How Many Wine Countries Are There in California?
Posted on July 24, 2009
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I was blithely driving down the I-15 toward San Diego and what I expected to be either a day at the races (opening day of Del Mar Race Track) or an afternoon at Petco Park with the Padres when…
…midway through Temecula, nature called. I figured the Pechanga Resort and Casino would have nice bathrooms, so I turned off the freeway for a pit stop.
Bottom line, I took care of business and then couldn’t resist the allure of the slots, so I quickly dropped a bunch of bucks. By then, it was mid-morning, the temperature was rising toward 100, and, being in one of California’s many wine countries–this one called the Temecula Valley–it was tasting room opening hour.
Result?
I changed plans, got a wine country map from the concierge (the casino also has a hotel), and drove blindly off onto roads I hadn’t been on before, though I have visited wineries here in the past.
Soon I found myself before South Coast Winery (pictured). I figured from my last wine country visit (Paso Robles) that you pay five bucks for some pours, and they take care of you. Not here. South Coast is way too commercial and institutionalized. I had my choice of five one-ounce pours of the everyday wines for $12 or five of the reserve wines for $15. For three dollars more, I opted for the reserve.
The reserves I sampled–one Syrah and four Cabernets–were, I must admit, really well made. I particularly liked the Dry Rock Gulch Block Cabernet. It was deep, dark, earthy and delicious, just the way I like a Cab. The notes said it developed its richness from growing in the shade. At $32, however, it was priced out of the everyday wine category, but it’s nice nonetheless.
I also visited three neighboring wineries–Ponte, Wiens and Stuart–and sampled mostly reds, with a couple of whites, ports and dessert wines thrown in. I must say that South Coast had the more memorable wines, but at the other three wineries–especially Wiens–they treated me as I’m used to being treated in tasting rooms: You pay for five samples, but we keep pouring until you’re happy.
I wouldn’t have minded the $15 at South Coast had they displayed a similar attitude. You get five–and then five more with a wink of the eye. Alas, it was not to be.
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