Tag: temecula valley wines

2019 Hall of Fame

Temecula Valley vintners were proud to introduce the latest Hall of Fame inductee at the 36th Annual Grape Day conference held on April 18, 2019 at South Coast Winery in Temecula, California. The inductee honored was the late Ben R. Drake, owner of Drake Enterprises, Inc., a Temecula-based farm management company, and a long-time board member of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association.

The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Hall of Fame was introduced in 2016 by Phil Baily, owner of Baily Winery and current President of the Board for the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA). The first inductees into the Hall of Fame were Vince & Audrey Cilurzo and John Moramarco. At the time, Baily noted “The recent passing of wine country pioneer Vince Cilurzo prompted the TVWA Board of Directors to consider ways we could honor his memory. In discussing this, we realized that other pioneers should be recognized, most notably Audrey Cilurzo, because Vince and Audrey partnered in their accomplishments. John Moramarco was unquestionably the key leader of our rise in the 1960s and for the following thirty-plus years.”

Since that time, the association’s Board of Directors has inducted the late John Poole and his son, Peter Poole, who founded and operated Mount Palomar Winery for over two decades, as well as Ely Callaway, founder of Callaway Vineyard & Winery and of Callaway Golf fame. 

“This year’s Hall of Fame inductee was similarly accomplished and very well respected within Temecula Valley’s wine community and we’re very appreciative of his effort on behalf of all of us,” stated Phil Baily.  Ben’s long service as a member and Chairman of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, and his service as a state-wide leader in the fight against Pierce’s Disease brought recognition and respect to our Valley.  To many in our industry, Ben was Temecula.  He was one of the three or four key players who did the most to grow the reputation of the Temecula Valley Wine Country.”

Ben was a fifth-generation farmer in Riverside County and a resident of Temecula since 1973. Ben founded Drake Enterprises, Inc., 40 years ago. They currently manage 750 acres of avocados and 450 acres of winegrapes in the Temecula Valley.  Ben passed away this past November.   

Ben accomplished much in his professional career, including being a long-time Board member and President of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, President of the Rancho California Water District Board of Directors, Past Chairman of California Association of Winegrape Growers and Past President of Riverside County Farm Bureau, just to name a few.

When asked about Ben’s contributions to Temecula’s thriving wine region, the TVWA’s Executive Director, Krista Chaich said, “It’s hard to know where to start when talking about Ben’s contributions to the success of Temecula Valley Wine Country. He was a tremendous leader and an ardent supporter of our wine region. Most notably, his leadership and guidance were never more apparent than when our winegrape growers were faced with the devastating loss of vineyards due to Pierce’s Disease, a bacterial infection that nearly wiped out our wine country. Ben called upon the State of California to assist in the fight against Pierce’s Disease through significant funding and helped to set up task forces and treatment and research programs. Many of us believe that had it not been for Ben’s efforts, our wine country wouldn’t be the thriving and award-winning wine region that it is today. Once you make a deposit, you can start playing for real on a regular basis, so it is important to look at the rating of the best online casinos and choose what you like. As a player, it will be useful for you to find out about all the benefits available to you. VIP clubs and loyalty programs, of course, have their advantages, and as soon as you find out what they are, you will not want to miss them. Finally, perhaps most importantly, there are many legal aspects that need to be considered before you start making money. https://casinobonusesfinder.ca/online-casinos/sports-interaction-casino”

“Ben served on our Board of Directors for several years and as the Board President from 2014 through 2016. During this time, he fiercely protected both our winery owners and wine grape growers and consistently put the best interests of our entire wine region first.  Ben is missed tremendously, and this recognition is well deserved.”

Ben’s wife, Sharon, his daughters Katie and Courtney, his son-in-law JD Harkey, his three grandsons and his long-time assistant, Kathleen were on hand to accept the award on Ben’s behalf. 

Mother’s Day in Wine Country

This Mother’s Day, treat mom to a perfect day in Temecula Valley wine country. Choose from Sunday champagne brunches, complimentary wine tastings, special dessert pairings and even wine country spa and overnight packages. 

