• Blog
  • About Me
    • Press Release
  • Back Road Wineries
    • California Wine Trail
    • Tuscany Wine Trail
    • Baja California Wine Trail
  • Wine A Bit ~ Editorial & Reviews
  • Contact Me

UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Trending Now ~ Top 3 Wineries in Temecula

September 12, 2021 by Deborah Mines

One of the top trending wineries in Temecula Wine Country is Peltzer Farm & Winery off the Calle Contento wine trail.  Big on holiday events and long on interesting grape varietals, this is a great starting point.  It all started with the Peltzer Pumpkin Farm in 2006 on the current 25- acre homestead and future winery site.

Peltzer is best described as having a “quaint farm-like vibe with an industrial chic flair.”  Farm animals can be spotted around the property and there’s great photo ops of vintage tractors and farm gear.  And, another perk – this is by far the cutest gift shop in Temecula!

Fun annual events such as the Pumpkin Painting and the holiday ice rink draw huge crowds, as do the regular gourmet food trucks on site.

The big red varietals make fabulous food-friendly wines, running the gamut from estate grown Sangiovese, Barbera, Malbec, Syrah and Zinfandel.  For lighter tastes, Muscat Canelli, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Prosecco, Syrah Rosé and craft beers are available.

Right around the bend, off Ranch California Road, is a beautiful Tuscan-style winery surrounded by lush rows of vineyards and orange trees.  Lorimar Winery’s founding brother-in-laws Mark Manfield and Lawrie Lipton’s dream in 2012 was to create “a fusion of wine, art, music and food.”  Today, Lorimar Winery is one of the most popular wineries in the valley.  The 22-acre estate was first planted to Cabernet Sauvignon followed by the addition of Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Viognier and Muscat.  

Lorimar Winery showcases live entertainment on weekends, featuring local musicians, comedians and artists.  Enjoy sweeping views of Mount Palomar and the Santa Ana Mountains while relaxing on the expansive outdoor patio. Reservations are highly recommended on the weekends.  

Lorimar also offers vineyard and barrel room wedding venues.  If you can’t make it out to wine country, there is another tasting room location in Old Town Temecula on Main Street.

Last stop on the wine trail….

About half-mile from the main road, you’ll find Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery off Barksdale Circle.  Unwind on the rustic stone terrace overlooking the vineyards with a glass of perfectly aged 2015 Cabernet Franc or 2016 Monastrell wine.  Aged wines are the norm here, with a bevy of library wines in the cellar waiting to be uncorked.  Artisan winemaker Nick Palumbo and wife Cindy call this little slice of heaven, home. With culinary training in Nick’s previous life before turning artisan winemaker, the wine and food events are spectacular and not to be missed.

As past president of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, Nick understands that sustainable farming practices are key to maintaining a balance in both the vineyard and in the cellar. Better practices, make perfect wines.

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sangiovese, Syrah, Temecula Valley AVA, Temecula Wine Country, Top 3 Wineries, Winetasting

Altipiano Vineyard & Winery Reaches New Heights

September 1, 2014 by Deborah Mines

IMG_7517Happenstance brought me to Altipiano Vineyard & Winery in Escondido.  Eager to pursue the many wineries springing up in the Ramona Valley AVA, I ventured out and much to my surprise, found this boutique winery off Highland Valley Road, just a few miles from  San Diego.

IMG_7511

Altipiano Vineyard & Winery was  aptly named.  Alti, (a variation of the word Alto) and the word piano,  roughly translates from the Italian words meaning  “Upper Plateau” ~ which is the ideal descriptor for the views off the back patio which overlook the dancing vines and the majestic valley below. [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Wine Tasting

Paso Robles’ Fratelli Perata Winery Is Fantastico

April 12, 2014 by Deborah Mines

IMG_6705 Calling all Italophiles… For truly authentic Italian wines, head for Fratelli Perata Winery off West Highway 46 in Paso Robles.  Family run by brothers, Gino and Joe Perata, the craft of winemaking dates back to their paternal grandfather and great-uncle in Genoa, Italy.

