Planning a Wine Tasting Trip to Temecula Wine Country
September 4th, 2013
Article provided to America’s Wine Trails By Stacey Waldron, Internet Marketing Director for Bel Vino Winery located in Temecula California
Whether planning a day trip or a full week, wine tasting trips can take extensive planning and research. Visitors need to plan on which wineries to attend, how to get there, what restaurants to dine at and map out other non-wine related activities. (Did you seriously think we’d recommend drinking the whole time?) The perfect wine tour adventure usually includes seeing the sites, having intimate dining and tasting the best wines of the region. To assist you with planning your trip to Temecula wine country, the staff at Bel Vino is pleased to share our insights into the best tastings to attend and things to do in Temecula.
An Introduction To Temecula
Wine was first introduced into the Temecula valley over 200 years ago through wine making at the Mission San Juan Capistrano by mission padres. The area has a unique history and is now comprised of over 35 vineyards and 35,000 acres of beautiful, vine covered land. As one of the world’s premier wine regions, Temecula is one of the top producers of award winning red, white and blended wines. It also has a great selection of trails, tours, tastings and other fun activities each no more than an hour’s drive from San Diego, Palm Springs and Orange County. The family-owned wineries of this region are also located in close proximity to one another, resulting in a community of wine growers which offer quick travel times between tours. This is the perfect place for those looking to plan a Temecula wine tasting trip to southern California wine country.
Transportation to Vineyards
Of course the first places to go on your wine tasting trip are to the wineries for a tasting, tour or both. Because the local Temecula wineries are close to one another, it makes it easy to find each vineyard by rental car. If you are participating in tastings, it is recommended to hire a touring group to take you to the best wineries in the region. Touring agencies like GrapeLine Wine Tours offer several full day packages to take guests to individual vineyards as well as to other activities such as Old Town. For a more personalized experience, Temecula Black Car offers private driving from vineyard to vineyard.
Walking Through Wineries
While all of the wineries in Temecula are note worthy, it is important to discuss with your touring agency or driver where they take guests to as well as what their personal recommendations are. Some of the most popular wineries to tour in the Valley include Bel Vino, Callaway Vineyard & Winery and Thornton Winery. For wineries with on equestrian side of the Temecula Valley, Leoness Cellars and Oak Mountain Winery are popular. Some of the Valley’s best boutique wineries include Briar Rose Winery, Villa di Calabro Winery & Olive Oil Co and Foot Path Winery. There are so many wonderful wineries in Temecula that if you are planning a long stay, spend a few days enjoying them all! The favorite wine trails include the Rancho California Trail West and the Calle Contento Wine Trail.
Rounding Out Your Trip with Other Activities
The Temecula valley is known for more than just wine, it also is home to several other activities such as horseback riding, shopping in Old Town, taking rides in hot air balloons, exploring new art and golfing. The best tasting trips include a little bit of everything so when you plan your trip, don’t forget to round out your trip with some of Temecula’s other amazing features.
