Temecula Valley Wine Country

For many visitors, the Temecula Valley Wine Country is a surprise. After all, a lot of people don’t expect to see gently rolling hills blanketed with rows of vineyards so close to the California desert. But the Temecula area has been producing top wines since the late 1960s. And like the best vintages, this wine country just gets better with age.

It’s a diverse growing region, home to everything from cooler-climate grapes such as Chardonnay to warm-weather varieties such as Syrah and Grenache. How can wine grow so close to the desert? It begins with the rich, granite-based soil that plays host to the vines. Then it continues with a unique micro-climate in which the grapes thrive: crisp mornings coated in mist, a warm daytime sun, and cool ocean breezes that welcome the clear night sky.

More than 30 wineries take advantage of these conditions and the result has been lots of award-winners which, of course, you can sample. One of the oldest wineries in the region, Callaway Vineyard & Winery (first launched by the golf-gear family) dates back to 1969 and it offers both a big tasting room and cellar tours where you can taste from the barrels. Visit Europa Village and sit on the patio to savour the Cinsaut, made from a grape usually found in the South of France; the winery is also home to a 10-room B&B with rooms themed by grape, such as Syrah and Pinot Grigio. Head to the Leoness Cellars located along a rural stretch known as the Deportola Wine Trail and take one of the vineyard tours before enjoying some Mélange de Blanc or Grenache by the patio’s outdoor fireplace.

Plenty of the wineries are sights in themselves. At Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards sample the signature almond sparkling wine and take a stroll around the grounds to see the thousands of roses and other flowers, or book the on-site manor which sleeps 24 - perfect for a wedding or reunion. For a tasting plus dinner with theatre, Longshadow Ranch Vineyard & Winery has a Wild West show in its ranch-style winery on Friday nights.

Meanwhile, Briar Rose Winery houses its tasting room in a replica of the seven dwarfs’ cottage from Snow White. The wines here are unique too, like the Talking Frog bubbly, a blend of Viognier and lager.