Cougar Vineyard & Winery was our second stop of the tour. I was recommended the Grapeline Wine Tour from the Front Desk agent that checked me in at the Embassy Suites. I can confirm I really enjoyed the tour! The individuals that were on the tour with me made it even more fun. Our tour guide and driver, Tony, was very knowledgable about the area, its history, and wine making. The winery is absolutely beautiful and the views are breathtaking. The best part is that they're pet-friendly! They even have adoption opportunities, and you can meet the puppies! They also sell pet merchandise. The tour included a lunch. I chose the roast beef sandwich, and it comes with a side of salad and a brownie. The sandwich was good, and the salad was dressed well. The brownie was delicious and not too sweet. We were given 5 wines to taste. I completely forgot the names of the wine I tasted, but I thought the wine was okay. The food, atmosphere, and views made the experience wonderful. read more

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We made a Mother's Day reservation for our family and unfortunately had to cancel about one hour before because my granddaughter became very ill and was vomiting. Before booking, we were told we could cancel anytime prior to the reservation, so we did exactly that. Despite this, we were still charged $60. Charging a family in that situation, especially after assuring us cancellation would be allowed, is unacceptable and feels extremely dishonest. A business should show at least a little compassion and honor what they tell customers. The experience left a very bad impression and completely ruined any desire to return. I would never recommend this winery to anyone, especially for special family occasions. There are plenty of other wineries in Temecula that treat their customers with more fairness and respect. read more

If you're looking for great wine and chill vibes, look no further. Unlike a few other wineries that I've been to in the valley, Cougar actually focuses on substance--not pretense. Of course, this is my subjective experience. Some folks enjoy Chardonnay and bubble gummy pop-music, while others enjoy--substance. Let's get into it. Cuisine: 4/5. BBQ Chicken Pizza slapped for a starter. Classic Italian sandwich for the main was solid. Pair the Red's from the tasting menu to add to the experience. Beverages: 5/5. Nothing but flames with the Primitivo and Nebbiolo. Seriously, if you enjoy Red's that aren't weak and light up your taste buds, then go for these two. I bought two bottles to go. This is a departure from my usual Bordeaux comfort zone. I do like a Barbera or a Sangiovese, but these two stole the show. Service: 5/5. Friendly. Knowledgeable. Say less. Ambiance: 5/5. Chill. Perhaps next time I'll check out the line-dancing they have Saturday night's in the barrel room. Buen provecho. read more

We went to cougar, during the big red winefest. We tried their wine, but it was the beers that got us to come back again! They also have great food, we got a Hawaiian pizza to go, and shared a piece of tiramisu read more

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Lunch today. Fathers Day. It wasn't a bad experience but not memorable either. My wife made reservations in advance. Six of us. Four had the advance burger and beer order. Three of the four orders had mistakes. One of the orders was for a junior who wasn't of age. So after we were served lunch, he requested a lemon slush which was fine in lieu of his beer and the waitress asked if we received the drink tickets. Sorry no. Food orders showed up very unevenly and late. Maybe very busy today. Concrete benches at tables - bring your own seat cushions outside. My BLT was kinda sloppy. My son's beer was flat when first served but they brought another. Parking is a challenge- if the upper lot is full plan on a hike uphill. I really wanted to like this experience and it just felt like they were disorganized. read more

2025 visit: Back again for some good wine and tasty bites whilst enjoying the beautiful views this winery has to offer. This visit we tried a glass of white and red wine and a panini. Meliton R was a good server who helped us by tasting a few wines before choosing the ones we wanted a glass of. Nice wood Adirondack chairs outside so you can sit and enjoy the views of rolling hills and vineyards. Clean restrooms and nice variety of wines to choose from. Tip, they are pet friendly so bring your dogs with you! read more