Baily Winery
Carol’s Mother’s Day Specials / May 12 / 11am-4pm / Carol’s Restaurant at Baily Winery will be offering Mother’s Day specials on top of their regular menu items. Live Music will be provided from 11am-3pm / Reservations are highly recommended. For reservations call 951.676.9243.

Callaway Vineyard & Winery
Mommas and Mimosas / May 10 / 5:00-7:00pm / Wine Club: $45 per adult / $20 per child | General Public: $55 per adult / $25 per child / Treat your mom like the queen she is by enjoying an afternoon of creating your own unique flower crowns at our enchanting Vineyard View Terrace. Enjoy an assortment of light appetizers while sipping mimosas at our mom-mosa bar. Commemorate your afternoon with photos of your floral creations in front of our Mother’s Day photo wall / For reservation: R.S.V.P. to club@callawaywinery.com or call 951.676.4001 x400

Mother’s Day at Meritage / May 12 / 11:00am-8:00pm / Give Mom the love she deserves this Mother’s Day! On Sunday, May 12th, Executive Chef Josh Diamond is offering Mothers and their loved ones a captivating experience with delicious culinary creations!
For cost and reservations call (951) 587-8889 | View the menu online www.callawaywinery.com

Cougar Vineyard & Winery
Celebrate Mother’s Day at Cougar / May 12 / 11:00am-12:30pm and 1-2:15 seating / $40pp Wine club, $45pp Non-Wine club. If available spots day of: $50pp Wine club, $55 Non-wine club / If you are looking for something special to do this Mother’s Day, make Cougar part of your plans. This year we will once again offer a Mother’s Day Brunch for all Mothers, families and anyone else celebrating Mothers everywhere! Long stem rose for Mom with prepaid advance reservation while supplies last / For menu and reservations, please visit events@cougarvineyards.com or call 951.767.8398.

Doffo Winery
Doffo Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12 / 11am-2pm / Celebrate Mother’s Day here at Doffo Winery! Enjoy a gourmet brunch buffet featuring French toast bake, a breakfast “strata” casserole, quiche, bacon and sausage, and don’t forget the mimosas made with our Paulina Sparkling wine! Tickets are $70 per person and include brunch and 2 glasses of Paulina Sparkling (bottomless mixers for mimosas included). Seating begins at 11am and will be based on family style tables of 6. Last seating is at 1pm. If you have a party of 6 or more, please include a note during checkout so we can accommodate your party / For tickets: https://shop.doffowines.com/mothers-day-brunch-p241.aspx

Europa Village
Mother’s Day Lunch / May 12 / 12pm-3pm / Adult Tickets: $54.99 / Société $49.49; Children tickets $18; Société $16.20 / Treat the Mom’s in your life to a lovely afternoon experience and show them how much they are truly appreciated! / For reservations please visit www.europavillage.com

Falkner Winery
Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch in the Pinnacle / May 12 / 10:00-3:00pm / $74.95+/person (Wine Club $64.95+/person) Children (3-10) $30.50+/child (Wine Club $25.95+/child) / Entertainment provided by Brandon & Amanda For full menu please visit www.falknerwinery.com / Reservations required, please call 951-676-8231 option 4.

Fazeli Cellars
Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12 / Champagne Greeting for all Moms, 3 Course Meal in our Banquet Room with Live Music / 2 Seating – Limited 11:30am | 2:00pm / $59.95 Non-Members | $49.95 Members; $19.95 Kids (12 & Under); $19.95 Bottomless Mimosa or Belini / Please email kellie@fazelicellars.com with your main course meal selection – if we do not receive your selection before the event a meal will be chosen for you.
http://shop.fazelicellars.com/res-391071/Mothers-Day-2019.html

