Continuing my quest to visit less-traveled wineries and discover little treasures in the Temecula…read moreValley, I stumbled upon Uys Garafiste Winery, nestled in a neighborhood in wine country. What a find! A small boutique winery focused on small batch artisanal natural wines, with no additives and minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar. Dirk and Michelle Uys, originally from South Africa, are winemakers crafting extremely complex, refreshing wines that delight the palate. Reservations are required for tastings, and the atmosphere is perfect for experiencing their work, with quiet music playing and a gentle breeze on the back porch overlooking their property, peppered with olive trees and grape vines. For my tasting, I selected the following: Riesling 2023 (Silver Medal Winner) Primitivo 2012 (Silver Medal Winner). Merus 2021 (Silver Medal Winner) is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Syrah blend. Petite Syrah Reserve 2022. Bistro 2021 is a blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah. As I sampled each of my selections, analyzing the tasting notes, body, color, tannins, and complexity, Dirk or Michelle provided in-depth knowledge of their journey, wine making, the labor of their accomplishments, their discoveries, and in the end, I was convinced that they had actually discovered "the soul of wine". Great wines. Personal touch. Small batch. Complex flavors. Highly recommend.

Wonderful tasting experience that only left us mesmerized! This was my favorite winery and visited…read moreat least 10 during our long weekend trip. Wines are so delicious and made naturally. We truly enjoyed getting to know wife and husband duo, that truly pour their souls into winemaking. We also rented e-bikes from them, which made it even more of a special experience! Would come back here over and over again. Don't miss a visit to this place, you'll be missing out!

A long weekend is the perfect opportunity to explore new wineries in the area, and yesterday I…read morediscovered Raul Ramirez Winery by searching the web for new wineries in the Temecula Valley and this winery opened recently. By the amount of patrons present when I arrived you wouldn't think it is new. A quaint, off the beaten path, winery that resembles a prefabricated modern house surrounded by farm land, and found at the end of a cobbled stone road. The interior is a conflict of rustic and modern decor with various styles and colors, yet stunning and unique. The tasting room resembles a living room, and offers an outdoor seating experience with occasional entertainment. The wine was of great quality, and reflected the care and craftsmanship of a knowledgeable winemaker. The whites were refreshing, and the reds were bold! In addition, the stemware was very classy, with specific glasses for Pinot, Chardonnay, Cabs, and sparkling wines. The atmosphere was classy, and the "Adults Only" rule compliments the vibe. Highly recommend.

I recently visited this smaller boutique winery with a large womens wine group. Raul Ramirez sits…read moreon a hilltop with beautiful views and gorgeous, light-filled indoor tasting spaces. I loved the modern rustic ambiance of their intimate clubhouse, and the weather was perfect for enjoying our wine both indoors and out on the patio. Maryanne and Kim guided us through our tastings of Spanish style wines, sharing the story behind the winery and details about the estate's famous Andalusian horses. If you do a property tour, you'll see the horses and they do have special events. Tastings are by reservation only and no children or pets are allowed. Your choice of 6 tastes are $32. I especially enjoyed the 2016 Estate Gran Reserva Brut "Cava style" sparkling and the 2015 Don Porfirio Gran Reserva. The Winchester location is a bit far outside Temecula wine country. We had a pleasant time here - I was glad to finally check out this winery and it was fun visiting with a group. But given the distance from most Temecula wineries and the fact that reservations are a must, I probably won't be visiting here on a regular basis.

