Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Spontaneous Getaways...Wine Not?

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend! For me, this weekend I had a spontaneous desire to get out of town so my boyfriend and I trekked to Temecula where some of our favorite wineries are. The first time we went there was after buying a Groupon deal that gave us a few wine tastings at various wineries, and the awesome wine and a fun time brought us back!

Some wineries are more tourist driven and a bit pricey, and they all have a different vibe. Hart Winery, for instance, is a great spot to buy good wine that is moderately priced (they have the best Rosé!), but there isn't much of a nice ambiance to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine there with a great view. Leoness Cellars, on the other hand, is more pricey but it has an amazing area to enjoy your wine outside. The outside seating overlooks the winery's grape vines and also has a nice view of the some of the Temecula wine country. Churon Winery was also a great tasting spot...word to the wise, they pour double the wine in your glass than most other wineries do for the tastings here *wink wink*. 

As far as food is concerned, I wasn't expecting anything amazing from such a small town, but I ended up finding some great local spots that left me wanting to go back for more. We loved Gourmet Italia, which had delicious authentic Italian dishes and the nicest owner/manager who spoke to all the restaurant patrons throughout the night. Check in on Yelp and you get a free cannoli! The Great Oak Steakhouse at the Pechanga was also great. And for breakfast, save your appetite for pancakes of many many flavors at Original Pancake House (pumpkin all year round!). 

Needless to say, Temecula is a great mini getaway and I would recommend it to anyone looking to relax and have a fun, delicious, and tipsy weekend ;)
Leoness Cellars.

Leoness vines.

Hart Merlot.

Before fermentation.

Pops of sunshine color among the vines.

Ponte Winery.

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