Wine Country Events Light the Holiday Spirit

by Frank Mangio
Good times and fine wines are a fixture in Temecula Wine Country, but when the clock strikes December, its 35+ wineries light up with seasonal events and deserve a visit.  Each in its own way, most wineries design their tasting rooms, even some of the vineyards, with  festive, colorful images for visitors.

Temecula Wine Country, Southern California’s largest, is aglow with lights 

and events to greet  holiday visitors.

Here’s a collection of ideas and events for your next visit to Temecula for holiday cheer and New Years celebration:
 Cougar Vineyard – Fri. Dec. 21 6 to 8pm. Live holiday music with special wine prices and discounts on clothing purchases.

Falkner Winery – Nightly, a spectacular display that includes more than 100,000 Eco Lights.
Mt. Palomar Winery – Presents the “Charlie Brown Christmas” Fri. Dec. 21 from 5 to 8pm. 3 piece Jazz ensemble.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa – Great Horse Drawn Carriage Rides through the vineyards daily.  Call 951-587-9463 for details.

Fire & Ice New Years Eve Extravaganza with seating from 6:30 to 9:30pm.  4 course menu and music by a 5 piece band.  $ 150. pp. Party and balloon drop 8 to1pm.  $75. pp. Call 800-730-5042 for details and an RSVP or on-line www.wineresort.com.

Tesoro Winery – Swing into 2013 at Tesoro Winery with a Sinatra Tribute starring Steve Justice 9:30 to 12:30am in their Old Town Tasting Room.  $25. includes 2 glasses champagne and gourmet hors d’ oevres. Dance floor.  RSVP at 951-308-0000.

Wilson Creek Winery – A Jet-Setting Rockin New Years Eve Celebration from 7pm to 12:30am.  Hosted wine, champagne and 4 course dinner with funky soul music for dancing.  Cost is $160.  RSVP at 951-699-9463.

Wiens Family Cellars – “The Great Gatsby” event with a 1920’s New Years Eve speakeasy theme from 8 to 1am.  Dancing, appetizers and more.  $55. ea. Club members $44. Call 951-252-1770.

Grand Del Mar Makes Merry for the Holiday Season

Closer to San Diego, the magnificent Grand Del Mar has planned a series of memorable times for its guests and the public. Their theme, “skip the dinner-making and enjoy the merry making” fits the resort, with their five-star, five diamond dining at the Addison and the holiday-delightful Amaya restaurants, with special menus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years’ Day, including a Breakfast Buffet at Amaya.

At the spirited M Club on New Years’ Eve, several guest DJ’s will entertain from 9 to 1:30am.  There will be a Grand New Year’s Eve Party in the main ballroom of the resort from 9 to 1:30am, where you can dance to the famous Wayne Foster Entertainment’s 6 piece band.  For full details and RSVP’s call 858-314-1996 or book on-line at www.TheGrandDelMar.com.

The Grand Del Mar, in Coastal North San Diego, presents holiday dining and entertainment.

 More Wine Bytes
PAON Carlsbad has an Italian wine tasting in the wine shop Thurs. Dec. 20 to Wed. Dec. 26, 5:30 to 8:30pm.  6 tastings for $20.  Call for names at 760-729-7377.

Let the corks fly at the New Years Eve party at DOLCE PANE E VINO in Rancho Santa Fe.  Open dining from 5 to 9pm, then dancing, bubbly, food and friends to toast in the New Year. RSVP at 858-832-1518.

San Diego State University will host a Spring Semester Open House for its Professional Certificate in the Business of Wine program, Mon. Jan. 7 from 6 to 7:30pm in the SDSU Extended Studies/Gateway Centers.  Details by calling 619-594-1138.

Top Ten Wine Tastings – 1st Half of 2011

The first half of this year brought to us more wine events than ever, with emphasis on trade and wine country associations banding together promoting their respective regional interests. I counted over 400 that crossed my radar with over 3,500 wines tasted.

