Let me start by saying I love wine tasting no matter where its at. A small tasting room in town, a beautiful winery, from the comfort of my couch (<–true story lol) but there’s something about wine tasting in Temecula that warms the heart. I first visited 7 years ago. At that time, I was pretty new to the whole wine thing. I had never heard of Temecula or even knew that we had a wine region so close by (I live about 1 1/2 hours away). So needless to say I had no idea where to wine taste in Temecula! It was then that I decided to do my first ever wine tour (with Grapeline Wine Tours) where they selected the wineries for me. It ended up being so much fun! A cute little trolley picked us up from one of the hotels in town and took us to four great wineries, one of which we had lunch at. I loved it and totally fell in love with the whole wine tasting experience.
Now, every year I make at least one or two trips to Temecula and try to visit a new winery every time I go. Temecula is so close to my heart that I even got married at a gorgeous venue there a few years ago (I’ll be posting deets about my wedding day soon so keep an eye out for that post). Because I go so often, I thought it would be super helpful to give you guys my suggestions of where to wine taste in Temecula so that you can start planning your own trip. Yay for wine! Haha
So before I list the wineries, there’s a few things you should know about wine tasting in Temecula. Most of the wineries are on Rancho California Rd. There are also a few on De Portola Rd as well. Anza Rd and Glen Oaks Rd connect these two main roads (and have some wineries there as well). Most of the wineries open at 10am and most offer tours in addition to tastings for an upgraded fee. Although there are a bunch of wineries on Rancho California Rd, most of them are not within walking distance from each other so decide what method of transportation you’ll be using in advance. Uber always works for me, but you could also do a shuttle, limo, a sober friend, etc. 😉
Here is Part One of Where to Wine Taste In Temecula
Wilson Creek Winery
Known for their ridiculously delicious Almond Champagne, this winery is closer to the end of Rancho California Rd (before it becomes Buck Rd). The winery itself is beautiful, totally photo worthy. Speaking of, I actually took my engagement photos here. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. I love visiting this winery when I go to Temecula. Tasting Fees: $20pp
South Coast Winery
Always my first to visit of the day every time I go to Temecula. Beautiful grounds, the best Sparkling Chardonnay (who knew that was a thing?!), and a staff that knows their stuff! They also have a great resort and their restaurant (The Vineyard Rose) is actually attached to the tasting room. Ooh and their spa is fabulous as well…ok but back to the wine! Their tasting room has a cabin like feel to it. Very warm and cozy feeling. They’ve won like a billion awards for their wines throughout the years which you will see via all the ribbons on their walls. Get there on the earlier side to beat the crowds (this place is a go-to for most Temecula wine tours, so it gets super busy throughout the day). If you love a fancy cheese plate, The Vineyard Rose has one of the best I’ve ever eaten. I recommend taking a seat at the bar where you can also do tastings. Tasting Fees: $18pp/weekdays, $22pp/weekends & holidays
Ponte Winery
Literally next door to South Coast Winery (within walking distance, depending on how much wine you’ve had…mmmhmm, you know what I’m talking about). It has a very cute tasting room. Their Viognier and Tempranillo are delish! Also, most people don’t know this but they actually have a “speak easy” downstairs from their attached restaurant (The Restaurant at Ponte). Which makes this winery the only one in town that has a full bar (not just beer and wine). The food at The Restaurant is delicious as well. Tasting Fees: $20pp/weekdays, $25pp/weekends & holidays
source (Traveler photo submitted by brebear3 (Jul 2011)
Falkner Winery
Up on a hill off of Rancho California Rd (via Calle Contento), this winery has great views of wine country. I attended a wedding here and was blown away of how beautiful the views were. I just had to go back and do a tasting. Known for their red blends, they just released a new one, Amante which is AMAZING! Their wine is just as fabulous as their views. And their staff is great as well. Tasting Fees: $15-25pp
Europa Village
Another gorgeous winery with delicious wine! Just as the name suggests, it has that Old Europe feel to it that I absolutely love. Located on Rancho California, they have multiple tasting areas (including an awesome wine cave!). I love their Reds which have Italian, French and Spanish influences. They also have a beautiful resort there too. And the staff is always friendly and helpful. Tasting Fees: $20-30pp
Thornton Winery
Also on Rancho California Rd. Such a beautiful winery with a great courtyard (perfect to do your tastings when the weather permits). I love coming here for their Champagne/Sparkling Wine tastings. They also have a great restaurant which is perfect for lunch (i.e. to eat some carbs to soak up all that wine haha). Tasting Fees: $17-28pp
Ok guys, there it is! Part one of my fave Temecula wineries. Stay tuned for Part Two coming soon!
If you’ve been to any of these wineries, leave a comment below and tell me what you loved about them! 🙂
If you’re also interested in Napa wineries, check out my post Instagrammable Wineries in Napa (Part One).