Category: Wine Musings

What is there to do in Temecula? The real question is, how am I going to fit everything in that this destination has to offer?  When considering Temecula, do you think of a weekend of leisure, physical activity, wine tasting, night life or shopping?  This city truly can turn an originally planned, boring weekend into a very fun and diverse experience for any preferences.

Conveniently located an hour drive away from San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties, the city of Temecula can provide an amazing weekend for any traveler.

All guests traveling to Temecula should plan to arrive Friday afternoon and begin with visiting one of the many wonderful lodging options.  If you’re craving an alternate to traditional hotels, consider the exclusive five-star retreat, Wilson Creek Manor.

This luxury mansion is a Full House Exclusive Retreat.  This beautiful property truly is like a home away from home with the addition of escaping the city feel, all while being immersed in the rich culture of wine county!

If your taste buds are desiring a traditional type of hotel, there are a couple of beautiful hotels in wine country that are sure to not only meet, but exceed your standards. After settling in to your weekend “resort”, it should be time for dinner.  South Coast Winery’s Vineyard Rose Restaurant offers an upscale, locally-sourced cuisine in a Tuscan-inspired dining room.  At this point, it’s approximately 7:00 and it’s the perfect time to head over to Miramonte Winery, conveniently located about 1/8 of a mile away. Here, you will come to discover a comfortable setting with spectacular views and live music, which is offered every Friday night from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  This venue has become popular amongst the locals of Temecula.

Now is when you decide if you want the morning hike to be painful or should you get a good night’s rest?!  If you opt to continue your fun night out, be sure to head right down the street for a night cap at “The Bar Next Door”.  Another local favorite offering unique, progressive cocktail drinks with a low-key vibe and atmosphere that is perfect for winding down.

After hopefully enjoying a wonderful night’s sleep ( or not  ), you get yourselves out of bed by 6:00 AM to be able to start your nature hike at the famous Ecological Reserve, Santa Rosa Plateau (which is located at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains near the city of Murrieta).  This hidden gem offers fascinating glimpses into the history and ecosystems of the area.  The Reserve offers various trails for the individual who wants to enjoy the beautiful views to the avid hiker looking for a great workout. Bring plenty of water, snacks, a hat and sunscreen!  After taking in nature at its best, head back to your resort or hotel for a long, hot shower and maybe a quick power nap by the relaxing pool.

For the second afternoon in the “something for everyone” city, you absolutely don’t want to miss Temecula’s Old Town!  A charming, Old West heritage which has been successfully restored, yet still resembles the historic golden west of the 1880’s.  History buffs can wander the streets viewing rustic buildings, sidewalks and storefronts while exploring the museums, art galleries, antique dealers, exclusive boutiques, unique dining and if you get there early enough (forfeiting your time at the pool), you will be able to experience the weekly Farmer’s Market which features many local growers fresh produce, and more!  You can spend a couple of hours in Old Town or several hours if you decide (and we highly recommend) to create your own “Pub Crawl”.  There are many wine bars, restaurants/bars to entertain you into the night.  Several places offer live music so you can even fit in a little dancing if you wish.

Now it’s Sunday morning. Surely to be one of your highlights of the weekend is the hot air balloon ride!  Temecula is the perfect location for hot air ballooning.  As you’re winding down your weekend, you’ll be able to relax as you float over the SoCal countryside.  Temecula’s cool morning breezes, consistent weather and open land provide guests the best conditions for hot air balloon rides.  From picturesque views of wineries, vineyards and citrus groves to the breathtaking backdrop of mountains covered in snow you are sure to be impressed with the Temecula topography.

Since your balloon ride will end in wine country, you’ll want to make reservations ahead of time for Wilson Creek Winery’s Sunday Bubble Brunch, featuring a wide variety of tasteful entrees, seafood, delectable desserts along with omelet, waffle, and carving stations. The “bubble” title of course means several of our popular sparkling wines!  This truly is arguably the best brunch in town!

Finally, it’s time to wine taste. Of course, you can’t come to wine country and not wine taste!  While at Wilson Creek Winery, before or after your brunch, be sure to check out the tasting room and try the Reserve Wines, they are spectacular!

If you love red wines especially, make your last stop at Doffo Winery.  Known for their family run, Argentine and Italian heritage, you will be highly impressed with their handcrafted style of winemaking.  The low key environment on a quaint 12 acres, will be sure to help bring your Temecula weekend to a peaceful conclusion.

Cheers~ Kim DeAvila- Human Resources Director

Robert Mondavi summed it up best when he said “Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”

The beginning of my journey into the World of Wine is not a proud one. It all started at the age of 19, in one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world, Tuscany, Italy.  As a college student, I was too young and broke to drink anything other than the cheapest wine I could find.  For 2000 Lire, roughly $1.75 American dollars a bottle, I indulged myself in several bottles of Italian red that had more similarities to vinegar than a fine Chianti.  When I moved back to the states my wine pallet evolved to the Trader Joe’s new Two Buck Chuck, Cabernet Sauvignon, What a deal!