Monte De Oro Winery
Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12 / 1st Seating: 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2nd Seating: 12:30pm – 2:30pm / $65 / WC $55 / Child (3yr-10yr) $25 / Celebrate Mother’s Day with family and friends at Monte De Oro with our annual Mother’s Day Brunch. Enjoy a buffet-style brunch with unlimited mimosas. Plus, all mothers in your group leave with a bottle of Monte De Oro award-winning wine! / Please reserve via http://shop.montedeoro.com/reservation-events

Mount Palomar Winery
Mother’s Day at Annata Bistro/Bar / May 11 and May 12 / 11:00am-7:00pm; last seating 6:00pm / Celebrate Mom with a delicious Mother’s Day meal at Mount Palomar Winery’s on-site bistro! We will be offering signature dining items from Annata Bistro/Bar along with Italian classics like Pollo Farcito and Linguine with Scampi. The Mother’s Day menu will run all Mother’s Day weekend, and all Moms will receive one complimentary mimosa. Reservations are highly recommended. For pricing & reservations and to view the full menu please visit us online at http://www.MountPalomarWinery.com/MothersDay

Peltzer Winery
Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12 / 1:00-3:00pm / $60 and includes a glass of our Prosecco mimosa. Additional glasses can be purchased for $12 / Tickets for kids under 12 is $45. Kids 4 and under are free! / Gather the whole family and join us underneath the mulberry trees to celebrate those lovely ladies! Before you take a seat, mosey on over to our flower crown station. Kendall Farms will create a gorgeous crown using fresh cut flowers and greenery from their farm so your mom can be the queen that we all know she is. Then, let’s start with a gourmet brunch by Mastiff Sausage Company with a crisp Prosecco mimosa in hand and listen to the acoustic sounds of Brian Stodart. After brunch, snag a themed sweet treat from The Sweet Apron! Once your belly is all full, let’s do a little shoppin’ with Market Detour and snag a complimentary photo in the Gonzalez Productions and Rentals photo booth so you can have your memories forever / 2nd Seating Tickets: https://bit.ly/2STYMWu/ 2nd Seating Tickets | Kids: https://bit.ly/2H5qqi1

Oak Mountain Winery
Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12 / Seating times from 11am-4pm / Members $53; Guests $59; Children 10 & under $17 / Includes a variety of brunch menu items and beverages. For a complete menu items, please visit our website www.OakMountainwinery.com / For reservations please call 951.699.9102 or order tickets online.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet at The Vineyard Rose Restaurant / May 12 / 10:00am-3:00pm / Celebrate Mom with a brunch buffet at The Vineyard Rose Restaurant. A la carte mimosa flights are available for purchase / Reservation and Menu Information: Make your reservations today! | 833.493.0896 or visit www.wineresort.com

Wiens Family Cellars
Mother’s Day Amour Brunch / May 12 / 11am-1pm / $100 per Guest Regular; $80 per Guest Wine Club / Treat Mom on her special day! Enjoy delicious food by Chef Volker, live music by Paul & Tawnie Music, a Mimosa bar with free-flowing Amour De L’Orange sparkling, photo booth, and coffee by Espresso Chauffeur! To purchase tickets please visit: http://www.wienscellars.com/res-413757/Mothers-Day-Amour-Brunch-2019.html

Wilson Creek Winery
Mother’s Day Brunch / May 12th / 10am-3pm / $75.95 (with Bubbly) / $65.95 (without Bubbly) / What do Mother’s Day & Brunch have in common? Both happen on Sundays! Come enjoy both at Wilson Creek Winery with the woman you’ve loved the longest! / Make Reservations Here: https://shop.wilsoncreekwinery.com/res-416700/Mothers-Day-Brunch.html

March Winery Events

Spring has sprung in Temecula Valley Wine Country! We’ve seen bud break in many of our vineyards, signaling the end of winter and the beginning of a new season. From St. Patrick’s Day to cooking classes and everything in between, the wineries have something for everyone!

