Temecula Valley Wine Country, Southern California’s most picturesque destination for wine tasting and tourism. With 40 Temecula wineries located east of Old Town Temecula in Riverside County, this place is brimming with history that dates back to 1968. Visitors can enjoy memorable vacations full of wine tasting tours and breathtaking views from the scenic Mediterranean-style setting while visiting one if not all 33000 acres on site!
Temecula Valley Wine Country is an oasis for wine enthusiasts and all those who want to enjoy the California sunshine. Visitors can find something new every day by participating in a tasting, taking tours of wineries or breweries, exploring local festivals like Temecula Balloon Wine & Music Festival or International Film Festivals featuring hundreds of films from around the world.
The beautiful Temecula Valley is home to over 50 varieties of grapes. These grapes are used for a number of different wines including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Located on the east side of I-15 as well as Rancho California and De Portola Roads in Temecula Valley Wine Country lays this multitude wine vineyards that produce these grape varietals across their many acres which offer visitors a chance at tasting some samples from each type!
Temecula Valley has more than fifty types of wine made with all sorts ranging from Merlot to Viognier – how will you ever decide what your favorite one is? The valley also offers excellent wineries such as those
If you are a wine enthusiast, visiting the Temecula Valley Wine Country will give you an opportunity to explore the history of how it is made. You can also take in some amazing views and enjoy delicious food while tasting wines.
Temecula Wineries History
The first winemaking grapes were introduced to our region by Padres from Mission San Luis Rey. As other Europeans began settling into the region, they noticed that this climate was similar to Italy and France– inspiring them to begin planting their own vines. Winemaking in Temecula Valley Wine Country revived with plantings made by Brookside Winery who set out grapevines on a high ridge overlooking Lake Skinner where it’s said you can see for miles!
Vincenzo and Audry Cilurzo established the first modern commercial vineyard in Temecula in 1968. At the same time, Guasti-based Brookside Winery planted its own vineyard. Mount Palomar Winery was established in 1969, by the Peter Poole family. Peter introduced a number of “firsts” in the Temecula Valley Wine Country, most significantly beginning the trend to Mediterranean grape varieties, planting the first Sangiovese grapes in the area, established the first wine cave in the area and have the oldest outdoor Sherry Solera in the United States. In 1971, Brookside produced the first wines from Temecula grapes at their Guasti winery. The Callaway Vineyard and Winery began farming grapes in 1969 and opened the first Temecula winery in 1974. John Poole’s Mount Palomar Winery opened in 1975, and in 1978 the Cilurzos opened the third Temecula winery. Their original vineyard is now owned by Maurice Carrie Winery.
Today, there are so many things for visitors and wine lovers to do and see in Temecula Valley Wine Country. There are over 40 wineries that offer public wine tasting events as well as vineyard tours!
Climate
Temecula is a great place for wine production. The climate in Temecula can have warm, dry summers and cool winters with very little rainfall which makes it perfect for vineyards to grow their grapes year-round. Research has shown that the mist lingering over this valley until mid-morning on the 1,400 foot plateau below mountain ranges creates an ideal environment where high-quality wines are produced due to its lack of rain interrupting harvest season
The grapes are affected by a variety of factors. The sun, for one thing, softens the flavor development with its warm rays as it warms inland valleys east of Temecula near the ocean – 22 miles away from the city. As cold air is drawn in at night and daytime temperatures moderate, vineyard owners plant their vines accordingly to produce stellar wine year-round!
varietal
What better place to grow grapes than the Temecula Valley? With its warm climate, Mediterranean varietals such as Viognier, Syrah, and Pinot Gris are finally starting to be grown successfully here. In addition to these new arrivals in Temecula valley’s vineyards, you can also find Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc varieties of grape growing alongside them!
Soil
Soils are a significant influence on wine quality. Temecula Valley soils, made of decomposing granitic material that’s great for growing grapes with high-quality flavors, have excellent water drainage qualities to avoid wetter soil creating strange or herbaceous tastes in the wines. Granite sand loam is light and sandy which creates clean flavorful varietals without any odd taste from plants such as herbs due to constant moisture
Tourism & Events
There’s a lot to do when you come visit one of the many wineries that surround our area. Whether it be enjoying live music, taking in some sunsets, going on a ballon ride or even doing wine tasting on your own schedule- we’ve got something for everyone!
Celebrations in Temecula Valley are a spectacle to behold. From the colorful balloons that blanket the sky during its annual Balloon & Wine Festival, to authentic wine tasting events like Harvest Celebration where you can sample award-winning vintages from around California—something for everyone!
Festivals and celebrations of all kinds happen each year here in Temecula Valley; they make this place not just worth living but also worth celebrating. So if it’s balloon rides or an evening sipping on some great wines with friends at our local wineries, there is something waiting for everyone who lives nearby!
Awards
Some of our wineries and eateries were featured in Wine Enthusiast’s 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations of 2019! South Coast Winery was awarded 10 distinctive recognition from the 37th Annual San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge. And, if that’s not enough to impress you- they also won a total of 5 Star Gold Awards at two different competitions for their Temecula Valley Reserve Zinfandel. Visit www.temeculavalleywinegrowersassociation.com for more awards lists like these ones!