California's Other Wine Country - Temecula Wineries

When thinking of touring California’s wine country, Napa Valley and Sonoma automatically come to mind. The hit movie, Sideways, helped put Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez wines at the forefront of popular culture. But an equally charming wine country is alive and well in Southern California.

Temecula’s wine country is just over an hour away from both Los Angeles and San Diego. To reach the wineries, travel through the growing suburban city of Temecula on Rancho California Road. The strip malls give way to residential neighborhoods, a golf course and a strawberry patch. With the transformation from suburban to rural happening in a matter of blocks, so begins Temecula’s beautiful wine country.

The valley is set in rolling, vine covered, hills surrounded by mountains. Stunning 360 degree views enhance the wine tasting and picnicking experience. The “Rainbow Gap”, a gap in the coastal mountains, allows cooler coastal winds to reach the area, creating a climate similar to the Mediterranean. Temecula’s air is clear and crisp unlike the smoggier regions north of the city. Afternoon breezes keep the foothills refreshing, even in the heat of summer.

Temecula is home to over twenty wineries ranging from the well known such as Callaway to the smaller, more intimate wineries. Each offers its own unique atmosphere, from the formal to the laidback, complete with golden retrievers on the front porch and horses in the corral. From the commercial to the handcrafted, this region produces numerous gold medal and award winning wines.

The Cilurzo family planted the region’s first vineyard in 1968 and Temecula’s wine country was born. Eli Callaway, now known for his golf clubs, opened his winery next. Temecula currently has over twenty wineries with more in various stages of development.