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Wine Country Recipe: Cheese Fondue

Nothing screams romance more than fondue!  So, this Valentine’s Day, if you’d prefer to forgo the crowded restaurants and opt for a quick, simple and romantic meal at home, we’ve got you covered with this cheese fondue recipe.  Pair with a salad, your favorite Temecula Valley Riesling and perhaps some chocolate fondue for dessert…and…voilà, you’ve got the perfect Valentine’s dinner.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound imported Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cherry brandy, such as kirsch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg
Assorted dippers

Directions:

In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside.  Rub the inside of the ceramic fondue pot with the garlic, then discard.

Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer.  Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid.  Melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue.  Once smooth, stir in cherry brandy, mustard and nutmeg.

Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods on a lazy Susan around fondue pot.  Serve with chunks of French and pumpernickel breads.  Some other suggestions are Granny Smith apples and blanched vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and asparagus. FurnitureCap  Spear with fondue forks or wooden skewers, dip, swirl and enjoy!

Suggested pairings:

Baily Vineyard & Winery ~ 2013 Riesling – A delicate, dry and fruity white.

Briar Rose Winery ~ 2013 Riesling – Opening up with a soft apricot on the front and light fruity sweetness on the finish.

Lorenzi Estate Vineyards & Winery ~ 2012 Riesling – The nose is aromatic with spicy stone fruit with a combination of sweet Meyer lemons, along with tropical touches of mango and pineapple.

Mount Palomar Winery ~ 2012 Riesling – Prominent scents of pineapple and soft hints of star fruit, with a smooth tropical finish.

Recipe and photo courtesy Tyler Florence and foodnetwork.com.

 

 

February Winery Events

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Sangiovese Saturdays at Carol’s
Saturdays in February; / 11:30a-3:00p / Live music, mulled wine, cheese fondue, 1/2 price Sangiovese

Dog Day Sundays
Every Sunday / 11:30a-2:30p / Bring your well-mannered pooch to lunch!  Live acoustic entertainment.

Estate Club Private Wine Tasting
Thursday-Sunday / 11:00a-2:30p / Tours and vertical tasting of library Meritage.  Sit down with bread and cheese plate; $30 (Reservations required 24 hours in advance) / Bar Tasting; $20.  Call for reservations: 951-972-9768.

Valentine’s Luncheon
Saturday, February 14 / 11:30a-3:30p / 3 course lunch for $29.95 per person, featuring live music. Reservations Required.

Valentine’s Dinner
Saturday, February 14 / 5:00p-8:30p / 4 course dinner for $64.95 per person, featuring live music .  Reservations required.

Bel Vino Winery

Valentine’s Day Dinner
Saturday, February 14 / 6:30p- 9:30p / $90 per person / $80 per person, wine club members / 5 course dinner with wine pairings.

Callaway Vineyard & Winery

Cupid’s Flight Couples Wine Tasting
Saturday, February 14 & Sunday, February 15 / 11a-4p
This lovely wine flight tasting is sure to delight your Valentine! You will each choose a trio of wines to sample while enjoying the spectacular view from our hilltop winery. To make it extra special, we are including a small sampling of “love bites” to share /  $35 per couple; $31.50 Wine Club Members

Romance Found at Meritage
Saturday, February 14 / 4:30p-8:30p / Join us at Meritage at Callaway for a special menu featuring savory offerings. Live music performed by Dustin Jake.  Reservations are required and can be made online or call (951) 587-8889 between 11am and 3pm daily to speak with our host/hostess.

Happiest Hours
Grab your friends and join us for a marvelous time!  Friday and Sunday from 3:00p-6:00p in the lounge at Meritage at Callaway.  20% all tapas, $2 off wine by the glass, 20% off bottles of Callaway wines and available domestic, import and craft beers.

Wine Flight Fridays
EVERY Friday beginning at 3pm
Travel around the world with us and experience a different wine region every month. Savor and compare the varietals that best represent a particular region paired with a special selection of Tapas typical of that region. This month, enjoy a wine flight of 3 wines from South America for $15.

Sangria Sundays at Meritage at Callaway
Every Sunday at Meritage at Callaway from 4pm-8pm in the main dining room.  Enjoy sipping on our very own Watermelon Sangria while soaking in the sunset vineyard views.  Live music from local musicians begins at 6pm.  No cover charge and no reservations required.

Open Mic Night at Meritage at Callaway
Thursday, February 5 / 6:00p-9:00p / A creative life needs to be lived out in the OPEN; heard and shared with others. Join us for an evening of tapas, wine & creative collaboration. We will provide the stage, you provide your words, your unique sound and your talent. Come early to sign up.  Call (951) 587-8889 or email stefano_butto@callawaywinery.com for more information.