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This was the 2nd of 3 stops on my very first mini wine tour of Temecula. I liked this place because it was a bit more casual and rustic than the other ones I went to, which ranged from bougie to pretentious. First of all the staff there were so very friendly. The view from their terrace was to die for, and the sandwich my husband and I split was EVERYTHING! Their "Sidewinder fries" were AMAZING, especially the sauce they served them with made them perfect. However my girlfriend and I think that "Potato Petals" is a much more elegant and appropriate name for them (think about it, guys) What this name has going for it: elegance, alliteration, uniqueness, descriptiveness. Just sayin'. They only lost a star because their wines weren't exactly my cup of tea. They specialize in Italian grapes, which my friend adored, but apparently is not my thing. But I would still def go there again. Bonus points, if you go on certain days of the week, they give you a free pizza if you purchase a bottle of wine! That's so cool! read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Sidewinder Fries, or as I suggest they be renamed "Potato Petals! Cooked perfectly with delightful sauce. - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

The Mediterranean veggie pizza is phenomenal! Absolutely delicious and the best pizza we've had here. You'll love the peach sangria! The service is incredible and on a Friday night you can enjoy beautiful views and live music. We are so glad we celebrated our anniversary here! read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Ernie, our server, was amazing. If he doesn't run this place he should. He checked on everyone and was running and helping all staff. He was great. The food is well priced and delicious. The sandwich was very fresh and the pizza was great. The location is beautiful and they have great areas to just sit and take in the view with chairs. This was one of our favorite spots. They also had a food menu for dogs and were the most friendly towards my dog. read more

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I was greeted as soon as I walked in. Once you open the front door you can smell the scent t of fresh cooked garlic.(Yum!) While wine tasting you can stand at the bar, sit at one of the inside tables or take you drink to the outside patio. There is a small kitchen/deli on-site that offers a variety of food if you're hungry. Cougar offers a nice selection of wines: reds, whites, sparkling, & dessert. You will find something you like. The inside table sitting area looks like a restaurant but there are chairs as well as other tables & chairs to sit around and enjoy the view. There are also a few individual chairs and a side table for two which face thw vineyard. The location is dog and family friendly. This is a nice place to get away from the hustle and bustle of some of the larger wineries. I would recommend. NOTE: An automatic 20% is added to your bill if you run a tab or have a party of 7+. read more

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Nice winery, but do not go on Mothers Day (reservation or not). We had a 1:00 reservation and got our food at 2:30. Very unorganized, understaffed and food was just ok. Would not recommend Cougar with so many great choices for special occasions in Temecula read more

Pretty bad service. Took over an hour to get a pizza and the Pizza came out looking uncooked.

One of our favorite spots whenever bf wants to go to Temecula! The vibe is chill, the staff is super nice, and their food is delicious without breaking the bank. Their Montepulciano is my favorite red there, and their pizzas made to order at their Sangio's Deli are a must! Our favorite pizzas are their Meatball (bf likes to add garlic and sometimes mushroom) and their Bianca (bf likes to add basil and sausage)! read more

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Overpriced, sandwiches are not good, Albertsons honestly has better sandwiches, bunch of old people, weird ambience in there. I would not recommend this place. I only recommend this place if you're over 65 and don't eat sandwiches. read more

Cougar Winery is located on the "De Portola" wine trail in the Temecula Valley. As you enter and move up the curving drive to the top of the hill, the view is verdant and lovely. You just want to take a deep breath at the stunning views of their vineyard and the surrounding wine country. The winery is spacious indoors & out. There are two lovely outdoor seating areas. One with tables and seating. Then there are a row of Adirondack chairs for your comfort. The views from indoors are splendid as the wall of windows affords such beautiful views. They have casual dining. I ordered the meat balls with a spicy red sauce, Delish! My companion ordered their Caesar salad, the lettuce was crispy and the dressing was tasty. We ordered a bottle of their 2022 Estate Arneis, light bodied with hints of pear & lime, the grape originated in the Piedmont area of Italy. We liked it so much we took a bottle home with us. You order at the counter and your food and beverages are brought to your table. The staff is friendly and very helpful. They have a Happy Hour Tuesday- Thursday from 2-4. Live music some evenings and Trivia events with reservations. I will be back next time I'm in the area! read more