Avensole Winery
Hosted Tour & Wine Tasting /Available on Sunday of each the month / 2pm-3:30pm / For every adventure, there is discovery, for every unique place, there is a story. Take a guided journey through our lush vineyards and experience our rich heritage and handcrafted Avensole wines / Cost. $35 / Reservations required. Please call 951.252.2003 x312 to reserve.

Gourmet Cheese Artisanal Tour & Wine Tasting / Available on Friday of each month / 12pm / For the ultimate Wine Country experience, delight in an educational tour through our picturesque vineyard vistas and conclude this tour with a culinary treat of artisanal wine pairings featuring 7 Avensole wines / Cost: $75 / Reservations required online at link: http://www.avensolewinery.com/res-369934

Baily Winery
Shakespeare in the Vine Series – “The 39 Steps” / $22 per person / March 21 (Preview), 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 & 30 / 7:00pm (doors open at 6:00pm) / Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps. It’s surely a performance you don’t want to miss! / Showing Thursday-Sunday at Carol’s Restaurant at Baily Winery / For reservations and tickets, please visit www.ShakespeareInTheVines.org

Estate Library Tasting / Every Thursday-Sunday / Available 11am-4pm / Enjoy exclusive library tasting of 5 different vintages (varietal will vary monthly). Tasting will take place at Baily Estate Tasting Room located on Pauba Road / Tours are available upon request / For reservations and pricing information please call Lisa at 951-972-9768

Callaway Vineyard & Winery
Prix Fixe Friday & Sunday at Meritage / 5pm to 8pm / For $35 guests may enjoy a starter, an entrée and a dessert / Live Music offered on Friday nights Reservation is not necessary. For menu information call 951.587.8889

Brunch Specials every Sunday at Meritage / 11am / Cost is $25 / Includes a mimosa with fresh squeezed orange juice, entrée and dessert. All food from Meritage is farm-to-table, either grown on property in restaurant garden or locally outsourced.

Callaway Winery Tours offered daily / 11am and 1pm / Tour only, $10 per person. Tour with tasting, $25 – tour includes 1 tank sample, 1-barrel sample and 4 additional tastes at the Tasting Bar / Reservations not necessary, but for 10 or more highly recommended / For more information call 951.676.4001

Carter Estate Winery and Resort
Elegant Food & Wine Pairing / $45pp; $40pp Wine Club Member / 1pm & 3pm Monday-Sunday / Your guided experience includes a specially selected flight of five of our Carter Estate wines paired with perfectly matched culinary bites from our Chef. Learn about the history of our beautiful Temecula Valley & get a behind-the-scenes look at how our award-winning Sparkling wines are made. Our Wine & Food Pairings are approximately 90 minutes & limited to eight guests. Make your reservation today! Must be 21 or older / Reservation Information: Reservations recommended – Book a pairing on CarterEstateWinery.com

Falkner Winery
Wine Appreciation Class / March 16 / 10:00-12:30pm / Designated for all levels of wine knowledge / $45/person /$40 Connoisseur/ $20 VIP; $80/person with lunch option / RSVP required 951-676-8231 x. 109 or wineclub@falknerwinery.com

Europa Village
Comedy Show / March 8 / 6:00pm / Tickets: $55; Société $49.50 / Come out to Europa Village for a fun night of wine, food and laugh-out-loud comedy featuring Mark Christopher Lawrence and Andrew Tarr / For tickets please visit www.europavillage.com

Bolero Night / March 22 / 6pm-10pm / Ticket: $3; Société $35.10 / Enjoy Bolero music by Ruben V and The Latin Sounds, salsa music and dancing! Executive Chef Dean Thomas will be preparing a traditional Spanish Paella to enjoy with a glass of sangria! / For tickets please visit www.europavillage.com

Fazeli Winery
Salsa Night! / March 23 / No partner or experience needed! Doors Open at 6:30 with 45-minute Salsa Lesson / Admission fee is $20 for non-members (+ tax) and $15 (+ tax) for wine club members – Includes a glass of Sangria. Special Food Menu Items! Wine, Beer, Sangria available for purchase! Purchase Tickets Here: http://shop.fazelicellars.com/res-390971/Salsa-Night-2819.html

