Wine Tasting and Dining in Temecula Area
We will be in San Diego in a couple of weeks and have never been to the Temecula area for wine tasting. Have been many, many times to other California wine country areas (Napa, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, etc.). Is the area on par with any of these? Any recommendations of wineries and restaurants that are worth a trip? Thanks.
Wendy_san
Apr 27, 2008 11:24PM
Here is a list of Temecula wineries. I would suggest wines from three vineyards: Thornton Winery and Wiens Family Cellars, and one with a relatively new owner, Keyways Vineyard and Winery. Maybe you have already tasted some wines from this region and choose more? See labels at http://www.temeculawines.org/wineries.asp
Often there is live music on Sunday afternoon at Carol’s Restaurant at Bailey’s Winery. Not 4-star dining, but delicious in that atmosphere. Other tasting rooms may have "event" day music, so call 'em up.
Breakfast is good at The Grill Room at Temeku Hills Golf Course (see, http://www.temekuhills.com/ContactUs.htm ) or The Original Pancake House http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/ . Both are enroute to wineries.
Dinner is very good at Cafe Champagne at the Thornton Winery.
When it’s 95 degrees around here, it seems quite an arid, boring flora area. But it’s still Spring, so you may have a nice sunny 75 on the day you visit.
Most wineries are along the same boring hwy (Rancho California Road), but I would also suggest a quick stop at at the dairy tasting room offering wonderful varieties of Gouda made onsite by the Winchester Cheese Company at Wesselink Dairies. They are accessible from Winchester Road (also Hwy 79), but easy to miss if you don’t know because you mostly see grazing ground and maybe a covered wagon. Nearest cross street is Scott Road (and even that is just one side of Winchester Road)
32605 Holland Road, Winchester, California 92596 Phone: (951) 926-4239. Travel a dirt road to a worn mobile trailer with gardens of ducks, geese and cows. It seems off the winery route, but is actually quite near the “circle” route of wineries that is Hwy 79. And, if you continue along Winchester Road a few miles, there is a Trader Joe’s in Temecula and then you are back on the I-15. Easy.
Knowing both areas of northern coastal wineries and Temecula, I would say it is a bit of a different experience in that the weather is much dryer, so is the landscape. And, the City of Temecula, while somewhat upscale, lacks any kind of soul that one might find in other old cities north. In fact, the “soul” is mostly in Old Town (exit left at Rancho California) and the wineries (exit right at Rancho California from I-15 heading north) are where you find most of the ambiance in that way. Temecula itself is generally a city of chain food restaurants now. Oh, and there is a good Farmer’s Market in Old Town on Saturdays until 1 PM.
If you ask "is it worth the trip?" I would say absolutely yes for it’s own. It is not Northern Calif. But, with at least three, IMO, great wineries to taste, it's a winner.
Maybe fit in other activities besides wineries while you’re here? I suggest from San Diego, you take the scenic route from I-5 at Del Mar Racetrack area that runs past Lake Hodges (Via de la Valle? Then right onto PaseoDelicias/Del Dios Hwy (that become W. Valley Parkway that connects to I-15). The drive up the I-15 also offers fantastic views, reminiscent of the round rocks harboring the cowboys and Indians and verdant hills around the Lawrence Welk Resort Village and Golf Course (great brunch there!). Great quality and prices on plants at Rainbow Nursery (if you're needing any outdoor plants/flowers?) then exit at Rancho California Road and turn right. There is a map available at the winery link above. See, http://www.temeculawines.org/map.asp
Oh, and don’t get confused - there are two (2) Hwy 79. Rancho California is Hwy 79 that passes Pechanga Resort and Casino (very good steak house there) and the other Hwy 79 is Winchester Road that passes through the basic new Temecula area with shopping centers and chain restaurants.
IMO, it is worth visiting. And, if you have more time, take a drive around Old Town Temecula, then continue up to the hills through the avocado groves in De Luz and 5-acre ranches with kindred mansions in La Cresta. Ever dream of building your own lake, owning Shetland ponies or your own vineyard? See it there.
Anyway, you might consider making it an overnight trip.
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Thank you so much, kc_girl! I will give a report of our adventure when we return.
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"Is the area on par with any of these?"
