WINE TOURING IN TEMECULA

Wine tasting in Temecula is a lot like listening to smooth jazz; it’s easy and fairly predictable. The most recent Temecula Wine Country brochure lists 35 tasting rooms, most of which are open daily, within about a ten-mile range. Weekend crowds are dominated by buses and limos full of partiers from all over Southern California, and the wineries do a great job of accommodating them. Winery restaurants are proliferating; so are after-closing parties with live music – popular with locals and accessible to visitors who opt to spend the night at one of the area’s numerous hotels.

The tasting route we propose encapsulates the diversity that one can still find among Temecula wineries that are doing interesting things. Start at Mount Palomar (A on map), a giant winery with local roots. Everyone can find something to like here, in terms of food as well as wine. About a mile up the road from Palomar is Van Roekel (B), which will seem small and homey and is a nice place to picnic. Continue to Doffo Winery (C), situated just off Rancho California Road in what looks like a residential neighborhood. You’re likely to meet the Doffo family, especially on a weekday. (Note that they’re closed on Wednesdays.) Right across the street from Doffo is Chapin Family Vineyards, where Steve Chapin pours some excellent reds and there's a comfortable picnic patio with vineyard views. Next, head back west about a mile and take a left on Glenoaks Road to find Foot Path (D) – the proudly funkiest winery of the lot. Leaving Foot Path, go left onto Glenoaks Road and then make a right on De Portola, where you will encounter at least eight more wineries.  We recommend a stop at Frangipani (E) or Robert Renzoni (F) – or both if you have time. Frangipani has indoor picnic tables, which are rare in these parts and proved invaluable when we hosted guests on a rainy November day. Renzoni also has a very nice picnic area perched atop a little hill that overlooks his vineyard.

Temecula Touring Map

J. JENKINS WINERY

Retired pediatrician Jim Jenkins has been making wine for many years, and doing so commercially since 2003. He and his wife Jeanne have ten acres of vines and apple trees just two miles north of Julian. Their estate grapes include Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir; Jim sources additional grapes from Ramona and other SoCal vineyards.

We were happy to find the Jenkins’ original tasting room re-opened after a hiatus. And we liked the Dolcezza apple wine! With only 0.5% residual sugar, it'll be a pleasant summer sipper. The 2009 Estate Pinot Noir has mineral notes and more weight than we generally encounter; it would be perfect with salmon. But the 2004 Syrah with its smoky and grassy nose won the day. What an amazing find for $25 – and the grapes came from Pyramid Vineyard, just down the road in Ramona.

The Jenkins estate includes kid- and dog-friendly picnic spots. In early fall look for a farm stand too, with tomatoes, pears… and of course apples and cider.

The J. Jenkins tasting room is open Thursday – Sunday 11:00-5:00.  760.765.3267

ALTIPIANO VINEYARD

Denise and Peter Clarke moved onto their Highland Valley property in 1997. In Denise's words, Altipiano ("high plain" in Italian) was "a diamond in the rough" - good sun, some elevation, a little house... They make light of their creative efforts and hours of sweaty toil, but the Clarkes clearly worked hard to create what's now a very polished gem: so beautiful, so classy, and so real. Their estate is a working farm and their exquisite home is a welcoming place for all to enjoy. It's a labor of love and a reaffirmation of farming community values.

One of the llamas

Why wine? The short answer is the the Clarkes' avocado trees burned in the 2007 wildfires and they seized the moment to plant vines - lots of them. Favoring Brunello in the afterglow of a trip to Italy, they soon found themselves with 2600 plants. According to Peter, this was a "classic example of failing to consider the endgame." What were they going to do with roughly 24 barrels of wine each year?

Vines...

Neighbor Jerry Cordiano looms large in this account as a good friend who's been generous with his knowledge of viticulture.  We see seeds of a cooperative emerging among the growers in this community, who often share eggs and produce as well as winemaking equipment and expertise. And we certainly look forward to tasting Altipiano’s estate wines next year. The Clarkes are working with Ramona winemaker John York, and will at first specialize in (of course) Brunello. Peter’s rightfully optimistic about this: “Good Brunello grapes can have a high tannin content, which makes possible improvement with age up to 30 or so years. If we are wildly successful at growing the grape and making the wine, I’ll be around 105 when I taste our best wine. Some have said that with tasting wine all those years, I just might make it to 105” (Ramona Valley Wine Region Magazine).