Lorimar Vineyard & Winery
Smoke & Vine: An Evening of Cigars and Wine / March 8 / 7pm-9pm / Tickets are $85 per person/$76.50 per Wine Club Member / Join us at the Winery for a relaxing evening of cigars & wine! Includes a four-course dinner from Chef Jorge, paired with three Casa Lovo cigars and Lorimar’s award-winning wines. Space is limited so get your tickets early! / Purchase tickets at www.lorimarwinery.com. Event is 21+, tax is not included)

The Killer Dueling Pianos / March 21 / 6 pm / $20 Admission; $18 Wine Club (Ticket includes a glass of sangria) / Join us at the Winery for a night of wine, live music and dancing! / Purchase Tickets at www.lorimarwinery.com / Pairings Food Truck will open at 5 pm (event is 21+, tax is not included)

Mount Palomar Winery
Paint Nite in the Barrel Room / March 3, 9 and 16 /1:00p – 3:00p / Use the coupon code CREATE30 to save $15! / Raise your glass to a NEW kind of night out! Paint Nite® invites you to create art over a glass of wine at a Mount Palomar Winery, guided by a professional artist and party host. Grab your friends and spend two hours drinking, laughing, and flexing your creative muscles. There’s no experience necessary and we’ll provide all the supplies, so you don’t have to worry about a thing (except having a great time!). For reservations, please visithttps://www.paintnite.com/venues/mt-palomar-winery-133232

Annual Wedding Showcase / March 2 / 11am-4pm / Enter into the “Old World Romance” of Mount Palomar Winery and you will find everything to make your wedding day extraordinary, including expert advice from the area’s top wedding professionals and *exclusive discounts and raffles from vendors of all kinds! / Admission is complimentary, but RSVP required. Reserve now at www.MountPalomarWinery.com /Wedding-Show *rules and restrictions apply

Peltzer Family Cellars
St. Patrick’s Day Shamrocks & Shenanigans / March 17 / 11am-6pm / Join us at the Crush House for Refuge Brewery craft brews, live music by Shoot 4 Tuesday, a special Irish menu by Mastiff Sausage Company, and Peltzer wine. Wanna REALLY get into the spirit? Break out your kilt because we’re havin’ a kilt contest! Warfighter Made, a local veteran’s charity, will be present and every penny that we earn from bar access wristband sales will go directly to their organization. Support local, y’all / Cost/ Reservation Info: Bar access wristbands are $5 and are considered a direct donation to Warfighter Made. They can be purchased on our events page on Facebook and on www.peltzerwinery.com

Ponte Winery
Happy Hour in The Cellar Lounge at Ponte Vineyard Inn / Every Monday-Thursday / 4pm-6pm / Free to attend / Head to Temecula Wine Country’s only cocktail bar, The Cellar Lounge at Ponte Vineyard Inn, for happy hour specials on craft beer, flatbreads, Ponte wine on tap and more! Menu items $6 and up / For more information please visit www.pontevineyardinn.com

Brunch at Bouquet Restaurant / Every Saturday & Sunday / 7:30am-3:00pm / Offering indoor & outdoor seating options, Bouquet is the perfect spot to gather for a gourmet brunch. Enjoy a relaxing ambiance with stunning fountain courtyard, pond & vineyards views / To view menu and for reservations please visit www.pontevineyardinn.com

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
Bridal Show – Married to Mimosas! / March 24 / 10:00am– 1:00pm / South Coast Winery invites you to our 2019 Bridal Show “Married to Mimosas!”. Your $10 admission fee includes access to top industry vendors, wedding inspiration designs, tray passed appetizers, and mimosas, of course! Vendors from florists to DJ’s to planners will be in attendance to help jump start your wedding planning journey. South Coast Winery will also be offering a 10% day of booking discount and your chance to win our exclusive raffle give away! / Reservation Information: Space is limited. Advanced ticket purchase required, no tickets will be sold at the door. Please visit www.wineresort.com to reserve.