Cougar Vineyard & Winery

8th Annual Super Chili Bowl
Sunday, February 1 / 3:00p-8:30p /Join us for food, wine, beer & football. Super Bowl XL11. Chili competition kicks off at 3pm. 14 chili competitors will battle to become our newest Chili Champion! / Competitors $10 (spots filling up quickly), Wine Club $20, All others $25. Price increases $5 day of. Email wineclub@cougarvineyards.com to join in on the fun. 4-6 tickets purchased and pick out which table you’d like in the Barrel Room reserved for you today!

Danza Del Sol Winery

Live music on the patio / 1p-5p
Saturday, February 7 – Racheal Stark
Saturday, February 14 – TwoFish
Sunday, February 15 – TwoFish
Saturday, February 21 – Tony Suraci
Saturday, February 28 – Hamilton & Schultz

Get Sauced
Friday, February 13 / $65 per person; $58.50 per person, wine club / Get your Valentine SAUCED!  Ahem, Get Sauced on Valentine’s Day!  Treat your sweetheart to a delicious, fun filled evening of food, wine and culinary entertainment.

Doffo Winery

Super Bowl Party: Argentine Style
Sunday, February 1 / 2:00p-7:00p / $10 per person / Watch the game on our big screen in the MotoBarrel Room while enjoying traditional homemade Argentinian food along with our handcrafted red wines and craft beer.  Food will be available for purchase.  A “ladies” boutique will offer some alternative entertainment for those not interested in watching the entire game.  Visit www.doffowinery.com for more information.

Romantic Valentine’s Dinner
Saturday, February 14 / 6:00p-9:00p / $75 per person+ purchase of one or more bottles of wine per person. / Treat your loved one to the most romantic event of the year.  Indulge in our Italian inspired four-course meal paired with our very own handcrafted wines. Reservations required and limited seats available.  Register at www.doffowines.com.

Europa Village

Live Music
Fridays from 5:30p-8:30p and Sundays from 1:00p-4:00p / February 1 – Dustin Jake / February 6 – Cougrzz Rock Duo / February 8 – Joe Baldino / February 15 – Jimmy Patton / February 20  – Radical Pie / February 22- Danielle Taylor / February 27 – Missy

Valentine’s Day Wine Paired Dinner & Musical Play – “Romance, Romance”

Europa Village presents a sweetheart of a musical paired with a romantic gourmet 5-course dinner. Each course paired with Europa Village C’est La Vie Wines; Friday Tickets: $115pp/Société $103.50pp (Table for 2); Friday Tickets: $89pp/ Société $80pp (Seated at a Table of 8); Saturday Tickets: $125pp/Société $112.50pp (Table for 2); Saturday Tickets: $99/ Société $89 (Seated at a Table of 8)

Falkner Winery

Valentine’s Lunch Special
February 13-16
Lunch for 2 for $55 / Reservations required by calling 951-676-8231 xt. 1 or by visiting www.falknerwinery.com

Valentine’s Romantic Dinner
Saturday, February 14 / 5:30p-9:30p / 4 course meal with wine and live entertainment/ Reservations required by calling 951-676-8231 xt. 1 or by visiting www.falknerwinery.com

Wine Appreciation Class
Saturday, January 21 / 10:00a-12:30p / $45 per person

Sweetheart Party Event
Saturday, February 21 / 6:00p – midnight / Sweetheart Party Event / Reserve the date for a fun evening event with music, dancing, food, wine and more!

Frangipani Estate Winery

Valentine’s Day Dinner
Saturday, February 14 / 6:30p-9:30p / 4 Course Wine Paired Dinner / Live Entertainment from the singing group Sinatra & Friends / $65 per person plus tax/gratuity; $55 per person plus tax/gratuity  for wine club members / Advance reservations required by February 12, 2015

Lorimar Winery

Live Music

Fridays & Saturdays 6p-9p / Sundays 2p-5p

Valentine’s Day
Saturday, February 14 / Special offer for two people: includes a bottle of 2012 Bravia, a pizza from Pairings, one dessert, two heart stemless glasses for only $59!  Order tickets online to reserve a space, or call the tasting room at 951-694-6699.  First seating is at 6:00p.  Live music during the day is Tom Bray from 1-4p and Lifetime Rocker from 6p-9p.

Mount Palomar Winery

Bottles “n” Brushes Painting Class with Wine
February 15, 21, 22, 25 / 12:00a-3:00p  (February 25th class is 11:00a-2:00p)/ $45 per person – includes a glass of wine!  (Discount given for multiple guests) / To sign up or for more information, please contact Dorothy Hawthorne at 951-302-3088 or doughawthorne@verizon.net.