Not remotely, especially if you're talking about the quality of the wine.
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It is my impression that many or most of the wineries in the Temecula area are wineries only--not vineyards with wineries (like those more common in northern California). Perhaps they're not even real wineries but rather tasting & selling rooms for wine made at some other location. But that's just a guess & an impression--not something I know for certain.
As a result, the wine-tasting rooms in Temecula are more about selling a winery experience rather than selling a wine.
That doesn't mean there aren't vineyards, & that doesn't mean there aren't some good wines available, but when I visit the wineries in Temecula I feel like I have to compete with the limo parties more than I learn about grapes & wines.
Perhaps my comments here can open a discussion (i.e., correct my "misperceptions" if that's what they are) about where the wine is made & where the grapes are grown. That may give the OP some useful knowledge about the wines & wineries in this region.
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I would like to add to kc girl's recs with a few of my own: Faulkner, Palomar, and Palumbo. Unlike many of the newer wineries that have popped up in the valley, these three don't cater to the hip, ignorant, limo crowd that wants fancy gift shops and Tom Cruise pouring behind the bar and doesn't even realize that most of what they're drinking is dishwater. Recently, hubby and I walked into a newer place (I don't remember which one), took one look at the oversized painted martini glasses being used for tasting, and walked right back out. The three wineries I named are serious about producing high-quality wines, Palumbo especially. This place is owned, operated, and produced by one guy. He is a very small batch producer of Napa-quality red wines. No gift shop, no restaurant, just the man himself pouring the wines he made himself from grapes he grew himself (and the limo crowd can't get to him because he's off a dirt road). His wines are better than many of the boutique wines being produced in Napa/Sonoma. A must try. Faulker and Palomar are also very good; Faulker makes some interesting, eclectic blends, and Palomar has some great whites. Do you like sherry? Palomar claims to be the only true solera left in California and their sherry is fantastic. Another must try. I also second kc girl's suggestion of Cafe Champagne for dinner. If you like pizza, go to Temecula Pizza Co. on South 79, and for Vietnamese I love Pho Mai on Ynez, but a frequent poster to this board, who is very knowledgeable, found a place called Golden Bowl which he seems to love. Here's his thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/513630 Try to avoid the weekend if possible --that's when the limo crowd is out in force -- and have a great time! Cheers!
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Certainly one can have a wonderful time traveling around the Temecula region. Much of the wine is for the local market and for the tasting rooms--there is no expectation of great wine.
In regard to where the grapes come from--the bottle tells the tale: If a bottle says it's Napa or Temecula 85% of the grapes have to come from that American Viticultural Area.
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There are many that will comment on the "limo crowd" and I tend to agree that there are some "tasters" not really into the real bones of the wine making process and even the tasting itself. And, then some are beginners, so . . . . not all limo tours are bad crowds. Some are quite sensible to let others drive even though tasting a simple ounce at each turn. Some do swallow more than others.
And, then you also have to build your tasting tour around banquets, weddings, and special events. That is weekends mostly, So, call a few days in advance to confirm your route - even the day of. Be aware that some are ONLY open for free tours on weekends (like Thornton), but a majority are open daily. All that info is at the Winegrowers website http://www.temeculawines.org/wineries.asp
At the website, there is a special list for those wanting to know what makers grow their own grapes and the varieties on their acreage. However, some of their "acreage" may be in Riverside, Temecula, Pasa Robles, Modesto, etc.
It's detailed. Some info on growers at http://www.temeculawines.org/growers.asp
One such is Wiens Family Cellars. They started growing and bottling in Lodi and still grow there. However, they moved to Temecula a few years ago and that location has just 14 acres, 7 of which are Chardonnay grapes, and a new tasting area. They have their own vineyards in several locations other than the Chardonnay onsite. They produce a Syrah that is nice. I did not try ALL varietals offered at the tasting room. Their Chardonnay is complex and rich. I tend to lean to the buttery French Chardonays, and yet thoroughly enjoyed this one last year. Wine tasting is still a personal thing and each enjoys their own preferred components. The Sales Manager, Curt, is onsite Thursday to Sunday and will gladly give a free tour and tasting on those days (unless its a huge group of - whatever).