On the retail side, a couple of trends developed on my Southern California beat: restaurants and resorts are adding a retail “buy it here, drink it here or take it home” component to their operation causing stress to locally owned wineshops; and county government is actually cooperating with winery associations to promote wine tasting in new or existing AVA’s.

Evidence the opening of some 10 public wine tasting rooms where there were nearly none allowed earlier, in the Ramona Valley of San Diego County.

The following are standout wines that I have tasted and awarded an “excellent” rating, based on flavor, complexity and price point-to-value. The Top Ten are NOT ranked but are listed alphabetically. Prices shown can vary and are what I have noted in web sites and at retail shops. Web sites are inserted for your further research.

§ Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2005. $15. A classic Cabernet from this Carneros District winery, with grapes from 3 vineyards in Atlas Peak and Oakville. www.artesawinery.com.

§ Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Australia, 2007. $18. A French style red with a touch of Cabernet and Grenache to add to the Shiraz body for an old world flavor medley. Australia’s Producer of the Year award winner. www.banfivintners.com.

§ Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel Germany, 2009. $15. World renowned maker of racy, mineral-driven Riesling from the steep, slate slopes of the Mosel River. Crisp, slight sweetness on the palate. www.drloosen.com.

§ Fontodi Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, 2006. $26. Pure 100% Sangiovese legacy grapes. 12 months aging in small French barriques. Great benchmark for all that is lovely in Tuscany. www.fontodi.com.

§ Marilyn Remarke Grenache, Monterey, Ca., 2008. $45. Meticulous re-creation of Rhone style Grenache. A revelation of old world south-of-France vibrancy. www.remarkewines.com.

§ Niner Twisted Spur, Paso Robles, CA., 2007. $25. Wine maker Amanda Cramer brought out the best of the vineyard in this all-estate blend of mostly Merlot, supported by Cab Franc, Syrah and Petite Sirah. www.ninerwine.com.

§ Pedroncelli Bushnell Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma, Ca.,2009. $20. Remarkable Dry Creek Valley Zin from prized 20 acre family related vineyard for over 50 years. Captures the essence of “California’s grape,” and takes it to a new level. www.Pedroncelli.com.

§ Solis Winery Merlot Reserve, Santa Clara Valley, CA. 2008. $40. Rich Italian family tradition from the 20’s has brought Solis L.A. International Gold, and acclaim to this velvet-lined, regal tasting wine. www.soliswinery.com.

§ Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Oregon, 2008. $39. World-class Pinot from the new world’s authentic footprint of Burgundy, France, the birthplace of Pinot Noir. Its certified organic farming was first in the U.S. www.sokolblosser.com.

§ South Coast Winery Sangiovese, Wild Horse Peak, Temecula, CA., 2006.$34. 100% old-world style Sangiovese in French barrels especially designed for this varietal. A sweeping pedigree of high praise for this best-of-class. A triumph for veteran wine maker Jon McPherson. www.wineresort.

Wine Bytes

Falkner Winery in Temecula celebrates its 11th Anniversary Sat. Ju.y 2 thru Mon. July 4. Free Jazz concerts Noon to 3pm on Sat. and Sun., hourly raffle drawings, outdoor BBQs, tours and deep discount sales on top selling wines. All activities are 11 to 5pm. Call 951-676-8231 for details.

Bacchus Wine Market, in the Gaslamp District of San Diego, is having a Sparkling Wines and BIG Zinfandel Tasting, Fri. July 1 from 4 to 8:30pm and Sat. July 2 from 2pm to 8:30pm. $15. pp. Six tastings promised. For more, call 619-236-0005.

Tesoro Winery Old Town Tasting Room in Temecula is presenting the Two Of Us Plus One concert on Fri. July 8 from 6 to 9pm. Contact phone is 951-308-0000.

TASTE OF WINE regretfully reports that one of the pioneers of the modern wine shop format in Carlsbad is closing its doors the end of June after some 6 years. Carlsbad Wine Merchants, led by Kathy Bankerd, was an honest, creative wine merchant, who fell victim to the bad economy. She will be missed. The shop has some big discounts on wine and accessories before closing. Call 760-804-9994.