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I love this winery so much! It's intimate, quiet, but has the best wine in the valley and some excellent food. Don't sleep on the orange phyllo cake or the pizza bianco with the caprese! Ben gave excellent service to everyone today & was just so friendly! Ernie is always so great too! I recommend this winery to everyone. Cheers! read more

Best wine I've ever had!! The owner couple were very friendly, and my dog had a good time with their dog too. The owner couple are passionate about their wine, and I loved having a good conversation with them. My husband and I miss them. read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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Excellent wine, views, and I really like their pizza and salads. Great service and a place with a quaint, good vibe.

My husband and I consider this winery our personal favorite as locals in the area. Vibe: casual, good views, not pretentious. Service: you order up front and wait for your food. Staff are very friendly and accommodating. Food: excellent selection of pizzas and Italian American fare. The charcuterie is delicious, so are the meatballs and strawberry salad. Great place to just sit down and enjoy being in wine country and have lunch with loved ones. read more

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We came in for some Italian wines. They did not disappoint. But, we will be definitely coming back for lunch someday. Menu looked amazing. read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Wine samples from a tasting - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Started our wine tasting afternoon here at the recommendation of a friend who said the food was good and compliments the wine. The view and seating outside was nice, on the hot day we were there they even had the mist on, but we opted to eat inside after a few wine tastings and photos! We ordered a few sandwiches and did the tasting. They have a large amount of wine varieties, so there is something for everyone, plus the price point is fair. We walked away with a few bottles and full bellies for the rest for the day! read more

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Not happy about giving this review but I have to report the results. Went with friends and have been to about 70 winners between Napa, Paso, Santa Ynez and Temecula so the two tasting palates have some experience. I chose this place based on the fact that it also served food and had nice views. Sat in the Adirondack chairs which were nice but it's a go up and wait for your next taste which I don't care for usually. It was a Sunday and not too busy but you could wait 7-8 minutes standing there for your next taste. Price was fine at $22 for 6 tastings. We don't typically expect great wine in Temecula so bar isn't too high. I would say that 3-4 or the wines tastes were quickly dumped for lack of various qualities. In some cases one comment on one of the white wines was smelled like dirty laundry and tasted sour. A couple of the reds were drinkable but at prices between $40-$60 did not hold up. Other wines at the market or Costco better under $20 if not $15. This was a bummer as the grounds were beautiful. We ordered a chicken Caesar salad which was pathetic. The tiny cubes of so called chicken were processed meat. We have a pesto margarita pizza which was edible but nothing great especially when sitting in the pass over 5 minutes to cool off. The wedge salad was worth ordering especially when you compare it to the Caesar. At check out they were having internet connection issues so we had to wait about 10 minutes. Wanted to buy an item for $40 from the gift shop but couldn't because of the internet. Asked if we could just hand them $45 and leave with the item and they said no. They didn't want to try and figure out the sales tax even though I did it in my head in about 10 seconds. Sad how many people can't do simple math. We just left without the item. If you want better wine most other wineries are a little better. Danza is definitely better and Gershon Baccus is the best (reds only) in Temecula. Their reds hold up to Napa caliber wines. read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Nice view but terrible wine and average food at best. Nice Music though. - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

I visited Cougar Winery with a group of friends over the weekend. We were there to attend a trivia night. It was evening time and the event was held indoors, so I did not get to experience the view. My husband and I ordered some appetizers - artichoke dip, and olives. Neither were good. The olives were bland and had pits, the dip was also pretty tasteless. Our friends ordered some salads and a pizza. The salads were large and looked pretty good, but no one commented on it. I ordered a glass of Falanghina. I did not care for it at all. We went up to the bar area to order something different. When I told the server that I did not like the wine that I ordered, he poured it out and asked me what I wanted. Never asked what I didn't like about it or asked any questions so he could offer suggestions. I decided to play it safe and order a Pinot Grigio which was okay. The trivia game was okay, but not fun enough to bring us back. Based on our overall experience, we didn't love Cougar Winery. read more

I don't recommend this winery and restaurant. The food is expensive and the quality was lacking freshness and taste.

