Temecula : Choose Your Own Adventures

Temecula:

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

BY BRIANNE COHEN

Everyone in Southern California knows Temecula as a wine country destination. Wine grapes have grown in the area for over 50 years and to date there are forty-seven wineries and tasting rooms. But there is also a wide selection of other activities to satisfy any traveler. Whether you’re coming from afar or you’re a SoCal local, there truly is something for everyone in Temecula.

Starting with a place to rest your head at night, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is the gold standard in Temecula. Deluxe suites in the hotel tower and spacious villas overlooking the vineyards are both comfortable and well-appointed. South Coast Winery has a tasting room onsite, which makes it a perfect first (or last!) stop on your day of wine tasting. The GrapeSeed Spa on the property is the only fullservice spa in the area, boasting a saltwater pool, two whirlpools, private lockers, 22 treatment rooms, a spa dining menu, and full fitness center.

Perhaps the most popular non-wine related Temecula activity is a sunrise ride in a hot air balloon. From vineyards to magnificent panoramic views, enjoy a spectacular morning soaring above Temecula Valley wine country. A ride with California Dreamin’ Balloons is a bucket list adventure. The freezing wintry morning air will greet you and wake you up, but once under the balloon, you will stay toasty by the constant burst of warm air coming from the flames that keep the balloon afloat.

Motorcycle riding isn’t for everyone, but a sidecar can make it doable for those who are a bit nervous. Sidecar Tours is Southern California’s first and only tandem motorcycle sidecar experience. Your professional driver rides the motorcycle with a tandem sidecar attached. Once you’re given helmets and blankets, you and a friend are whisked away on a motorcycle ride in a sidecar through wine country, touring through the vineyards and on the open road. Special packages also include winery visits throughout the day.

What makes Temecula so great is that the wineries encourage you to stay there and make it comfortable for you. Many other California wine regions have local regulations against serving food and having other activities onsite at wineries. Not in Temecula! Numerous wineries offer great restaurants onsite, the ability to picnic, and even a luxurious pool experience at the Italian-inspired Bottaia Winery. A stunning property, Bottaia Winery is spectacular from start to finish. In addition to wine tasting, the pool at Bottaia can be an all-day affair in the hot summer months. Private cabine or chaise lounges can be rented for the day or a half-day. The property also boasts a cocktail bar, lounge side service, and a splash pad for the kiddos.

And if you’re here, why not drink some wine! Favorite local tasting rooms include Robert Renzoni, for an authentic Italian wine tasting experience, where the focus is on Italian grape varieties. Carter Estate should be first on your list for the sparkling wine lover. In addition to still wines, Carter Estate produces a lineup of stunning traditional method sparklers. And circling back to the theme of adventure, motorcycle themed Doffo Winery is also a local favorite. Come for the wine, but stay for their MotoDoffo vintage motorcycle collection, consisting of more than one hundred motorcycles and scooters. Never a dull moment in Temecula wine country! -Brianne Cohen is a WSET Diploma certified sommelier, wine educator, judge, and writer based out of Los Angeles. She blogs at www.BrianneCohen.com

The freezing wintry morning air will greet you and wake you up, but once under the balloon, you will stay toasty by the constant burst of warm air coming from the flames that keep the balloon afloat.