Valentine n’ Wine!
Saturday, February 14 / 11:00a-4:00p / $25 per flight.

Oak Mountain Winery

Valentine’s Day Dinner Celebration
Saturday, February 14 / 6:00p-9:00p / $90 per person, plus tax and gratuity / $80 per person, plus tax and gratuity, Wine Club Member / Join owners, Steve and Valerie for a special Valentine’s Day Celebration Dinner. Reservations are required by calling 951-699-9102

“Wine, Food and Fun” Cooking Class
Saturday, February 21 / 6:00p-9:00p / $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity

Live Music in the Pavilion
Every Saturday and Sunday in January / 1:00p-5:00p

Oak Mountain Winery University

Bubbles 101 – We want to burst your bubble with our champagne class / Oak Mountain Winery’s Sparkling Wine Class will have you taste three of our handcrafted sparkling wines made and bottled here in Temecula.  You will be served 3 of our sparkling wines paired with artisanal cheeses.  Learn fun facts you always wanted to know about sparkling wines and champagne.

Blending Reds – Create, bottle and label your very own blend / In our Blending Class, you get to be the Winemaker!  You will be supplied with three of Oak Mountain’s red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, tasting notes, a measuring flask and pipette, three wine glasses for sampling your creation and a “cheat sheet” provided by our own winemaker to help you with the process.  You will have the option to bottle your custom blend of wine for an additional $29.  We will then pop in a cork and add a personalized label and you’ll take home wonderful memories – as well as a one-of-a-kind bottle of wine.

Wine Tasting for Dummies 101 / Our beginners class for Wine Tasters.  This is a good class to take if this is your first visit to a winery and want to know the basics of wine tasting.  You will taste three wines paired with delicious gourmet cheeses and dark chocolate toffee.  You will also get to sample eight of our infused Avocado Oils and Balsamic Vinegars that are only available at Oak Mt. Winery.

Rhone Wine Class 201 / Our second, more advanced class after taking Wine Tasting 101 is our Rhone Wine Tasting Class 201.  Learn how these grapes are grown here in the valley and how wine is made, while tasting varietals from different areas in the Rhone region of France.  Just like the 101 class, you’ll get 3 wine tastings and 8 tastings of Avocado Oil and Balsamic Vinegars.

Bordeaux Wine Class 201 / You will learn how these grapes are grown and how they are harvested and processed, while tasting Oak Mountain wines from different areas in the Bordeaux region of France.  Just like the 101 class, you will get 3 wine tastings and 8 tastings of Avocado Oil and Balsamic Vinegars.  We recommend that you have taken our Wine Tasting 101 class prior to this course.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa

Vineyard Rose Valentine Season of Love Prix Fixe Dinner
February 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 / Three special courses with wine; just $99 for two! / Reservations a must by calling 800-539-1375.

Valentine’s Dinner at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Saturday, February 14 /5:30p-9:30p / $99 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Wine & Dine Chef’s Table at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant
For those who truly love to dine, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s culinary team offers a front row seat into their world with a special “Chef’s Table Dinner”. The Vineyard Rose Chefs create a custom five-course menu just for you. Our expert Winemakers then pair each course with our award winning wines to heighten the dining experience to another level. Whether it’s a special celebration or an intimate affair, our Chef’s Table dinner for 2 to 8 guests will define the art of fine cuisine with a memorable evening of food and wine for only $135 per person. Call 951-491-8077 to reserve your table today.

Happy Hours at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Monday-Friday 3:00p-5:30p / Join us in the Vineyard Rose Lounge for reduced priced selected appetizers, award winning select glasses of South Coast wines and local drafts.  PLUS corkage fees are waived for any South Coast Winery wine bottles brought in to the Vineyard Rose Restaurant and consumed while dining on Wednesdays too!   Visit www.WineResort.com to view menus and find out more.

Wine Wednesdays at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
6:00p-9:00p / Wednesday nights just got even better at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant as award winning pianist, Blessie Isaac-Hopkins, takes the helm behind our elegant grand piano.  This world traveler and life-long student of music has performed internationally over the course of her career at many high-end hotels and resorts, including the Peninsula, Regent, Westin, Hilton and Shangri-la Hotel and now you can enjoy her music at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Reserve today for an unforgettable Wednesday evening with fine wines, delicious food and live music between the hours of 6:30p to 9:00p. Call 951.587.9463

Vintner Vault Thursdays
Every Thursday in February is Couples Day at South Coast Winery’s Vintner’s Vault Tasting Room.  Bring your spouse, your loved-one, your partner, your friend and treat yourself to a wine tasting experience for two. / Couples Tasting: $20 wine tasting for two people.  Includes two keepsake South Coast Winery wine glasses with your paid tasting

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s Vintage Vantage Menu

Monday-Thursday 11:30a -3:00p / Specially priced $9.99 lunches at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant for those aged 55 and over. Call 951-587-9463 x 2 for more information or reservations.