Wines had such a great variety of selection. Serving beer on tap and having wonderful food all in eye sight was a comfortable feeling. The service was accommodating and friendly. The view and setting numerous olive trees was fantastic. Thank you. read more

I will NEVER return to this Cougar Vineyard Winery ever again, I had reservations for a party of 14, just this past Saturday September 20, 2025. I had out of state guests gathering there after a conference we had attended. To start off we did get seated, the place was looking pretty empty.. We all arrived at 1:30pm, we ordered pizzas & charcuterie boards as well. As mentioned before we were a party of 14 adults, at around 4:45 PM we were told that we they had a limit of 1 bottle per person. No more bottles were sold to us. No one ever warned us about the so called rules, had we known this we would have never booked our visit there. It was too late to move onto another winery, we ended up leaving this location and headed out to a restaurant for dinner in Orange County. Our experience was embarrassing to me because I organized it and it was very disappointing to be treated that way. Our bill came to nearly $700.00 which we had no problem paying. Funny in addition to this they still added gratuity. I DO NOT recommend this place. By the way our host name was Deb. Horrible place to attend. There are many more wineries we have attended to in the past that I do recommend such as, Leoneess Cellars and Altisima Winery. I would hate for anyone else to go through this experience. read more

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Good but not great. Not very family friendly. Kids can't really run around or do much of anything. When we got to the back. We were told kids are not allowed to be near the lounge chairs. At no point did anyone on the staff say there was a kids area. Food was good. Simple foods. Good ingredients. Service was good. Friendly and helpful. Wine and beer are good. Beer was ice cold and my wife was very happy with the wine. Flights are always the best way to try a little of everything. Good for groups of friends who are looking for another winery to visit in the area. read more

Cougar vineyard is off of portola road. They have a standard size tasting room and a cute patio with a beautiful view. I recommend reservations on the weekends as they get pretty busy mid afternoon. Otherwise, they also have a delicious deli onsite. I enjoyed the chicken panini($15) it was filling with a side. Portions are generous and the food is worthy of kudos. Staff was very kind with the pouring for tastings and had great recommendations. Tip claim a table and be sure to remember the number so once you are ready to order you go up to the counter and place your order with table number. Otherwise checkin on Yelp and you get a free tasting with a purchased one as of 2/11/24. Not sure how long this deal is running. Overall a cute spot and dog friendly! read more

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My absolute favorite place to go in Temecula. The food is impeccable , recommendations : pizza , charcuterie board, meatballs and their turkey sandwich. The peach sangria is the absolute best thing sitting outside is so relaxing. It's one of my favorite wineries. The staff is very friendly and always willing to help. I love this place so much. read more

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This was my first visit to Cougar and I'm so glad we decided to check it out. We chose the winery because of the deli inside so I could eat before tasting. First impression, I loved the views from the hilltop! It's so beautiful and open. Even inside the tasting room it's very bright and airy and very large. There's a ton of seating both inside and out depending on the type of experience you're looking for. We ordered a couple sandwiches and my boyfriend was recommended a glass of the servers (I wish I had gotten her name) favorite red, the Estate Negroamaro, which he really loved. We enjoyed our lunch outside overlooking the valley and being a huge dog lover I was so happy to see several pups at the winery as well. I was shocked to find out they even have a Canine Club at the winery! For lunch we ordered the Cougar BLT which is basic but delicious and my boyfriend chose the Italian Chicken Panini which I liked so much I stole half of his. The gentlemen Jake who delivered our lunch ended up pouring some of our tastings later and told us they also make their own olive oil from the trees growing on the property. Pretty neat! Between the two of us we tried most of the reds and both sparkling wines. My favorite was the Montepulciano and the Dolce Bubbly. Definitely check this place out! read more

