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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

Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia

November 16, 2018 by Deborah Mines

On a recent trip to Tuscany, I had the good fortune to revisit the medieval hamlet of Castello di Volpaia, rising five miles atop the Tuscan hills near Radda in Chianti  The fortified borgo (village) dates back to the 11th century and is most well-known for it famous resident clockmaker and namesake, Lorenzo della Volpaia, and of course, its Vin Santo.

Vin Santo translates to “Holy Wine”, and is a type of Italian dessert wine.  One theory on the origin of  the “Holy Wine” is referenced in the historic use in the Catholic mass, where sweet wine was preferred.  Another claim dates back to the Renaissance era when wine merchants peddled the sweet nectar on the streets of Rome.

Interestingly, Vin Santo can be made sweet or bone dry, depending on how the wine is finished. Typically, Malvasia or Trebbiano grapes are used to craft a white Vin Santo and in Chianti, the flagship Sangiovese grape is used to make the red or rose Vin Santo.

Grapes destined for the dessert wine production are harvested in September or October and are hung to dry in the warm rafters or laid on straw mats in attics for several months, allowing the moisture to evaporate and the sugars to concentrate.  Sometimes these wines are also called “straw wines”.

The longer the wines are dried, the higher the residual sugar content, and the sweeter the wine. It is not uncommon to let the grapes dry naturally and hang in the rafters until March before crushing and fermenting the grapes.

Vin Santo is aged and stored in small oak barrels, for a minimum of 3 years and often aged up to 10 years.  The color of Vin Santo can range from pale to dark amber, even neon orange.

Vin Santo’s flavor profile has nutty or raisin notes with honey and cream attributes.  In Italy, Vin Santo is traditionally served with biscotti for dunking.

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Tuscany Wine Trail Tagged With: Chianti, Malvaisa, Sangiovese, Siena ~ Tuscany, Trebbiano, Vin Santo, Wine Tasting

Hidden Gem Alert ~ Dry Creek’s Unti Vineyards Is A “10”

October 31, 2018 by Deborah Mines

One could easily imagine being in the heart of Tuscany or in the hills of the Languedoc when driving through Dry Creek Valley.  The scenery along the 16 mile long valley floor is absolutely stunning and reminiscent of the Mediterranean countryside. The undulating forested hills and thick vineyards are steeped in history dating back to the 1860’s when the first Italian immigrants settled there, planting the first Zinfandel vines.

Fast forward to 2018 where Zinfandel is still King here, although many other mediterranean varietals are now grown in this fertile valley ~ just ask Mick Unti, winemaker at Unti Vineyards.  Unti is a little gem of a winery hidden off Dry Creek Road, slightly past the historic Dry Creek General Store.  The tasting room is small and understated, however, the wines are stellar.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Dry Creek AVA, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Mouvedre, Sangiovese, Segromigno, Sonoma County, Syrah, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Wine Tasting, Zinfandel

Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive

October 20, 2018 by Deborah Mines

Always up for an adventure, I was curious about the seemingly bold name for a winery, Notre Vue, (translates to Our View), an off-the-beaten path winery situated a few miles east of the town of Windsor.   My directions were vague at best, so I proceeded up the lone dirt road, passing through the gates of the old Windsor Oaks vineyards, veering to the left, careening to the right, for what seemed a few miles, all the way to the end of the road.

All I can say is that the name Notre Vue is an understatement.  The expansive Notre Vue Estate sits high atop a ridge, surrounded by over 350 acres of wild preserved open space, with panoramic views stretching from the Russian River Valley all the way east to the Mayacama Mountains, with St. Helena as a backdrop.

Over 250 acres are planted to Bordeaux, Rhone and Italian varietals, allowing for small lot production. Notre Vue varietals include Dolcetto, Viognier, Chardonnay, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Mouvedre, Petite Verdot, Petit Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Grenache.  A second label, Balverne, produces a reserve Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mouvedre, Muscat, Petit Syrah, Petite Verdot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Windsor, Wine Tasting, Zinfandel

Top Paso Robles Wine Trail Picks

August 22, 2017 by Deborah Mines

When thinking of weekend wine destinations, Paso Robles is often overlooked.  Once a sleepy agricultural enclave, Paso Robles now touts 11 separate AVA’s (American Viticulture Areas) and more than 200 wineries.  Roughly three times larger than Napa Valley AVA, the soils are as diverse and the grape varietals produced here range from Burgundian Pinot Noir to Old Vine Zinfandel.  Vineyard elevations are between 700 feet to over 2,400 feet and are greatly influenced by the Templeton Wind Gap, which brings cooling ocean breezes to some of the most prized wine estates.

A great place to start your wine trek is at Calcareous Vineyards  off Peachy Canyon in the west hills of Paso Robles.  Perched high atop a limestone ridge, the panoramic views from the tasting room are absolutely stunning, as are the wines.

Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux grape varietals are sourced from three estate vineyards resulting in distinctive small lot handcrafted wines.  Still family-owned, this gem of a winery is a must visit.  Play a game of bocce ball or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the never-ending vistas from Calcareous Vineyards.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Albarino, Bordeaux, Burgundian, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Marsanne, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rhone, Roussane, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel

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    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

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    • Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia November 16, 2018

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    Deb Mines is a wine enthusiast with a passion for travel! Seeking the stories behind the vines... . WSET Level 3, FWS, CSW,AWE

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    uncorkedwinesd UncorkedWineTravels @uncorkedwinesd ·
    16 Dec

    Christmas in Grapevine Texas ⁦@landonwinery⁩ 🍷🍷

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    21 Nov 2021

    Master Sommelier Program Out of Time | Wine-Searcher News & Features https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2021/11/master-sommelier-program-out-of-time #GoodOldBoysClub #EnoughIsEnough

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    3 Oct 2021

    A shout out to Ryan Kunde ⁦@DRNKwines⁩ Wildwood Vineyards 2018 Cab Sauvignon ~ perfectly integrated lusciousness🍷🍷🙌🙌#wine #SonomaStrong

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    16 Sep 2021

    The @WineSpectator Scholarship Foundation is giving $10M to @NVCollege's Viticulture, Wine and Technology program. The Wine Spectator Wine Education Complex will offer affordable training for aspiring #wine industry workers young and old: https://winesp.ec/39nW5r7

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    13 Sep 2021

    Top 3 Wineries in Temecula WIne Country
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    #winelovers #wine #winetasting

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    15 Aug 2021

    Discover Scout & Cellar's Clean-Crafted Wines - Be ready to be wowed! Interested in starting your own wine business? DM for details or visit http://www.scoutandcellar.com/UncorkedWineTravels

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    9 Aug 2021

    Freeman Vineyard & WInery's Cave Tasting is a "10"
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    14 Jul 2021

    Hot time Summer in the city 🎵🎶. Fire up the BBQ and pair grilled goodies with Scout and Cellar’s clean-crafted wines 🍷🍷DM me for info or visit my bio link. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRUti0CLHoh/?utm_medium=twitter

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    2 Jul 2021

    Beautiful warm breezy day @PalumboWinery #temeculawinecountry #winetasting #July4th

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    2 Jul 2021

    Breezy warm day in #temeculawinecountry @palumbowinery Where Will your travels take you this holiday weekend? @ Palumbo Family Winery https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ1p0hVrv_Q/?utm_medium=twitter

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    1 Jul 2021

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    26 Jun 2021

    Getting in the groove! Studying for Spanish @winescholarguil exam https://el9nou.cat/osona-ripolles/actualitat/santi-carcasona-torna-a-donar-so-al-vi/

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