Behind the Scenes Wine Tours
Tours are held daily at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3PM, Monday through Sunday. Due to the limited sizes of each tour, advance reservations are required with prepayment, and are non-refundable. Must be over 21 years of age to attend.   Call 800-539-1375 Ext. 350 to reserve your spot today.

Thornton Winery

Valentine’s Romantic Rendezvous
Saturday, February 14 /  $135.00, plus tax and gratuity.  Live music, A rose for your Sweetheart, a 4 course meal with wine or sparkling wine,  private tables of two located in our Champagne Caves or Vineyard View room or dinner at Café Champagne –$75.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  3 course meal.  Reservations are required by calling 951-699-0099.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dream Big, Temecula Valley Winemakers!

This week we’re at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento for a yearly industry event that helps keeps us all “in the know”.  Apart from pouring a sampling of fabulous Temecula Valley wines to some of the 14,000+ attending wine lovers, we caught up with a few of our own to find out what they were dreaming about while walking through the chock full convention center.

Arturo Villareal, winemaker at Danza del Sol was looking for some new barrels.  But what he’s really dreaming about is a new, much larger wine cellar.  Sorry, Art!  I don’t think they actually sell those.

We caught up with Damian and Marcello Doffo who were in the midst of purchasing a water treatment system for Doffo Winery. While it’s a much needed purchase, there’s certainly much more fun things to buy…

Nick and Cindy Palumbo were looking for some portable stainless steel tanks.  And dreaming of a cold beer! As Nick always says, “it takes a lot of beer to make wine.”

BJ Fazeli, who’s winery is being built as we speak, needs everything for his new winery.  He brought along his wallet and is definitely dreaming BIG.

The Wiens brothers are in the market for a new de-stemmer but are dreaming about a new optical sorter that will separate and remove the less than perfect grapes from the sorting table.  It’s a winemaker thang!

JD Harkey and Chase Drake, of Drake Enterprises are dreaming REALLY big and hoping Ben pops for a machine harvester this year.

Jon McPherson and Javier Flores, the dynamic duo of winemakers at South Coast, were searching out some “state of the art” lab equipment for the new Carter Estate Winery which is scheduled to open in just a few weeks.

All in all, I’d say the Temecula Valley winemakers, while truly dreaming big dreams, were pretty down to earth.  Except for Art and that new cellar…

World of Wine Barrel Tasting 2015

Hey kids, what time is it? It’s World of Wine time!

And that means it’s time to visit Temecula Valley wine country for WoW, our Winter Barrel Tasting event, coming up on March 7 and 8, 2015.  It’s one of just two times per year when the wineries open their cellar doors for the weekend, allowing guests to enjoy a multitude of wines paired with scrumptious snacks.

The 2 day event offers ticket holders a self-guided wine country tour that allows visits to all of our member wineries.  You’ll receive a map of Temecula Valley Wine Country, a passport which allows a visit to each participating winery, and a souvenir glass.

The event is held from 10am to 4:30pm. 2 day tickets are regularly $99 per person.  BUT, purchase your tickets before February 8 and SAVE $10 per 2 day ticket. Informs the sports portal “Bet On” mobile sports betting guide.

All tickets are Will-Call and are available for pick-up between 9:30am and 1pm ONLY on the day(s) of the event. Guests will be notified via email as to their pick-up location. Local, Sunday Only and Designated Driver tickets are also available.

So plan to join us in March. And get WoW’d!
For additional information, visit www.temeculawines.org/events or call us at 800.801.9463.

Dream Big ~ Rosie and Gerry Wilson, Wilson Creek Winery

Check in every month where we feature a new interview with a Temecula Valley winery owner. You’ll learn where they came from, why they chose Temecula – and what keeps them passionate about the sometimes not-so-glamorous life of a winery owner.

When the motivating factor for starting a winery was “togetherness”, you must know that we’re talking to Gerry and Rosie Wilson, owners of Wilson Creek Winery!

 So, how did this all start?
Our family had spread out, Bill was working in San Diego, Mick was in Sacramento and Libby was in Solvang.  We were trying to figure out where to retire to when Bill came up with the idea of starting up a small family business where we could all come together to live and work as a family.  We thought it sounded fun; our friends thought we were nuts! But we came together as a family, scraped up every dime we could find and each chipped in what we could to make it happen.  And it’s been a blessing since day one.