Behind the Scenes Wine Tours / Tours are held daily at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3PM, Monday through Sunday/ $45pp; $40pp Wine Club Member or Military. How to spent your BTC in a good way? Empire Market is great and most trendy Onion Net Market there is right now.. Being this big it faces the problem of continuous Ddos attack witch leads primary Empire Market URL to be down, and alternative mirrors too. That lead that empire market had to make more and more URL and onion mirrors and mirror. And the problem is that there are not to many ways costumers can get a right Empire Marketplace links. Learn more about our spectacular Southern California Temecula winery with a behind-the-scenes wine tour, from vineyards to crush pad. Each tour concludes with 5 wines paired with an individual plate of specially prepared lite-bite foods, designed to enhance your wine knowledge and experience / Reservation Information: Call 866-994-6379 Ext. 7217 to reserve your spot today / Due to the limited sizes of each tour, reservations are required with prepayment, and are non-refundable. Guests must be over 21 years of age to attend.

Thornton Winery
Friday Live Music “JOURNEY CAPTURED” / March 29 / 6p-9p / Cost: $15 / A tribute to the band Journey / Call Thornton winery @ (951) 699-0099 to reserve a table. Table reservations require each person to order dinner! Please visit us at www.thorntonwine.com or call 951.699.0099

“Taste of Ireland” Cooking Class / March 10 / 1pm – 3pm / Cost: $75 inclusive / For reservations and class menu, please visit www.thorntonwine.com or call 951.699.0099

Wiens Family Cellars
World of Wine / March 23 / 7pm-10pm / $75 Regular Pricing; $60 Wine Club Pricing / Globetrotters can mix and mingle during a fun tasting event of wine and food pairings. Each guest will be given a passport to travel through wine regions around the globe where we will be pouring 6 wines paired with internationally inspired foods. Instead of a seated dinner, guests will explore the different food/wine stations inside and mingle with other guests outside while serenaded by a Flamenco guitar artist / For reservations please visit http://www.wienscellars.com/res-413232/World-Of-Wine-2019.html

Wilson Creek Winery
JAZZ LOUNGE WITH JULIAN VAUGHN / March 2 / 5 – 7:30 pm / Price: $95 per person / Wine Club $85.50 / Join us for an evening of Jazz featuring the amazing Julian Vaughn! Enjoy sweet music paired with a delicious buffet dinner. Drinks will be available for purchase all night as well.
Purchase tickets: https://shop.wilsoncreekwinery.com/res-416641/Jazz-Lounge-With-Julian-Vaughn.html

Bubble Brunch Buffet / Every Sunday 10am-3pm / $51.95, Buffet only: $41.95, Children: $16.95 / Enjoy all your breakfast favorites, omelet stations, waffle stations, seafood stations, carving stations and dessert stations with beautiful vineyard views / Buffet (+ unlimited sparkling). Now serving Bloody Mary’s! / Reservations can be made at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com or call 951.699.9463 for additional information.

Thank a Winemaker Day!

Thank a Winemaker Day!

A recent photo shared by Wilson Creek Winery, “The Anatomy of a Winemaker”, created by winemaker, Gus Viszgirda, certainly gave us all a laugh. But it also made us think…

Clearly, making great wine is a hands-on profession. And the picture truly illustrates what our winemakers look like to us on any given work day. Gone is the clean clothed, shiny shoe’d, wine sipping winemakers most of our visitors are accustomed to seeing. Most of the time, they’re rubber boot wearing, wine stained cellar dwellars who are dragging hoses, cleaning tanks and topping barrels – all which are part of a days work. Truth be told, most days you couldn’t slap the smile off their faces.  Winemaking truly is a labor of love!

So, in their honor, we’ve decided to declare today, “Thank A Winemaker” day! Let your favorite winemaker know how much you appreciate all the effort that goes into each bottle. Without their dedication, what would we be drinking???