Your 2020 (and beyond) Temecula Valley Holiday Wine Guide

If there has ever been a year that has called for wine, 2020 is that year. And, since the holidays may look a little bit different to many of us this season, we’re all probably going to need a tad more adult grape juice over the next month or so.

In Temecula Valley, we enjoy a warm, Mediterranean climate that offers long, sunny days followed by afternoon breezes and cool, crisp nights; these conditions are ideal for ripening grapes while retaining balance and acidity. As a result, we are able to produce a wide range of wines from dozens of different grape varieties – plenty of which are absolutely perfect for holiday sipping and gift-giving (if you can part with your bottles). Here are a few of our favorites this season.

When the situation calls for bubbles:

As far as we’re concerned, bubbles are always in order. This year, toast the little things in life that we all seem to have come to appreciate so much more in 2020, like finally getting around to cleaning out that hall closet; or your third-grader nailing their virtual book report; or whipping up your very first homemade loaf of bread. Who needs a wedding or a birth announcement when we’ve got these everyday triumphs all around us?

Temecula Valley produces some truly wonderful sparkling wines in a range of styles from sweet to bone dry. Many Temecula Valley sparklers are even made in the “méthode traditionnelle” or Champagne method, where the wine undergoes secondary fermentation (the one that gives the wine its bubbles) in the bottle, and spends a long time on its “lees” – the little yeasty cells that give traditional method sparkling wines those unmistakable and delicious toasty, brioche-like aromas.

A few to try:

Carter Estate Winery Blanc de Noir, $35

South Coast Winery Vineyard Rose Sparkling Rosé NV, $20

Oak Mountain Winery Sparkling Pinotage NV, $34

Thornton Winery Cuvée de Frontignan NV, $39

Rosé ALWAYS

Rosé isn’t just a summer sipper! It’s a wonderfully versatile wine that pairs well with a variety of different foods, like colorful charcuterie platters, savory salads, fish and light meats. Temecula Valley is home to a growing number of delicious rosé wines in a whole spectrum of hues from pale salmon to bright magenta, and flavors from dry and crisp to sweet and cheerful. Rosé is also a great in-between wine when you can’t agree on whether to drink white or red (Let’s face it. Who hasn’t had that argument with their spouse or significant other?).

A few to try:

Akash Winery 2019 Parlez-Vous Rosé, $35

Hart Winery 2019 Grenache Rosé, $22

Robert Renzoni Vineyards 2019 Lyric Rose, $29

Avensole 2018 Brooke Rosé of Merlot, $26

Food Friendly Favorites

One thing is for certain over the holidays, regardless of whether or not you are traveling or getting together with friends and family: there will be lots of eating. Consider December your last hurrah before those New Year’s resolutions rear their ugly heads and you feel compelled to cut carbs, hit the gym or – gasp! – embrace the whole “Dry January” movement. In the spirit of indulgence, make sure you have a selection of wines on hand that pair with a wide variety of holiday dishes. Choose a quaffable white and a juicy, versatile red that will complement rather than overpower the inevitable smorgasbord that lies ahead this month. Save the heady stuff for sipping solo after the last dish has been washed and put away, and you finally have a few minutes to yourself to lounge by the fire.

A few to try:

Danza del Sol Winery 2019 Albariño, $32

Wiens Family Cellars 2019 Chardonnay, $34

Miramonte 2017 Tempranillo, $50

Wilson Creek 2019 Variant Series Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel Blend, $21

When it’s time to open something special

If there is one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s that nothing is for certain. If you have been sitting on those special bottles of wine you have collected over the years, and are waiting for the right occasion to open them, now is the time. Few things scream “self-care” like curling up on the couch by the fire with your partner or a great new TV series and a bottle of something totally over the top. You deserve it after everything 2020 has thrown at you.  

A few to try:

Ponte 2018 Chardonnay Reserve, $50

Doffo Winery 2017 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $89

Lorenzi Estate 2014 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $225

Leoness Cellars 2017 Signature Series Meritage, $100

When you’ve got a sweet tooth

Why just have dessert when you can have dessert paired with a small glass of dessert wine? There are many wineries in Temecula Valley that are producing some interesting and truly impressive sweet tipples. Sip these alongside something decadent like a chocolate tarte or a winter cheese course with all the fixings, like nuts, candied fruits, preserves, and sweet breads. Or just pour a taste of the luscious nectar, retire to the living room, and see above regarding self-care.

A few to try

Callaway Winery 2017 Late Harvest Chardonnay, $35

Europa Village Bolero Cellars 2004 Tesoro del Sol, $40

Fazeli Cellars 2013 “Rumi” 100% Cinsault Dessert Wine, $95

Monte de Oro 2008 Forty85 Dessert Wine, $65