Why Temecula?
For us, it was – and is – all about the lifestyle.  We’d visited Temecula many, many times over the years as a weekend golf getaway from our Pasadena home and we’d always loved the area. Where else do you get to wake up to balloons flying overhead and go to sleep with hundreds of stars in the sky?  Or walk down from our home with our dogs to go to work each day?  And I can’t think of any place on earth where a call for a “sunset alert” is a common occurrence.

What keeps you going?
In the beginning, it was a LOT of work.  We did as much of the manual labor as possible ourselves.  We dug the ditches for pipes, ran wires for the electrical, planted trees and roses and anything else we could to save money.  Thank goodness we were all younger then!  We used to laugh and say we all worked half days; which 12 hour shift we worked was up to us!  But we were committed to support four families – and we did.  We ate lots of peanut butter sandwiches back then, but they taste great with wine.

Wilson Creek Winery is known for its philanthropic efforts throughout the valley, why is that so important to you and your family?
We really never really thought about it in the beginning, that’s just the way we’ve always been.  When you don’t have a lot of money, but you have a product that people love, it’s a great fit.  We could always go and pour wine and in doing so, it really helped us to build our brand.  We believe that when you give, what you get in return comes in spades. And now that we have such a beautiful place, it would be a shame not to share it when we can with those in need.

It seems that “niceness” around here starts at the top…
We’re just so darn lucky!  We have a wonderful team of people working with us that we just love.  From our winemaker to our vineyard manager and from our chef and restaurant staff to our tasting room staff; they’re all just such a pleasure to be around every day.  We consider ourselves one big, happy family.

 

January Winery Events

It’s the start of another new year (again) and if you haven’t visited Temecula Valley Wine Country lately, now’s the time!  There’s never a dull moment in wine country, and this time of year is no exception.  Check out the wine country calendar of events and make plans to visit us soon!

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Sangiovese Saturdays at Carol’s
Saturdays in January; / 11:30a-3:00p / Live music, mulled wine, cheese fondue, 1/2 price Sangiovese

Dog Day Sundays
Every Sunday / 11:30a-2:30p / Bring your well-mannered pooch to lunch!  Live acoustic entertainment.

Estate Club Private Wine Tasting
Thursday-Sunday / 11:00a-2:30p / Tours and vertical tasting of library Cabernet Franc.  Sit down with bread and cheese plate; $30 (Reservations required 24 hours in advance) / Bar Tasting; $20.  Call for reservations: 951-972-9768.

“Inventory Reduction Sale”
Entire month of January / A sale on all current vintages to make room for the 2014 whites and rose and the 2011 reds.  Visit or call the winery for details.

Callaway Vineyard & Winery

Prime Rib Fridays
Every Friday at Meritage from 5pm-8:00pm in the main dining room.  Enjoy a three-course Prime Rib dinner for $35 per person!  Choose from soup and salad, a scrumptious Prime rib entree and finish with a house made Crème Brulee for two!  A special wine discount of 20% off Callaway wines by the bottle is available throughout the evening.  Vini Contreas performs live in the main dining room every Friday beginning at 6pm and continuing throughout the evening.  Reservations are not required.  No cover.  Cannot be combined with any other offers, including wine club member discounts.

Happiest Hours
Grab your friends and join us for a marvelous time!  Friday and Sunday from 3:00p-6:00p in the lounge at Meritage at Callaway.  20% all tapas, $2 off wine by the glass, 20% off bottles of Callaway wines and available domestic, import and craft beers.

Sangria Sundays at Meritage at Callaway
Every Sunday at Meritage at Callaway from 4pm-8pm in the main dining room.  Enjoy sipping on our very own Watermelon Sangria while soaking in the sunset vineyard views.  Live music from local musicians begins at 6pm.  No cover charge and no reservations required.

Open Mic Night at Meritage at Callaway
Thursday, January 8 / 6:00p-9:00p / A creative life needs to be lived out in the OPEN; heard and shared with others. Join us for an evening of tapas, wine & creative collaboration. We will provide the stage, you provide your words, your unique sound and your talent. Come early to sign up.  Call (951) 587-8889 or email stefano_butto@callawaywinery.com for more information.