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I came here again with my mom 2 days ago, on Friday, and it was back to it's usual quality of service! And they had some new items on the menu! The fries were delicious! I also got the veggie pizza and I shared it with my mom and that too was good. I also got the spumoni cake, and I noticed that the slice was smaller than before, but given the state of the economy and the fact that they didn't raise prices, I can't complain. It's still tasty and that's what matters! As for wine, I got Sangio's sparkling peach sangria (this is what I usually get) and my mom got the Arneis (a white wine). We both liked them. There was also a local live band who performed some songs from the '70s and '80s. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were not loud and I was able to easily have a conversation with my mom and my dog was not upset (he hates loud noise). I am generally weary of live music, because both me and my dog hate noise, and I want to be able to talk to my mother, but this band was the perfect. And despite the fact that I don't usually like '70s and '80s music, I really liked their songs! My understanding is that they are rotating the bands for Fridays. Lastly, I was extremely happy to see that the hours were extended to 8pm!!! This is perfect, especially given how hot it can get during the day! Plus, going to enjoy the sunset over there is perfect!! As a local, I am really happy about the changes! read more

Love Cougar! We have been coming here for years! Our favorite is the charcuterie board and pizzas! Today we got the charcuterie board to share for my dad's birthday along with a glass of kaleidoscope. The service is always so nice and friendly. It's a really intimate experience and everyone is so nice! And!!! The views are impeccable read more

The views and space outside is great. Inside is very stuffy. Staff is half friendly half irritated which doesn't make for a welcoming feel. Wines in my opinion didn't exactly satisfy my tastebuds. I think what made this the worst experience was the food. They have a deli and a nice sign that advertises it. So you expect to have a nice deli sandwich. For $17.50+ tax, you get a lot of bread and very little meat. Dont think we will be back here for a while... read more

Fun St. Patrick's Day 2025 promo with awesome views and ambiance. Had a beer and sandwich overlooking a few vineyards. read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Italian meatball sandwich - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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The new chef does a great job turning my pizza into a calzone. It's just as good as the pizza and easier for me to eat. We'll keep coming back read more

I absolutely love Cougar Winery vibe and their wines. I need to give a shout out to Jennifer for amazing customer service. I had a concern over a wine that was shipped to me and she responded quickly. She was able to resolve my concern in that moment and I appreciate that. They will always have my business cause this speaks volumes. I can't wait to visit in person again. read more

I recently took a wine tour through Temecula and the shuttle companies package included lunch at cougar vineyards. The sandwiches were comparable to food you would purchase at a 711 gas station or a vending machine in a hospital. The bread was tasteless and dry. The deli meat was scant, 1 thin slice of chicken, I thin slice of cheese and a strip of roasted bell pepper. I threw away the top half of my sandwich. Unacceptable for wine country cuisine. When wine tasting you need a substantial lunch. I did inquire who was the person in charge of the deli and wine server told me they had 3 chefs. This response was LAUGHABLE! The wines were not impressive as well. read more

Fantastic. Great views and wonderful wine. Check out their food selection. I love the meatball sandwich. It actually goes very well with a glass of wine. And they have a dog menu. read more

Beautiful winery! Dog friendly We had the spicy pizza made in their stone oven, delicious and awesome crust. It paired beautifully with a bottle of their white wines. read more

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Great place with a beautiful view the vineyard is very beautiful the food menu is great and very good service nicely done the wine is outstanding and very reasonable prices very nice place to eat and kick back and enjoy the view read more

Cougar Vineyard & Winery - Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California