At last count, there were 34 wineries in Southern California’s Temecula Valley, not far from San Diego.
That means one can enjoy just about any type of “wine country” experience they can imagine, from guided cellar tours to fabulous concerts during the summer months.
The approaches to winemaking also are quite diverse. Take Foot Path Winery and Maurice Car’rie Vineyard & Winery as examples of the two “extremes.”
Foot Path makes only red wines, and in very limited quantities. It’s located just minutes from downtown Temecula, and the farm is certified organic.
“We are a very small, family owned-and-operated winery,” a Foot Path spokesperson tells us. “Our winery and tasting area is basic with no frills. Our goal is to keep it simple, have some fun and enjoy our limited quantities of handcrafted wines.”
You can learn more about Foot Path Winery here (http://www.footpathwinery.com/).
There’s absolutely nothing small or simple about Maurice Car’rie Vineyard & Winery, which is situated smack-dab in the middle of Temecula Valley. It’s one of Temecula’s oldest wineries, and today produces around 17 distinct bottlings.
The estate also is home to a popular restaurant called Maurice’s Kitchen, open on weekends. Also on the weekends, visitors can enjoy a real taste treat: baked Brie in sourdough bread.
The winery has a picnic area, and sells deli items to accompany the wines. And it boasts one of the best-stocked gift shops in the valley.
Check out the winery’s website here (http://www.mauricecarriewinery.com/).
Two wineries… two very different “wine country” experiences.
We’ll have more on Temecula when the summer concert season nears, so stay tuned.
