Unique Varietals

Unique Varietals

Wilson Creek Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - man with pet dog and bottle of wine

Wilson Creek Winery is warm and friendly, comfortable yet exhilarating, simple yet elegant, all inspirations from the Estate wines, vineyards and Mount Palomar in the distance. What makes this Winery for me is the grounds. Tons of places to sit and enjoy your wine tastings. I think what makes it for me, is that I don't feel confined to standing at the tasting bar. I can walk around with my tastings. I don't particularly feel as free to do that at other Wineries. This winery has a lot to offer to visitors that are looking to do a little wine tasting in Temecula Wine Country.

Poppaea Vineyard & Winery

wine cellar

Poppaea Vineyard LLC was established in May 2009 and the first planting took place in 2010 with additional planting each year since then. Currently there are about 2500 vines, all Italian red varietals. The site became bonded in January 2013 and it is expected that the tasting room will open for visitors in September 2015 after all of the wines will have had at least 2 years of aging in line with Italian guidelines. The strategy is to recapitulate the best red wines from Piedmonte, Tuscany and Umbria but in a Californian setting. Critical to the approach adopted by Poppaea is that all the grapes should be derived from the estate and processed on site – no importing of ‘foreign’ grapes – in this way it is hoped visitors will experience the true ‘terroir’ of the Ramona Valley AVA. Poppaea is derived from the name of the Roman princess, Poppaea Sabina, who used her beauty, charm and intrigue to seduce Nero and subsequently marry him. The company is jointly owned by three family members: John, his wife Marion and son Benjamin who originate from England and who settled in San Diego about twenty years ago.

Villa Toscano

Harvesting grapes

Beautiful grounds, it does seem like what an American would envision Italy to be like garden speakers playing American-Italian music abound, fountains, and lots of terra cotta planters. This winery was lovely! They have a great patio filled with flowers and a fountain. They also served lunch. The grilled chicken breast sandwich was really tasty, the same with their pizzas. It's definitely a winery to check out if you are in the area.

Image courtesy Randy Caparoso

Sawyer Cellars

wine dancing in the glass - Pixabay

The property was replanted in 1984 and purchased by the Sawyer family in 1994. The vineyard extends back to the Napa River and is planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, although they also grow some Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc. Total production is only 6,400 cases, and all of their wines are estate grown and bottled. They sell off about 40% of the grapes they grow. A tasting is $10. The tour and tasting is $25. Reservations are required but easily made.

Ambyth Estate

Painting of person enjoying a glass of wine

AmByth is the Welsh word meaning 'forever'. We view it as our legacy: to live and farm to our heart's content in Templeton for the remainder of our lives...but also to farm with the future in mind, and the healthy condition of our land being left behind. AmByth Estate is Paso Robles' first and only winery to produce Demeter-certified Biodynamic wines. We utilize the Biodynamic method of farming to enhance our observations of nature, and use these intimate insights as tools that allow our 20 acres of vineyards to express their true character through the grapes it produces. We want our grapes to be as unique to AmByth Estate as your thumbprint is to you.

Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery

Gallery | Agata Art Gallery

Idle Hour Winery Oakhurst

Idle Hour Winery logo

A hobby gone wild! That is how Idle Hour Winery, formerly Panoche Valley Vineyards, got its start. Winemaker Anna Marie dos Remedios began making wine as a hobby to relieve the stress of her day job as a newspaper journalist/business owner.  Anna Marie is focused on small lot, single-vineyard designated wines from some of California's best wine-growing regions. Anna Marie learned traditional winemaking methods from mentor and renowned Pinot Noir producer Josh Jensen at Calera Wine Company. At Idle Hour Winery the focus is on these traditional methods: native yeast fermentation, gravity flow racking and the use of neutral French Oak; all very gentle in nature, applying these to all the varieties Anna Marie ferments. While you will find all of the wines at Idle Hour Winery delightful, be sure to try the Reserve Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc and the Tannat Idle Hour Winery is located in Oakhurst, CA the gateway to Yosemite Park. Idle Hour was include in a short video we did featuring several Central Valley wineries you can view HERE *

Hours:

Mon-    11:00AM-6:00PM
Tues-   11:00AM-6:00PM
Weds-   11:00AM-6:00PM
Thurs-  11:00AM-6:00PM
Fri -      11:00AM-6:00PM
Sat -     11:00AM-6:00PM
Sun -    11:00AM-6:00PM

West Wind Wines & Caves

wine and cheese - Pixabay

West Wind Wines began with a vision: to craft top-quality local wines while benefiting both the land and the community. The vineyard was planted in 1999 at a 700-foot elevation on Black Mountain. When John and Cynthia Klock acquired the property, following the closure of a cattle ranch, they were committed to preserving its agricultural purpose. After thoughtful consideration, they chose to plant grapes and olives. West Wind Wines also aims to support job training programs and local nonprofits that uplift the community. This combined mission—caring for the land and its people—remains central to West Wind Wines.

More than just a winery, West Wind Wines exemplifies the power of bringing people together to restore families, renew the land, and produce outstanding wine.

The Wine
West Wind Wines is dedicated to growing and sourcing the best grapes possible. The vineyard is influenced by a marine layer that rolls in most summer evenings, extending the grapes' hang time for maximum flavor and complexity. Their winemaking practices include hand harvesting, hand sorting, small-lot fermentations, and gentle pressing. Every wine is made, pressed, and bottled on-site, with aging conducted in a wine cave to reduce oak barrel evaporation and maintain consistent temperature and humidity. Through meticulous fruit selection, a commitment to showcasing the unique characteristics of each grape, and an attention to detail in the winemaking process, each wine offers a distinct profile that pairs exceptionally well with the suggested cuisines on their tasting notes.

Hill Family Estate

wine dancing in the glass - Pixabay

Completely unique wine tasting experience. You can hang out on leather couches or sit at your own dining table. Super chill, great music, and across the board I found the wines really good. Jean was our super smart and gracious host. The nicest in Napa. Great place to stop in for a chill tasting and pick up something special for lunch or dinner.

Danza Del Sol Winery

wine pouring into glass - Pixabay

Winemaker Justin Knight’s story of becoming a winemaker is one of hard work, patience, and perseverance in achieving his goal. As a Temecula native, Justin began his journey to winemaking in 2011, right here at Danza del Sol Winery. Starting in the tasting room, Justin quickly realized the cellar and vineyard were where he truly wanted to be. With Old World approaches and years honing his craft, Justin is passionate about producing wines that are filled with tradition and simplicity, while incorporating new-age techniques to ensure great, high-quality wines.

Tasting Room
Open Daily
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
 

Collier Falls Vineyards

wine corks and wine glass - Pixabay

Collier Falls is a family-owned winery in Healdsburg, California’s beautiful Dry Creek Valley. Collier Falls Vineyards makes limited quantities of award-winning, estate red wines from their sustainably-farmed hillside vineyards in Sonoma County. Collier Falls Vineyards wines are aromatic, complex and elegant, and the winery's name comes from the waterfall below their Zinfandel vineyards.

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