Grapeline Wine Tours
Vineyard Picnic Tour in Temecula CA
Hidden treasures in Southern California (Grapeline Wine Tours, 27286 Via Industria, Suite A, Temecula, CA 92590-3751)
When my husband retired last year, we made a resolution to dedicate our time to enjoying the finer things in life. Since then, we have traveled to every corner of the map, from Paris to Tokyo to Lima. I never would’ve expected, then, that one of the most wonderful experiences was waiting for us just in our backyard here in Southern California.
We had known that Temecula Valley was gaining a reputation for its wine production over the past few decades, and voted high among the best Temecula wine tours. Somehow we had neglected a visit up to this point. My husband and I are somewhat of amateur sommeliers, and much of our traveling centers around trips to different vineyards and distilleries, tasting all of the fine wine that the world has to offer. So it was surprising to our friends that we had never been to Temecula, even though we lived in San Diego for the past 20 years. On the recommendation of a good friend, we finally signed up for a tour this past summer. We ended up booking a reservation with Grapeline Wine Tours from Palm Springs for the “Vineyard Picnic Tour”, a group tour featuring several different wineries and a catered picnic lunch.
We stayed at a local hotel in Temecula, and the spectacular deluxe mini-coach rolled up to us around 10am, just as the world was beginning to wake up and enjoy another beautiful summer day. Our tour guide, Mike, was friendly and knowledgeable, and taught us about the history of the town of Temecula as we made our way to our first destination, Robert Renzoni Vineyards. Mike joined the all inclusive Temecula wine tours through Grapeline Wine Tours from San Diego as part of the Temecula Winery Transportation that's available. The founders for this winery proudly emphasized their Italian heritage, and the whole establishment felt like it was transplanted from the Tuscan country side. It was a beautiful facility, and the walking tour provided endless photographic opportunities. We even caught a glimpse of balloons we were told was from the California Dreamin' Balloon Adventures, and booked a flight for the next day. The wine itself was exquisite, and our six wines per-person limit was hard to stick to!
Next we went to the Cougar Vineyard, where we enjoyed a delicious light picnic lunch in the vineyard’s barrel room. We had chosen from eight different meal options ahead of time, and the food came to us freshly prepared and delectable. I enjoyed an eggplant caprese sandwich, while my husband nibbled away at the artisan cheese and deli plate. After lunch, Mike brought us to a special extra stop at the Sugarplum farm, which featured a petting zoo with mini horses, donkeys, and even a water buffalo! I’m quite allergic to pet fur so I didn’t join in on the fun, but luckily there was a chocolate shop at the same farm that kept my interest while my husband met the animals.
The last two vineyards on our tour, Lorimar and Callaway, both had the same Tuscan feel as the first. Each had truly excellent wine, and we ended up a couple bottles from Lorimar to enjoy back home in San Diego. I never would’ve expected to be on one of the rockin wine tours tucked away in Southern California, but I’m so glad our good friend pointed it out to us! As we continue to travel and enjoy retirement, its nice to know that we don’t have to travel across the Atlantic to be transported to an Italian countryside, because that countryside is so close to home!
When my husband retired last year, we made a resolution to dedicate our time to enjoying the finer things in life. Since then, we have traveled to every corner of the map, from Paris to Tokyo to Lima. I never would’ve expected, then, that one of the most wonderful experiences was waiting for us just in our backyard here in Southern California.
We had known that Temecula Valley was gaining a reputation for its wine production over the past few decades, and voted high among the best Temecula wine tours. Somehow we had neglected a visit up to this point. My husband and I are somewhat of amateur sommeliers, and much of our traveling centers around trips to different vineyards and distilleries, tasting all of the fine wine that the world has to offer. So it was surprising to our friends that we had never been to Temecula, even though we lived in San Diego for the past 20 years. On the recommendation of a good friend, we finally signed up for a tour this past summer. We ended up booking a reservation with Grapeline Wine Tours from Palm Springs for the “Vineyard Picnic Tour”, a group tour featuring several different wineries and a catered picnic lunch.
We stayed at a local hotel in Temecula, and the spectacular deluxe mini-coach rolled up to us around 10am, just as the world was beginning to wake up and enjoy another beautiful summer day. Our tour guide, Mike, was friendly and knowledgeable, and taught us about the history of the town of Temecula as we made our way to our first destination, Robert Renzoni Vineyards. Mike joined the all inclusive Temecula wine tours through Grapeline Wine Tours from San Diego as part of the Temecula Winery Transportation that's available. The founders for this winery proudly emphasized their Italian heritage, and the whole establishment felt like it was transplanted from the Tuscan country side. It was a beautiful facility, and the walking tour provided endless photographic opportunities. We even caught a glimpse of balloons we were told was from the California Dreamin' Balloon Adventures, and booked a flight for the next day. The wine itself was exquisite, and our six wines per-person limit was hard to stick to!
Next we went to the Cougar Vineyard, where we enjoyed a delicious light picnic lunch in the vineyard’s barrel room. We had chosen from eight different meal options ahead of time, and the food came to us freshly prepared and delectable. I enjoyed an eggplant caprese sandwich, while my husband nibbled away at the artisan cheese and deli plate. After lunch, Mike brought us to a special extra stop at the Sugarplum farm, which featured a petting zoo with mini horses, donkeys, and even a water buffalo! I’m quite allergic to pet fur so I didn’t join in on the fun, but luckily there was a chocolate shop at the same farm that kept my interest while my husband met the animals.
The last two vineyards on our tour, Lorimar and Callaway, both had the same Tuscan feel as the first. Each had truly excellent wine, and we ended up a couple bottles from Lorimar to enjoy back home in San Diego. I never would’ve expected to be on one of the rockin wine tours tucked away in Southern California, but I’m so glad our good friend pointed it out to us! As we continue to travel and enjoy retirement, its nice to know that we don’t have to travel across the Atlantic to be transported to an Italian countryside, because that countryside is so close to home!