

Citing traffic on Cienega Road heading to Hollister Hills, Gomez said, “This gives us an opportunity to capture local dollars. We need that ability to attract people to come visit San Benito County.”

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