While I am still trying to figure the whole winery thing out, I have to say that I am a big fan of…read moreChapin. What I mean by figuring it out is that we enjoy going to them and doing tastings, but I couldn't tell you much about wine, still, other than I usually prefer white or rose wine. We were able to check out this winery while on a sidecar tour and we were fans. The service was great and I really loved that we got six tastings (I may have seen this one other time) and you got to choose from their whole menu as opposed to limitations. They have a few premium wines that would could as two tastings. They also have a chef from Italy who makes pizza there. It smelled so amazing. Unfortunately, we had just had breakfast before stopping by here and did not have the appetite. Our sidecar tour guide took us onto other adventures after our tasting here. I knew I had to come back. Recently I decided to get some friends to come with us and enjoy another wine tasting. There were five of us with two more joining later. We came with empty stomachs to try this amazing pizza! Only. We didn't get to! It was sad news to find out that the chef was out sick! We were disappointed and our stomachs were still empty. The staff member felt bad and sad she would find us some food. She brought out an assortment of boars head charcuterie board, cranberry walnut cheese spread, a cheese wheel, bruschetta toasts for the spread, and feta and olives. We opted for most of these choices and made do. Despite the no pizza, we all absolutely loved our wine samplings. The employee was very informative and friendly. I opted for three white wines, a rose, and two reds. Everyone was enjoying their samples and the day was filled with laughter. I rarely end up buying a bottle to take home, but I did this time. Chapin has their own specialty blend called Sangue Di Giuda and I highly recommend you get it! It is a red wine that is sweet but not overly sweet. It's quite fruity with a hint of bubbles. Everyone who had it, loved it. One day we will try this pizza, but it is safe for me to give it a five anyway. I plan to visit from time to time and probably restock on Sangue Di Giuda.

I received a warm welcome as I came in the main entrance. Lisa was my server who is awesome in her…read moreknowledge of wines and is outstanding in customer service. The enjoyment of the wine can be on the patio surrounded with grape vine and soft music in the background. My wine that I enjoyed was the Cabernet Franc. The wines are delicious and the service provided by Lisa and the others is terrific!

What a beautiful addition to the wine scene in Temecula. The esthetic reminded me of an east coast…read morebeach house. I loved the patio and the white and gold decor, but with some Roman influences with the fountains. There are a huge variety of wines to choose from and lots of seating, although I would say a lot of it appeared to be in the sun while on our visit. I got a glass of sparkling brut which was perfect for the ambiance.

This place is really cute! However, we were disappointed that we could not do a wine tasting here…read moreunless you are a club member. Something about them being new, paperwork not being filed, etc. So definitely call before you go to see if they are doing public wine tastings to non-members because they said it might take a few weeks. But, this place does offer something that is very unique, which we loved! An olive oil tasting! They infuse certain flavors into the olive oil. My personal favorite was the white truffle and the mushroom. My friend's favorite was the garlic. The regular is good for daily use for health. I walked out of there buying four! Very cool, interesting and unique experience with the olive oil. I just wish we could've sampled the wine.

We had driven up to this winery once before, but turned around because it looked like there was no…read moreone there, and it didn't appear very inviting. This time around, we were committed to giving it a try based on positive reviews. When we entered the tasting room, the small bar area was completely full with a large group. There is no where to sit, so our party of 3 stood around a small table in the back. The tasting room was rather warm, and although they do have a small section of outdoor seating, we were not able to sit outside because of the larger parties inside. There was only 1 person working, and although she was nice, we felt a bit overlooked as she focused her attention on the group around the bar. When she came over to us, we let her know we were there for a tasting, and she told us we would pay up front and she would bring us our glasses. We paid her, and she brought the wine list and poured our first tasting. I noticed the list was all red wines and asked her if they had any whites, to which she responded by saying no, they only had reds. I wished she had mentioned this before charging us. I love red wine, but on this particular occasion, a 90 degree day, I would have preferred white wine. We had already paid, so we decided to make the best of it, and tried all 5 wines. I can't lie, they were very good! We especially liked the Sangiovese, Merlot, and Syrah, but we noticed the pours weren't consistent. Some pours were smaller than others. We all agreed the server was a nice lady, and the wines were very good, but it just wasn't the most relaxing or inviting experience. If we wanted either a glass or bottle of good red wine we would consider this winery, but for variety, or a membership, we would try somewhere else.