Part of Altipiano's expansive patio

At present, visitors to the tasting room can sample five wines,  mostly from Paso Robles-area grapes: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Franc. We especially liked the full-bodied, spicy Cabernet Sauvignon. Soon guests will be able to compliment their wines with artisanal cheeses and fine chocolates. The Clarkes also welcome picnickers.

Altipiano's wine club offers quarterly 3-bottle shipments at a 20% discount, which applies to other purchases as well. Members are invited to exclusive wine club events. They're encouraged to schedule private winery tours and may reserve the facilities for private events at a reduced cost.

Tasting Room

The Altipiano Vineyard tasting room is open weekends 11-sunset. 760.839.7900

LENORA WINERY

Lenora Winery, in operation since 1999, has 7 acres of vines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat, Grenache, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Caberenet Sauvignon. The wines derive from estate, Ramona Valley and other California grapes. There is something for every palate here, though only a limited number of bottles are open for tasting on any given day. We enjoyed the lightly tannic “Dos Rojos” blend of Merlot and Sangiovese.

Eric Metz pouring in the tasting room

Eric Metz bought Lenora in 2008. He's planted Nebbiolo and Syrah and will soon introduce estate wines under the Metz Winery label.

Picnic area with BBQ

Lenora's wine club members get two personally selected bottles per month at a price not to exceed $20. 10-20% discounts apply at the winery.

Lenora Winery is open for tasting weekends 10:00-6:00. 760.788.1388

PYRAMID VINEYARD

Pyramid Vineyard used to be a Christmas tree farm, tended on the weekends by owner Don Kohorst and his family. As the children grew older their enthusiasm for the business declined, and in time Kohorst decided to get out of tree farming. Retired from his engineering job, in 2000 he started planting vines and learning about winemaking from the likes of Lum Eisenman, who founded the San Diego Amateur Winemaking Society, and Ramona wine guru Johnny Schwaesdall. Later on he took some classes at Mira Costa College and directly from Eisenman, in collaboration with the folks at Belle Marie Winery. Since then Kohorst has become friends with Joe Cullen of Cactus Star Vineyards; he calls Cullen his "taster."  

All of Pyramid's wines are estate grown. There are several Muscats including a dry one - rare in these parts, plus  a couple of light-bodied, full-flavored reds. The 2008 Syrah won a gold medal at the fourth annual Lum Eisenman Ramona Valley Wine Competition.

The Pyramid tasting room – a work in progress when we first visited in 2011 – is now completely enclosed and comfortably furnished, with picnic tables just outside. Open weekends 12:00-5:00. 760.789.4682

WINE TOURING IN JULIAN

There’s now a critical mass of wineries and tasting rooms in historic Julian, about an hour’s drive from central San Diego. In the center of town, start at Blue Door (2608 B Street). You may also want to visit the Witch Creek tasting room (2000 Main Street). After that, take short drive to J. Jenkins (1255 Julian Orchards Drive) and then Menghini (1150 Julian Orchards Drive). If you’ve brought a picnic, Menghini’s patio is the best spot to enjoy it.

Backtrack a bit and turn right onto Highway 78, where you’ll soon encounter Country Cellars (4456 Highway 78) and Orfila (4470 Highway 78). If you're game for more, stop at Milagro (18750-C Littlepage Road, accessible from the 78) or Edwards (26502 Highway 78) and then proceed back to San Diego via Ramona and Poway. You’ll be home before you know it.

Current Julian Tasting Room Hours:

Blue Door: Friday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday-Thursday 12-5

Witch Creek: Daily 11-5

J. Jenkins: Thursday-Sunday 11-5

Menghini: Monday-Friday 10-4, Saturday-Sunday 10-5

Country Cellars: Wednesday-Sunday 11-5, holiday Mondays 11-4

Milagro: Friday-Monday 11-5

Edwards: Saturday-Sunday 11-4

 

MILAGRO FARM VINEYARDS AND WINERY

We’d been anticipating the opening of Milagro’s tasting room without really knowing what to expect. Well, the place is a gem – and even better, it’s just down the road from Edwards, another favorite Ramona winery. At present, twenty of the property's 110 acres are planted with vines. The first planting was in 2001 with additions in 2003 and again in late 2007 to compensate for fire damage.