IMG_6701

Fratelli Perata Winery (translates to Perata Brothers) graces 31 hilltop acres on the north end of Paso Robles.  Situated in the renown Templeton Wind Gap, the winds blow straight from the ocean across the vineyards, bathing and cooling the grapes with the perfect amount of moisture.  A long growing season with hot sunny days and cool nights make this the perfect place for the Italian varietal grapes.

IMG_6699

Fratelli Perata is dry-farmed, meaning no supplemental irrigation.  With the current drought conditions, the harvest crop size is expected to be half of the normal production for 2014.  Barbera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Malfalda, Charbono, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Petit Sirah and Cabernet Franc are all estate grown grapes at Fratelli Perata.  Each wine is handcrafted, aged in new oak barrels and is representative of a different region in Italy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Charbono, dry-farmed, italian varietals, Italian wines, Malfalda, Merlot, Montepulciano, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, Petit Sirah, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Templeton Wind Gap, Wine Tasting, Zinfandel

Wine Trail Search

Follow My Wine Blog

    Your Name

    Your Email

    A Little About Me

    To many, I’m simply known as a wanderlust ~ a free-spirited adventuress with a passion for travel and a lover of great wines!Read more...

    Vintage Posts

    • Jordan Winery’s Chateau Block Vineyard Tasting Is Unforgettable November 26, 2021
    • Trending Now ~ Top 3 Wineries in Temecula September 12, 2021
    • Freeman Vineyard & Winery’s Cave Tasting Is A “10” August 8, 2021
    • 2021’s Top 10 Winery Picks off Russian River Valley’s Iconic Westside Road July 5, 2021
    • Kickstart The Weekend In DRNK’s Wine Cave June 6, 2021
    • Cannabis in Wine Country? NIMBY. May 29, 2021
    • Ojai’s Spiritual Vortex (And Great Wine) Soothes The Soul April 4, 2021
    • Book Review: The Billionaire’s Vinegar January 3, 2021
    • Book Review: Sonoma Wine And The Story Of Buena Vista November 29, 2020
    • California Wineries Are Now “Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop…” November 15, 2020
    • Russian River Valley Welcomes Visitors in Uncertain Times… September 20, 2020
    • BOOK REVIEW: A Wine Journey Along The Russian River May 30, 2020
    • US Wine Market Update: A Regional Perspective Webinar Unites Top Industry Leaders April 17, 2020
    • The Lifecycle of a Grape Vine ~ From Vine To Wine March 26, 2020
    • 2019’s “Top 10” Eclectic RRV Wineries December 29, 2019
    • Russian River Valley’s Arista Wines Earn Top Accolades From Wine Spectator September 24, 2019
    • Littorai Wines ~ A Tale of Two Coasts & Three Pinot Noir Styles September 13, 2019
    • After Much Ado, “House of Flowers” Debuts In Russian River Valley August 29, 2019
    • Best Backroads For Cycling In RRV-Healdsburg Wine Country August 16, 2019
    • Experience Cave-Aged Wines At DRNK Winery in Russian River Valley July 3, 2019
    • Best Kept Secret in Sta. Rita Hills ~ Spear Vineyards & Winery May 17, 2019
    • Spring Is An Ideal, And Uncrowded, Time To Visit Wine Country April 19, 2019
    • NEW BOOK RELEASE: Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine February 19, 2019
    • Discover the Hidden Wine Caves in Sonoma Wine Country December 17, 2018
    • Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia November 16, 2018
    • Hidden Gem Alert ~ Dry Creek’s Unti Vineyards Is A “10” October 31, 2018
    • Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive October 20, 2018
    • Cheers To Russian River Valley’s “Uneventful” 2018 Harvest! September 21, 2018
    • Add Healdsburg’s Raford Inn To Your Wine Bucket List August 9, 2018
    • A Walk Between The Vines At Emeritus Vineyards… June 29, 2018

    Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in