Starting to learn about grapes…

As a bartender in San Diego I learned the ABCs of wine. I learned the difference between a Cabernet and a Merlot and a Chardonnay and a Muscat… I was armed with just enough information to sell wine to a hungry dinner goer.  Although I loved selling wine, the passion for wine was still in the distant future. At that time, I started understanding the synergy that is created when you brought together good food, good wine and good company.  I could not explain it at the time, but there was an energy that was undeniable with a social practice that goes back in history thousands of years.

All coming together…

When I was hired at Wilson Creek Winery that same synergy I identified several years earlier, B.C. (Before Children), became my new exciting lifestyle and obsession.   I now had the opportunity to taste amazing wine and meet several amazing people daily.

Immediately a Passion, like a fire, was ignited.  I simultaneously opened a door into the world of wine that till this day fascinates me with a road of endless learning.  More importantly the people.  The people in my life had energy and passion, a purpose for family, friends and “the generosity of spirit” that all comes together like music notes played perfectly by an orchestra.

Now my life has wine purpose.  It fills my soul to see first-time wine drinkers drink our White Cabernet with a smile, to cook while drinking our Petite Sirah, my favorite, studying the history of Burgundy France while sipping a Pinot Noir or spending a rare mommy and daddy only weekend in Paso Robles with my wife, to experience new wine while chatting with local winery owners.

I must admit, having four kids should be an automatic acceptance to drinking lots of wine, but wine is more than that to me now…every new wine I drink is like a ticket to a new world, an unknown history, a passion for life, a passion for people.

– Ryan McCormick ~ Hospitality Sales Manager

Check out our Wilson Creek Extended Family Wine Club Video to experience the excitement, energy, friends and family feel that Ryan experiences here at Wilson Creek every single day!

THANKS TO YOU – We are proud to announce the Wine Club family has grown to over 1,000 MORE members in just an astonishing three-month time period! We are amazed at the response and are very happy to have such a large family. Thank you all for joining. We hope this Wine Club will be a fun experience for you and that Wilson Creek can be your “Extended Family” when you visit us for wine tasting or Wine Club events. Thanks again for being part of the family.

The very first article for our “Extended Family” Wine Club Newsletter was July/August 2001. WOW, how time flies! Since then we have grown quite a bit in our wine club, as well as the winery! There has been a lot of changes but one thing that hasn’t changed and never will is our love for our “extended family”. Our wine club is our heart and soul of the winery and today once again we thank you!

Today we see quite a few faces from our beginning who are still wine club members. Some still have their original wine club member card and are proud to show it! Our tasting room was full of our member’s photos which have since been removed with blowing out walls to accommodate our large growing family. We have started construction above the tasting room to add Reserve and paired tastings as well as an additional venue for events. We can’t wait to welcome you to our new room!

We’ve taken the tent down and replaced it with our beautiful events building including our Champagne Ballroom to accommodate the wedding receptions from the tent. In addition, we have a delicious restaurant, the Creekside Grille. It offers Wine Club Wednesday’s where members who purchase 2 entrées receive a bottle of wine for 50% off. We also have a fabulous Sunday brunch which if you haven’t tried it is something worth experiencing.

Our clubs have grown from the traditional Reds, Whites, and Desserts to having a club for everyone! Bi-monthly Mixed, Reds, Reserve, and Our Brand New White Cab Club. We also have the Semi-annual Winemaker Favorites as well as Online Wine Clubs which really work well for out of state members who love our Sparkling, White Cabernet and VS Cabernet (formerly known as Duet).

We had some great events over the years. From wonderful Jazz concerts, which have evolved to amazing Country concerts. Our members remember the wonderful Thursday Tapas, Joey and Maria’s Comedy Italian Wedding, and Cigar Nights just to name a few. We are planning some wonderful events for this year. All information will be in our newsletter as well as on our website.

We thank you again for being part of our extended family here at Wilson Creek Winery. We look forward to welcoming you back home when you visit us next.

Cheers,

Lisa Keks

Hospitality Sales Assistant Manager

The holidays are back again. It’s funny how this happens every year whether we like it or not, and somehow no matter how hectic it all seems we always pull it together. I often find myself wishing the holidays came every other year instead of every year, but I guess I would miss this unbelievable challenge of keeping up my undeniable reputation for being the “hostess with the mostess”. I thought that since I am the Innkeeper at the Wilson Creek Manor I could throw a few tips your way to keep yourself sane. The first thing you should do is pour yourself a glass of wine… I suggest a glass of Yes Dear Chardonnay, and then read my blog with a bit of whimsy and a sense of humor.