My favorite by far in Temecula wines! Each tasting was building up for the next wine they poured in…read morethe tasting room. Service was exceptional. Local who knew her region in Temecula. Loved that she tasted the wine before she poured it to make sure it was as good. The view was beautiful! Hate to share to the public because I don't want them to run out of wine since they do small amounts. I must return again.

Beautiful property to stay if you're visiting Temecula. Right in the middle of the vineyards! Rooms…read moreare beautifully appointed and the chateau feels very European but definitely try to stay in one of the suites that have a patio facing the back of the property and the vines. It is much bigger and much nicer. We stayed here twice and will be back! Thank you!

Staying at Domaine is now a must for us when we visit Temecula. The beautiful surroundings as well…read moreas the elegant decor provide an overwhelming relaxing experience. Breakfast each morning is top notch and delicious! The wine is some of the best in Temecula. The owners and staff are welcoming and personable. Can't recommend staying here enough. They are in the process of expanding. Looking forward to seeing it when it is finished!

On a recent visit, we got to meet winemaker Stephen Andrews in his Temecula Hills Winery tasting…read moreroom in Old Town Temecula. I only tasted the Raspberry Champagne (Andrews worked on the popular Almond Champagne from Wilson Creek before branching out on his own). Made with Chenin Blanc grapes, this crisp sparkling wine has a sweet raspberry tang ($14.95). The real highlight though, was tasting the wonderful olive oils and vinegars (most) made by Andrews as well -- with the creator himself narrating the tasting. At least three plain olive oils, yet each with a distinct peppery or nutty flavor. Then, onto the flavored oils($20): jalapeno, Meyer lemon, orange and -- my very favorite -- basil were the ones that stood out the most. Of the vinegars ($16), there's an Estate Cabernet vinegar made with grapes from the winery and a delicious fig balsamic which is sourced from another bottler which were good enough to get me to part with some cash... I was impressed with Andrews' ability with flavors and look forward to returning when he launches a food menu with offerings ideal for pairing with his wines!

Eclectic and sophisticated wines set in an elegant garden vibe; to take you away from the old town…read morehustle. 5 stars out of 5.

I did not know about this place because I'm not a wine drinker. However, Ms. Brandi from Be Kekoa a…read morefew blocks away suggested we come in for an afternoon glass. If you know Ms. Brandi, you know that she is a vibe from head to toe. I stopped by her shop, and she was getting ready to finish her shift, so we walked to Pamec and caught up on life. I had a glass of the Muscat, their moscato offering. It was great, and the best part is they don't use any funky ingredients, so you know they have quality products! It was a lovely afternoon spent with amazing company. They even offer memberships. I highly recommend stopping by for a glass or two if you're in Old Town Temecula and need a lil pick-me-up! enJOY! ;)

What a wonderful afternoon welcoming Pamec Patio to Old Town with a women's group of about 20! This…read morewine bar just recently opened mid-May 2025 and their spacious, comfy patio is conveniently located adjacent to the historic Hotel Palomar. Our group brought along lots of yummy small bites to accompany our tastings of Pamec's natural wines using wild yeasts and minimal intervention. Anthony was our server extraordinaire. He was so knowledgeable, patient, super friendly and such a great ambassador for Pamec. Bonus points for the sweet wine menu - all Pamec wines are named after Temecula animals, with each label explaining why that animal represents the wine. I was especially intrigued by their Pét Nat (Pétillant Naturel or "naturally sparkling"), made with their Vermentino grapes using the ancestral method of bottling before the initial fermentation is complete. Fermentation continues in the bottle and the result: unfiltered, unpretentious, effervescence with a side of spunk! And with a low 9% ABV, it was the perfect casual patio-sipping wine for a sunny, post-thunderstorm kind of day! Pamec is a great wine bar addition to Old Town and I'm looking forward to stopping in again!