Europa Village

Live Music
Fridays from 5:30p-8:30p and Sundays from 1:00p-4:00p / January 2 – Radical Pie / January 4 – Mark Norris / January 9 – Dustin Jake / January 11 – Jimmy Patton / January 16  – James Wells / January 18- Dustin Jake / January 23 – Bryan McManus / January 25 – Joe Baldino / January 30 – Two Fish

Murder Mystery Dinner – “And, The Murder Goes To….”
Saturday, January 24 / 6:30p-9:00p / $70 per person / Societe Members $63 per person / Purchase tickets at www.europavillage.com

Murder Mystery Dinner – “And, The Murder Goes To….”
Sunday, January 25 / 6:30p-9:00p / $70 per person / Societe Members $63 per person / Purchase tickets at www.europavillage.com

Falkner Winery

Wine Appreciation Class
Saturday, January 17 / 10:00a-12:30p / $45 per person

Frangipani Estate Winery

9th Year Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, January 10 / 1:00p-5:00p / Wine specials throughout the day.  Special wine cocktails.

Lorimar Winery

Live Music

Fridays & Saturdays 6p-9p / Sundays 2p-5p

Mount Palomar Winery

Bottles “n” Brushes Painting Class with Wine
January 7, 22, 24 / 11:00a-2:00p / January 24th class is from 12:00p-3:00p / $45 per person – includes a glass of wine!  (Discount given for multiple guests) / To sign up or for more information, please contact Dorothy Hawthorne at 951-302-3088 or doughawthorne@verizon.net.

Oak Mountain Winery

9th Anniversary Party
Saturday, January 17 / 6:00p-9:00p / Come join us to celebrate our 9th anniversary party for Oak Mountain Winery.  Dinner, wine and live music by Rhandi & Associates.  Call 951-699-9102 for more details.

Live Music in the Pavilion
Every Saturday and Sunday in January / 1:00p-5:00p

Oak Mountain Winery University

Bubbles 101 – We want to burst your bubble with our champagne class / Oak Mountain Winery’s Sparkling Wine Class will have you taste three of our handcrafted sparkling wines made and bottled here in Temecula.  You will be served 3 of our sparkling wines paired with artisanal cheeses.  Learn fun facts you always wanted to know about sparkling wines and champagne.

Blending Reds – Create, bottle and label your very own blend / In our Blending Class, you get to be the Winemaker!  You will be supplied with three of Oak Mountain’s red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, tasting notes, a measuring flask and pipette, three wine glasses for sampling your creation and a “cheat sheet” provided by our own winemaker to help you with the process.  You will have the option to bottle your custom blend of wine for an additional $29.  We will then pop in a cork and add a personalized label and you’ll take home wonderful memories – as well as a one-of-a-kind bottle of wine.

Wine Tasting for Dummies 101 / Our beginners class for Wine Tasters.  This is a good class to take if this is your first visit to a winery and want to know the basics of wine tasting.  You will taste three wines paired with delicious gourmet cheeses and dark chocolate toffee.  You will also get to sample eight of our infused Avocado Oils and Balsamic Vinegars that are only available at Oak Mt. Winery.

Rhone Wine Class 201 / Our second, more advanced class after taking Wine Tasting 101 is our Rhone Wine Tasting Class 201.  Learn how these grapes are grown here in the valley and how wine is made, while tasting varietals from different areas in the Rhone region of France. best python ide  Just like the 101 class, you’ll get 3 wine tastings and 8 tastings of Avocado Oil and Balsamic Vinegars.

Bordeaux Wine Class 201 / You will learn how these grapes are grown and how they are harvested and processed, while tasting Oak Mountain wines from different areas in the Bordeaux region of France.  Just like the 101 class, you will get 3 wine tastings and 8 tastings of Avocado Oil and Balsamic Vinegars.  We recommend that you have taken our Wine Tasting 101 class prior to this course.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa

Wine & Dine Chef’s Table at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant

For those who truly love to dine, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s culinary team offers a front row seat into their world with a special “Chef’s Table Dinner”. The Vineyard Rose Chefs create a custom five-course menu just for you. Our expert Winemakers then pair each course with our award winning wines to heighten the dining experience to another level. Whether it’s a special celebration or an intimate affair, our Chef’s Table dinner for 2 to 8 guests will define the art of fine cuisine with a memorable evening of food and wine for only $135 per person. Call 951-491-8077 to reserve your table today.

Happy Hours at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Monday-Friday 3:00p-5:30p / Join us in the Vineyard Rose Lounge for reduced priced selected appetizers, award winning select glasses of South Coast wines and local drafts.  PLUS corkage fees are waived for any South Coast Winery wine bottles brought in to the Vineyard Rose Restaurant and consumed while dining on Wednesdays too!   Visit www.WineResort.com to view menus and find out more.