Let’s start with the kitchen, the heart of the house. Everyone winds up in the kitchen and everyone is starving this time of year. Diets don’t start until January 1^st so you need to be prepared with snacks! From a fresh bowl of fruit on the counter, to simple snacks that your kids can grab. Your guests that drop by will think you are amazing!

You will need two types of crackers in the cupboard and a cheese ball (and I’m not referring to your husband). I’m talking a DELICIOUS good old fashioned port wine cheese ball covered in nuts, or a spreadable cheese like rondelé garlic and herb, or even a block or two of your favorite cheese. Accompany with some sort of cured meat like some salami nuggets and a good old fashioned can of olives. I also recommend having some nuts close by (the ones you can serve, not the relatives that are coming) since they always look so festive. These are staples to have on hand for your guests, or even if you need a quick appetizer to go to a neighbor’s house. Cheese is easy and everyone loves it. Guess what else… it goes well with wine! Ha

Also in your kitchen, you will need a sweet or two. Maybe some Christmas cookies on hand or a box of chocolates, or even a pie in your fridge that’s left over from Thanksgiving. My favorite sweet is the chocolate covered popcorn that I get in the tasting room at Wilson Creek Winery. Make sure you have plenty of ice on hand and some refreshing sparkling water. Don’t forget the egg nog, of course, and some cranberry and orange juice. Your kitchen fridge should have a soft drink as well. Coke, Diet coke, or Pepsi are good staples. Don’t forget a bottle of Sparkling Cider. Everyone likes Martinelli’s.

Let’s move over to the bar area, shall we? As a good hostess, you want to have variety. So, have some spirits like Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, and my new favorite, Fireball. I recommend having a few bottles of wine on hand at all times. Two types of red wine, two types of white wine, and two sparkling wine flavors.  Wine is good to cook with in the kitchen too. Sometimes I even put it in the food. It makes everything easier during this time of year. I always say WINE is the answer, what is the question? In fact, pour yourself another glass of wine while your reading the next part.

In the guest bath have shampoo, conditioner, a fresh bar of soap in the shower, a frilly liquid soap on the counter closest to the sink, and a can of air freshener in case the cheese is a little too much. I recommend having an extra toothbrush and toothpaste on hand.  In the guest bedroom have a fluffy blanket or warm down comforter with fresh pillows on the bed. A spare robe in the closet and a bottle of water on the night stand is always nice. Have another glass of wine then everything will be perfect!

Be prepared to ask questions like “what is your favorite Christmas movie” or “what is your favorite Christmas tradition”.

Hopefully your house is decorated by the second weekend in December and you can get all your packages and cards mailed out by the 17^th so they can get to your friends in time for Christmas.

Don’t forget to buy plenty of tape, extra bows, and silly but… batteries. Lots of decorations need them these days. You might need an extension cord or two for the Holidays but mostly…

Enjoy your family and friends this time of year.

There is nothing a little bit of Wilson Creek Wine can’t handle. And before you know it, it will be time to make a resolution. Mine will be to drink Wilson Creek Wine every day!

With a smile!

Abby Trybulski – Wilson Creek Manor Guest Services Manager

I know its harvest time when I catch myself asking my wife “What day is it?” at least three times a day. The months of August and September fly by in a surreal blur as my mind becomes highly focused on the thousands of details of wine making that need attention and action. These two months have become known as the “Harvest Widow” months in our home. Sometimes within the surreal harvest blur I do get messages from the outside real world like – “Remember we are babysitting the grandchildren this Thursday,” and “Your newsletter article is past due – we need it now.” HOLY COW! The newsletter article, yes, yes, I shake my head clear and quickly sit in front of the laptop. My mind goes blank and I’m back inside the surreal harvest blur again thinking about the “Yes Dear” Chardonnay. So, if you don’t mind, I’m going to give you a little peak inside this world….

The chardonnay came from two vineyard blocks with slight differences in flavor. I decided to treat each block different. The block that highlighted the Chardonnay’s fruity character is barrel fermented in French oak puncheon barrels. Whereas the chardonnay highlighting its acidity is fermented in stainless. Two different yeast strains were chosen one for barrel fermentation the other for the tank. The yeast strain chosen for the French oak puncheons is special in that it ferments slowly and the spent yeast cells breakup quickly releasing its creamy flavor into the wine. I’m very excited about using the puncheon barrels this year. What is a puncheon you ask? Take a peek inside the barrel room and you will see them, eight barrels that are twice the size of a normal barrel (barrels on steroids). These barrels will incorporate the full richness of the oak into a full mouth creaminess. With the correct conditions will produce the correct amount of butteriness. Do you think the “Wilson ladies” will approve? I certainly do!

~ Gus Vizgirda