The wines currently available at Milagro are well developed despite their youth, thanks to the taste and expertise of winemaker Jim Hart. All of them are estate grown with the exception of the 2009 Merlot. We liked everything, a lot! But the standouts are 2010 Karen’s Reserve Chardonnay – oaked but not too much, with depth and spice; and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Manager Ben Wier treated us to a taste of the 2007 Cab, which exudes cherries without being sweet.

Milagro (“miracle”) is owned by Kit and Karen Sickels of LaJolla. Their careful management of the property has left most of it untouched, with vines planted along the land's natural contours. The estate is lush with native oaks and stately boulders; it's even home to a flock of wild turkeys. The classy, high-ceilinged tasting room affords views of the grounds and the working winery. Next time we'll ask permission to picnic; there are no tables yet, but plenty of nice spots to put down a blanket. Guests are encouraged to walk around and take in the scenery.

Milagro’s wine club offers three bottles quarterly at 20% off retail, free tasting for members and two friends per visit, a 20% discount on additional wine, invitations to events, private winery tours by appointment, and discounted rates to use the facility for private events. 

The tasting room is open Friday-Sunday 11:00-5:00. 760.787.0738.

VAN ROEKEL WINERY

Winemaker Kestutis “Gus” Vizgirda is in charge at sister wineries Maurice Car’rie and Van Roekel. Since 1994 Van Roekel, the smaller of the two, has specialized in drier wines for more sophisticated palates – though there’s some sweet stuff here too, including White Zinfandel and some fruit-flavored sparklers. Vizgirda uses about 80% estate grapes and sources the rest from Temecula Valley vineyards. The tasting room staff is knowledgeable and fun to talk with, and the prices are quite reasonable for Temecula. We bought a 2010 Merlot.

 

Picnic tables dot the winery’s grounds. From our spot we were vaguely aware of traffic on Rancho California Road, but we couldn’t see it. If one is in need of picnic supplies, the tasting room sells baked brie, assorted crackers, water, and even sorbet.

Van Roekel offers three wine club options: all reds, all whites, and the “Wine Maker’s Club” (mixed). The club offers three-bottle shipments every other month at a 20% discount, and free tastings at the winery.

The tasting room is open daily 10:00-5:00. 951.699.6961

EDWARDS VINEYARD AND CELLARS

Edwards Vineyard and Cellars has been growing Syrah, Petit Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes since 2000. Their lovely tasting patio has been open on weekends since March 2011. The place is classy but unpretentions with smooth-rimmed glasses, freshly baked rolls from a local bakery, and a view of the valley. From Beth Edwards we learned not only about the delicious, full-bodied wines we were sipping, but also something of the local winemakers’ steadfast efforts to literally put themselves on the map, and to be able to pour and sell from their tasting rooms. The thread that binds this rather long story is cooperation. These folks recognized their common interests and stuck together. Now they promote each other; there's an amiable sense of inclusion that’s not lost on visitors. Leaving with a bottle of 2004 Syrah, we felt like we’d made a friend.
The Edwards tasting patio is open weekends 11:00-5:00, with additional hours by appointment. 760.788.6800

Link to our most comprehensive Edwards post...

PAMO VALLEY WINERY Tasting Room

Walking into Pamo Valley Vineyards and Winery’s newly opened tasting room in Old Town Ramona, we felt heartily welcomed into a once-secret club. The vineyard, described by owner and winemaker Jennifer Jenkin as a miniature Balboa Park setting “with thousands of red geraniums and hundreds of eucalyptus trees,” was established in 2000.  Jenkin started making wine in 2004, selling it via restaurants, retailers, and a wine club. The journey that led her to become proprietor of the only woman-owned winery in San Diego County included a stint in the wine country around Melbourne, Australia. Jenkin uses only local grapes and specializes almost exclusively in food-friendly reds. With production at only 400 cases per year, impeccable attention to quality, and affordable prices, it’s no wonder she has trouble holding onto older vintages. We scored one of the last bottles of 2006 Reserve Syrah.


The blends here deserve special attention. They’re products of a careful, collaborative, two-day tasting-and-winnowing process. We loved the 2008 “Indian Princess” and 2007 “Seduction.”