Wine Wednesdays at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
6:00p-9:00p / Wednesday nights just got even better at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant as award winning pianist, Blessie Isaac-Hopkins, takes the helm behind our elegant grand piano.  This world traveler and life-long student of music has performed internationally over the course of her career at many high-end hotels and resorts, including the Peninsula, Regent, Westin, Hilton and Shangri-la Hotel and now you can enjoy her music at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Reserve today for an unforgettable Wednesday evening with fine wines, delicious food and live music between the hours of 6:30p to 9:00p. Call 951.587.9463

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s Touchdown Sundays
We’re making football Sundays a day for the ladies. Join us every Sunday during football season from 12 noon to 3pm in the Vineyard Rose Restaurant. Enjoy half priced mimosas, sangria and our signature Spumante Diamante. Reservations Recommended. Call 951-587-9463 x 2

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s Vintage Vantage Menu
Monday-Thursday 11:30a -3:00p / Specially priced $9.99 lunches at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant for those aged 55 and over. Call 951-587-9463 x 2 for more information or reservations.

Behind the Scenes Wine Tours
Tours are held daily at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3PM, Monday through Sunday. Due to the limited sizes of each tour, advance reservations are required with prepayment, and are non-refundable. Must be over 21 years of age to attend.   Call 800-539-1375 Ext. 350 to reserve your spot today.

Festival of Wines
January 18-24 / A whole week dedicated to tantalize your senses!  We’ve tasked each of our resort’s departments to create a special celebration dedicated to the Art of Wine!  Come out any day of the week to enjoy all that we have to offer!  Visit www.wineresort.com or call 800.539.1375 for more information.

Thornton Winery

Thornton Winery’s Chef’s Counter Dinner
Friday, January 30 / 7:00p / A one of a kind dining experience! An interactive Chef’s table in a private kitchen, where you will dine one-on-one while the chef prepares your five course meal right in front of you. Seating is limited to 10.  Reservations are required by calling 951-699-0099.

 

 

 

 

California Restaurant Month, Temecula Wine Country Style!

California Restaurant Month – Splurge, Savor and Save

Wine For The Holidays

Grandma’s stuffing, Aunt Susie’s cranberry sauce and your sister’s sweet potatoes.  Menu: done!  But what about the wine?  Choosing a bottle (or two!) of wine to bring to the holiday table can be tricky.  Appealing to not only your menu, but to a cross-section of practiced palates and novice wine drinkers may seem challenging.  But don’t stress out over one of the simplest tasks of the holiday season. Make it simple.  Any wine you enjoy is a good wine!

One certainly doesn’t need to look to others to rate, score or direct you to make a particular wine choice.  Bring a wine you’re familiar with to the table.  Chances are it’ll be just fine – and maybe even sublime!

First and foremost, don’t worry about pairing with the herbaceous, the tart or the sweet accompaniments to your turkey, ham or prime rib.  It’s much simpler to match the wine to the main protein dish.  Here’s a few tried and true varietal selections for some classic holiday main dishes:

Wines to Serve with Ham
Ham just begs for a something lightly sweet.  Look for wines with a touch of residual sugar like a Baily Vineyard & Winery Riesling or a Maurice Car’rie Winery Gewurztraminer.  Both are lighter in style, a bit lower in alcohol and still offer plenty of food-friendly acidity and crowd-pleasing palate appeal.  If you’re looking for an easy to pair red, go for a lighter style like Tempranillo.  Great examples can be found at both Miramonte Winery and at Danza del Sol Winery.

Wines to Serve with Turkey
Although an array of whites work perfectly well, Sauvignon Blanc is an all-time, hands-down favorite pick that holds up well to turkey – and all it’s side dishes. Temecula Valley provides the perfect playground for growing this varietal, so you’ll find many great examples of it here.  Beautifully aromatic offerings from the musqué clone can be found at Hart Winery and at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Soft red varietals like Syrah also make suitable partners; you can find some fabulous ones at Falkner Winery and Leoness Cellars.

Wines to Serve with Prime Rib
White wines will have a hard time keeping up with the likes of Prime Rib, but there are so many reds to choose from that make impressive cohorts, you’re sure to find one you’ll all enjoy.  Choose an affable Cabernet Sauvignon from Callaway Vineyard & Winery, a food friendly Italian varietal like Montepulciano or Sangiovese from Cougar Vineyard & Winery or an amazing Super Tuscan blend, Due Rossi, from Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery.

Happy Holidays!

10 Fun Things To Do This Holiday Season

10 Fun Things To Do in Wine Country This Holiday Season

Hanging out in Temecula Valley’s wine country is always fun.  But with the holiday’s fast approaching, there’s even more reason to visit!