Of the others I mentioned, Thornton grows a Syrah grape onsite in Temecula that produced a wonderful 2005 with hints of white pepper and black cherry. And, they have produced many of their other grapes in the Champagne Methode.
Keyways is explanatory on the website I provided, but there is always more to learn. I do not tag myself a wine officianado, but I am aware of many good qualities and take interest in learning more. My most recent tour was at Jepson Winery in Ukiah on my way home from Northern California.
Again, planning your tasting ahead of time and checking availability is recommmended.
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Is it really worth it? I am from SD and I taste more often on the Central Coast than I do in Temecula. I would rather drive 4 hours to Alma Rosa and enjoy wine in a beautiful setting than deal with some of the people up in Temecula. The weekend crowds are really rude and drunk and it is not a very pleasent experience at some of the wineries. But to ask if it worth it and you have never been there, I would say yes it is. As far as wineries go, I always suggest Hart, He is one of the old school winemakers and I feel his reds are on a par with the best of the CC. somebody else mentioned Palumbo and I would second that rec. As far as food goes, I have had good luck at Ponte winery, Their wines are fine, but the food is good. Another winery that has a dining option is Lyonese (sp?). I have not eaten there but my coworker did and she raved about it, I reviewed the menu when we tasted there, it was after lunch, and it did look nice. Thorton has a nice dining facility but I thought it was kinda pricey for the food, and they seemed a bit full of themselves. Whatever you do, try to get reservations it really gets crazy on esp. on Saturdays.
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One of the better places is Orfila in Escondido south of Temecula, the wine maker knows his stuff, formally from Sterling VIneyards, excellent choice of varietals, nice picnic area overlooking the valley and mountains in the background. Most places in Temecula are so..so. at best. Unfortunately, nothing will come close to Napa or Sonoma, both for wine and food.
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I continue to be so grateful for all this wonderful and helpful info. Thank you, everyone!
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Temecula is a nice place to go have a picnic or to pick up on drunk chicks from the OC out for a guzzle and swill day.
It is not a serious place to taste wine. I too would travel four hours to the Central Coast regions like Santa Rita Hills for seriously good wines.
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We ended up spending a bit of time in Temecula last Thursday afternoon during our vacation on the Newport Coast. We drove on Highway 74, through Lake Elsinore, which was a pretty drive -- we had never been to this part of California before. We drove through old town Temecula, which looked cute enough, but a bit like a Disneyland version of an old frontier town. :-) We ate lunch at Cafe Champagne at the Thornton Winery and each had a glass of their wine. It was all just okay -- the restaurant seemed a little old-fashioned to us and the food was so-so. Afterwards we went to the Falkner Winery and wished so much that we had waited and gone to their dramatic The Pinnacle restaurant for lunch. Even if the food wasn't good, the view would have been dynamite. Oh, well. We tasted a few wines at Falkner (sorry, don't remember what) and we enjoyed them. Falkner has been there since 1972. The woman pouring was very helpful and suggested we go next to Leonessa. We drove by the South Coast Winery and Resort just to see the grounds and then went on our way to Leonessa, but we seemed to make a wrong turn and didn't make it. The terrain of the area reminded us a bit of Sonoma and it was pleasant and peaceful with none of the limo crowds mentioned (after all, it was Thursday). So that was the extent of our trip since my husband was anxious to get over to Oceanside for some surfing. I think we'd return if we were in the area to check out more of the wineries.
On the way home to the Bay Area we stopped at the Santa Ynez wine country. Normally we would have gone to lunch at the Los Olivos Cafe (we've been going there since before "Sideways") but since it was Mother's Day and we didn't want to battle the crowds we decided on a low-key tacqueria in Santa Barbara. We had never actually done any tasting in Santa Ynez and we went to Firestone, Fess Parker, and Foxen Canyon. Each place charged $10 for tastings, but you got to keep the glass. We weren't very impressed with the latter two (and Foxen Canyon wines were super-expensive), but we enjoyed what we had at Firestone and the grounds were pleasant too, with a gorgeous view of the mountains and vineyards from the tasting room. Next trip I want to check out the Santa Rita Hills, which we've never been to.
Thanks to all who pitched in with info on Temecula -- much appreciated!
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Thanks for reporting back on your trip & your experiences.
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