Cool Down in Wine Country: The Best Ways to Beat the Heat in Temecula Valley
Hot take: summer is actually one of the best times to visit Temecula wine country. Sure, the sun shows up strong, but so do the speakeasies, cellar tastings, vineyard pools, and breezy hilltop patios that make a 90-degree day feel like a Mediterranean afternoon. Here’s how the locals do it.
Slip Into a Speakeasy
When the sun is at full volume, slip into a dark corner. Temecula’s hidden bar scene is one of the most underrated experiences in wine country, and it keeps getting better!
Bella Vista Winery’s speakeasy, The Cilurzo, is tucked behind a secret entrance and named after Vincent Cilurzo, who planted the first premium grapes in Temecula Valley in 1968. Think wine cocktails, Bella Vista wines, and live piano music setting the mood in a space with a genuinely sultry, vintage feel. It’s open Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; reservations are recommended.
Tucked away on the De Portola Wine Trail, you’ll find The Distillery, a speakeasy-style bar offering craft cocktails and shareable food- a great escape from the sun, with dark walls and a cozy, tucked-away atmosphere. The bartenders craft cocktails to order using their own distilled spirits, such as single malt whiskey, bourbon, rum, agave, vodka, and gin. Regulars rave about the smoked Old Fashioned and the chimichurri fries.
Europa Village’s speakeasy rotates themes throughout the year, currently offering a Great Gatsby-inspired hideaway inside the Vienza cave on the property; moody, candlelit, and a world away from the afternoon heat outside. Open Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
If you’re looking for a late-night pour, The Cellar is just off the main entrance of Ponte Vineyard Inn. Make your way down a staircase to find a mix of modern décor, friendly servers, a bite to eat, and craft cocktails.
Go Underground (for the Wine)
There’s a practical reason wine has been stored underground for centuries: it’s cool down there! The other benefit of a cellar or cave? It’s one of the most genuinely refreshing ways to taste through Temecula wines!
At Wiens Cellars, book the Cellar Room tasting for a private afternoon with reserve and limited production reds, optional cheese and charcuterie pairings, and the chance at a barrel sample or two. It’s a guided, seated experience that gives these award-winning wines the attention they deserve.
Oak Mountain Winery is home to the only mined wine cave in Southern California; 10,000 square feet tunneled into the hillside, where you can dine and taste 104 feet below the vineyard above. The Cave Restaurant is open most days of the week, and cave tours run on a regular schedule.
At Monte de Oro, you don’t have to go underground to feel like you did. The 2,500-square-foot tasting room features cathedral ceilings and a glass floor that gives guests a view straight down into the Barrel Cellar beneath. The 180-degree panoramic view of the valley from above doesn’t hurt either.
Somerset Vineyard & Winery on the De Portola Trail takes a different approach entirely: their Amphorae tasting experience is guided by the winemaker or owner through seven wines made in hand-crafted Italian terracotta vessels, an 8,000-year-old winemaking method that’s a genuine first for Southern California. The Members Room, where these tastings are held, is cool, intimate, and quietly one of the most interesting wine experiences in the valley.
Take the Plunge
Yes, you can relax by the pool and enjoy wine country, all in the same day!
The pool at BOTTAIA offers cabanas with seating for five, a chaise lounge rental program, and full poolside food and beverage service from the Pool Café + Cocktail Bar. There’s even a splash pad for the little ones, and the menu runs from shrimp tacos to a killer burger with caramelized onions and a secret house sauce. Reserve in advance it books up fast on weekends!
At South Coast Winery, the heated outdoor saltwater pool stays at an inviting 84 degrees year-round, with oversized chaise lounges on a spacious veranda overlooking wine country, and private cabana rentals with poolside food and beverage service available Friday through Monday. Book a treatment at the Grapeseed Spa while you’re there and make a full day of it; this is the definition of easy luxury.
Catch a Movie Under the Stars
After the sun sets, wine country cools off fast, and there’s something genuinely magical about watching a movie in a vineyard with a glass in your hand. Several wineries host outdoor movie nights throughout the summer, making it one of the easiest (and most atmospheric) ways to extend your evening in wine country.
Altisima, Akash, Oak Mountain, and Peltzer Farms all host screenings this season. Grab a blanket, a bottle, and a seat for summer cinema in the vines!
Find Your Breeze
Sometimes, finding the right patio is all you need to enjoy a summer day in wine country.
At Briar Rose Winery, you can relax under the canopy of one of California’s oldest olive trees, where a gentle breeze rolls through the shaded, enchanted grounds, built around Snow White-style cottages originally designed by a Disney Imagineer. It’s a micro-winery in the truest sense, small and peaceful in a way that’s increasingly hard to find.
Masia de la Vinya, at the far end of the De Portola Wine Trail, encourages guests to “come for the wine, stay for the view” on a patio with panoramic views of vineyards, mountains, and open sky, with Spanish-influenced wines and live music every Saturday. It’s the kind of place where two hours become four without anyone noticing.
And Palumbo Family Vineyards is the one to know if you want a real wine experience without the crowds. A small outdoor patio with 360-degree vineyard views surrounds the tasting room at this artisanal, family-run operation where winemaker Nick Palumbo has been quietly making some of the best red wines in the valley for over two decades.
However you choose to spend your summer days in Temecula Valley, you’ll find the wine is always better when you’re not rushing. Check temeculawines.org/events for the latest on movies, tastings, and everything happening this season.