A bit of art, shopping, music and of course – a visit from St. Nick – are just a few things that await you this month.  We hope to see you in Wine Country!

1. 12/03, 12/09, 12/18, 12/22 – Bottles n Brushes – A Paint Class with Wine at Mount Palomar Winery.  11-2p; $45pp
2. 12/04-12/07 and 12/11-12/13 – Shakespeare in the Vines presents “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some!)”  at Baily Winery.  7pm; $25pp
3. 12/07 –  Santa Sunday & Barrel Tree Lighting at Callaway.  Photos with Santa; cocoa for the kids and wine for the adults.  3-5pm; complimentary admission
4. 12/10 –  Temecula Chilled, Wine Country style!  Late night shopping from 5-8pm.  Stock up on your holiday wine and gifts at: Baily Winery, Callaway Vineyard & Winery, Chapin Family Vineyards, Danza Del Sol Winery, Doffo Winery, Hart Winery, Leoness Cellars, Lorimar Winery, Lumiere Winery, Oak Mountain Winery, Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Thornton Winery and Wilson Creek Winery.
5. 12/11 – Annual Winemaker Dinner at Leoness Cellars.  Hang out with winemaker Tim Kramer for a wine-filled evening.  6pm; $125pp
6. 12//12 –  Wine Down Friday with Will Sumner’s smooth jazz at Cougar Winery. 5-8p; complimentary admission
7. 12/13 –  Christmas Luncheon in the Barrel Room at Falkner Winery.  Buffet style with 8-10 wines. 12-4p; $30pp
8. 12/16 – Menorah Lighting at Lorimar Winery.  6pm; complimentary admission
9. 12/18 – Ugly Sweater Holiday Party at Lorimar Winery.  6pm; $1pp
10. 12/31 –  New Years Eve Masquerade Ball at Wiens Family Cellars.  8pm; $65pp

Dream Big ~ Jim Carter, South Coast Winery

Check in every month where we feature a new interview with a Temecula Valley winery owner. You’ll learn where they came from, why they chose Temecula – and what keeps them passionate about the sometimes not-so-glamorous life of a winery owner.

 

Today, we’re sitting down with Jim Carter, owner of South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, at the winery’s restaurant, Vineyard Rose. Never one to sit still for long, the energetic father of 13, grandfather to 27 and great-grandfather to 4 is a man on a mission!

South Coast Winery opened in 2001 and has grown exponentially since then, was that always part of the vision?
I knew what I wanted to build way before I started construction.  I’d visited wine regions throughout the state and knew that ultimately I wanted to have a place where people would want to come and stay amongst the vineyards. We built in phases, starting with the production side and the tasting room.  Phase 2 was the villas, phase 3 the Vineyard Rose restaurant, phase 4 the conference center and finished off with phase 5, the Grapeseed Spa. I think there was about 10 or 11 wineries when I started.  Who knew it was going to develop as quickly as it did?

But that really wasn’t what I had in mind when I bought my first Temecula vineyard property back in 1981.  I wanted to grow grapes. And I planted a lot of them beginning back in 1995 on a 400 acre piece of property that I’d purchased years before up along the east side of Mount Palomar. It’s a spectacular vineyard we named Wild Horse Peak and it produces some fabulous grapes.  My kids and I would spend weekends and summers up there digging and planting.  I just fell in love with the farming side.  The winery is the vehicle that allows me to be a grape grower.

The winery has quite an extensive menu of wines, was that also part of the plan?
We just kept planting to see which clonal varietals grew well here and we ended up liking pretty much everything we grew.  So we’re in a unique position in that we can now make a wine that suits just about anyone’s palate.  There’s a wine for everyone – and I want to make sure that visitors can discover what they love right here in our tasting room.  

So what’s next?
Carter Estate Winery and Resort.  The first phase of our family’s next adventure is set to open in January.  It’s a completely different concept from this winery.  Our production will be quite limited.  We sourced the fruit for these bottlings from some of our best vineyard blocks and have used the best barrels on the market to hand craft 4-5 different wines that we’ll be releasing under the Carter Estate label.  And we’re also really excited to announce that we’ll be showcasing some new “methode champenoise”, traditional style sparkling wines over there too.  We’re really anxious to share these small lot wines that we’ve been bottling and cellaring for awhile now.  

And we’re also breaking ground on a winery/brew pub in the Texas hill country, just outside of Austin in a town called Johnson City.  

Sounds like crazy talk to me! Do you ever sleep?  What keeps you awake at night?
I have a good life.  About the only think that keeps me awake is praying for rain! We sure need us a good rainy winter.