Pamo's wine clubs offers quarterly 2-bottle shipments of hand-picked wines for $30-$45, complementary tastings, a 30% discount on case orders, and opportunities to help out in the vineyard.

Link to newest Pamo post

Pamo Tasting Room Door

BELLE MARIE WINERY

Belle Marie has recently started sourcing grapes from northern Santa Barbara County.  There’s a delicious 2009 Pinot Noir in pre-release; it’s a little darker and heavier than most – definitely reminds us of pre-Sideways days. Also stay tuned for a Chenin Blanc.

Go to first Belle Marie post...



HAWK WATCH WINERY

Hawk Watch Winery in Warner Springs has been open to the public since 2008. It's always a pleasure to stop by and chat with the congregated locals and taste the latest batch of handcrafted, European-style reds. Resident cats Zena and Zoro are so big that no hawk would dare mess with them.

Link to newest Hawk Watch post

ORFILA WINERY

We’ve long enjoyed Orfila in Escondido for its beautiful picnic grounds, but for a time we could barely find a wine that satisfied our craving for earthiness and distinguishable tannins. This changed gradually but we’ve never been as impressed as we were this month. Of special note: 2008 Estate Sangiovese, 2008 Estate Ambassadors Reserve Merlot, and several Syrahs. Both the Escondido winery and the Julian tasting room are festooned with flags from all over the world. Mr. Orfila was Argentina's ambassador to the U.S. He figured that when people see their flag, they feel at home.

View from Our Picnic Table on Orfila's Escondido Grounds

Orfila's wine club offers quarterly 3-bottle shipments taylored to members' preferences for $45-$82. Members also get free "V.I.P." tastings in Escondido and Julian, 20% off additional purchases, and invitations to special events.

The Escondido tasting room is open daily 10:00-6:00. 760.738.6500
The Julian tasting room is open Friday-Tuesday 10:00-5:00 760.765.0102

MENGHINI WINERY

 

Menghini is one of two wineries located in Julian, a small town in the mountains east of San Diego. The property includes six acres of vineyards, an apple orchard, and an outdoor dance floor/performance space. Owners Mike and Toni Menghini are super friendly an very knowledgeable about wine and everything else in east San Diego County.  A number of cats and a dog here and there help greet visitors who stop by for a tasting or a picnic on the veranda. The Menghinis want us to drink their wines now, which is not hard to do! The whites are crisp an fresh; the reds are medium-bodied and very food friendly. During the summer the winery hosts several music and art events.

Liink to newest Menghini post

SHADOW MOUNTAIN WINERY

Founded in 1945, Shadow Mountain in Sunshine Summit (near Warner Springs), is the Grande Dame of San Diego wineries.  It’s definitely worth the drive – even better if you spend the night in one of the nicely appointed tent-cottages.  Vintner Alex McGeary and his wife and tasting room manager Pam preside over an impressive estate of beautiful old vines. At present our favorite wines are the 2006 Zinfandel, 2007 Carignane (grassy!), 2008 Merlot (mocha, dark cherries), and 2007 Cabernet aged in both American and French oak.

Shadow Mountain's wine club members receive three bottles quarterly, a 20% discount on additional wine and on lodging at the winery, and invitations to a yearly members-only special event.

Shadow Mountain is open Wednesday-Sunday 10:00-5:00 and holiday Mondays 10:00-5:00. 760.782.0778

BELLE MARIE WINERY

 

We've been vintage club members at Belle Marie, just north of Escondido, for several years now. Winemaker Mick and his assistant Jeff, who craft both "new world" (Belle Marie) and "old world" (Chateau Dragoo) style wines, never disappoint.  Our most recent tasting included two lovely whites – a Viognier and a blend, a dry rose, and quite a lineup of dry, interesting reds. Besides our club wines – 2008 Tempranillo, 2007 Zin, and 2005 Maestro (80% Cabernet, 20% Nebbiolo), we brought home a delicious and afordably priced 2003 Barolo.  It's always a pleasure to visit with Marie in the tasting room.  

Belle Marie's wine club offers four 3-bottle shipments per year for a flat rate of $55. Wine club members get free tasting at any time and discounts on additional purchases.

Link to newest Belle Marie post