Travel From SoFL to SoCal for Wine

When you think of California wine country, visions of Napa Valley, Sonoma or Santa Barbara likely come to mind, all wonderful places to visit and sip something special. But there’s more wine to be discovered if you move south past Los Angeles and a little further east into the desert mountain valley. Here, you’ll find a warm and sunny wine country experience in Temecula Valley.

Temecula is rich with history. Its name comes from the Luiseño Indian word “Temecunga” – temet, meaning “sun” and ngna, which means “place of.” When the Spanish arrived in the area around 1797, they interpreted the word as “Temecula” or “where the sun breaks through the mist,” and the name remained. Over the years, Temecula became a hub for commerce as railroads were established, connecting it to nearby cities. However, it wasn’t until 1968 that the first commercial vineyard was planted, and that is where the Temecula wine story begins.

A visit to this area can be an adventure of your choosing. In addition to wine tasting, Old Town breweries and shops, and relaxing resort spas scattered throughout the valley, there are also activities to get the adrenaline pumping. Height enthusiasts can schedule an early morning hot air balloon ride and watch the sun rise over the mountains. So-Cal Sidecars offers visitors an opportunity to “ride the vines” by exploring vineyards by sidecar. In Temecula, you can rent a bike, take a hike or hit the trails by horseback, and make it back in time to dine at one of the area’s top restaurants.

When it comes to winery visits, a trip to Temecula has a tasting experience for all types of wine lovers with close to 50 wineries and tasting rooms.

Start your experience at one of the full-service resorts in the area, such as South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, where guests can stay in their own wine country bungalow. Enjoy sips of wine on a garden rooftop after a soothing spa treatment or dine al fresco while enjoying one of South Coast Winery’s own bottles. A resort experience will enhance any trip to Temecula.

Lovers of bubbles will appreciate a visit to nearby family-owned Carter Estate Winery and Resort. Also a place to unwind with accommodations amongst the vineyards, Carter Estate is known for its sparkling wines made by “méthode champenoise” but with estate grown, sustainably farmed California grapes.

If the wine lifestyle is your vibe, you don’t want to miss a visit to Bottaia Winery. In addition to an elegant interior tasting room and outside terrace with gorgeous views, this luxurious site features a vineyard-side pool where guests can sip and swim or rent a private Italian-style cabana for the day. Bottaia offers a wine blending lab, teaching groups of up to 10 how to blend their own wine for a more hands-on experience, along with a barrel room and guided tastings with charcuterie, all in a chic Italy-inspired atmosphere.

Motorcycle enthusiasts are not left out in Temecula Valley. Stop in at family-owned Doffo Winery if you want to taste wines and live life in the fast lane through its MotoDoffo Vintage Motorcycle Collection in the Moto Barrel Room, where MotoGP watch parties are also hosted. The family came from Argentina but possess Italian heritage. In Temecula, the Doffos combine their love of wine with a passion for motorcycles. Doffo Winery celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a “Dinner with the Doffos” winemaker series taking place throughout the spring months.

The picturesque views from Altisima Winery deserve the attention of a full afternoon visit. The brand-new tasting room and Gaspar’s Restaurant opened in the fall of 2021 and quickly became a Temecula favorite. With chic, contemporary décor and unmatched views of the valley and surrounding mountains from the dining patio, Altisima offers the ultimate modern wine country experience. Much of the winemaking takes inspiration from the Spanish heritage of the area, with wines like the 100% Tempranillo, Fortaleza and the 100% Albariño, Soñadora, available for tasting.

No visit to Temecula is complete without a stop at Robert Renzoni Vineyards. The 12-acre vineyard estate property was purchased by Robert Renzoni in 2006 and opened for tasting a couple of years later. However, the Renzoni family is not new to wine. Its history in winemaking goes all the way back to1886 in Fano, Italy. The Renzoni experience in Temecula is uniquely Italian, and that is evident in all the details – from the menu at Mama Rosa’s Trattoria to the Tuscan Villa-style architectural design of the tasting room. The award-winning wines range from Meritage blends and old vine zinfandel to Italian favorites like sangiovese, barbera and montepulciano. Many of the wines are made from grapes grown across six vineyard sites right on the estate. Stop by for the wine, order a brick oven pizza or specialty pasta, and enjoy the experience of a touch of Italian wine country in Southern California.

Learn more about Temecula Valley wines by visiting TemeculaWines.org.