Winery Events

Temecula Wineries Love to Celebrate The Fruits of Their Labor!

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Wine is a natural at fun events and celebrations – so what could make more sense than celebrating the wine itself and planning an event around it? It’s a natural, and Temecula never passes up an opportunity to have a good wine time! While September brings visions of harvest and is, therefore, instinctively the month you think of in regards to wine festivals, it is only one of many months that finds itself hosting great wine events in Temecula.

Things already get rolling in early spring with the World of Wine Weekend when old world varietals in their very new world Temecula incarnations are presented to the enthusiastic crowds during a great weekend in which over 30 top Temecula Wineries offer an excellent assortment of samples from their cellars. It’s a great opportunity to taste from the barrel of your favorite vineyards while getting caught up in a wave of festive fun, try some of the carefully selected gourmet foods that have been perfectly paired with the wines for your extreme pleasure and take home a souvenir glass with which to enjoy your wine finds for years to come.  If anyone in your party is willing to forgo the delights of the vine they can get a discounted Designated Driver Ticket, or you can opt for taking the Grapeline Shuttle to keep things simple. This is an incredibly popular event and tickets sell out early so plan ahead! To order tickets or for more information call the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association at 951.676.5656.

Things don’t slow down for long as the very next month, in April for those not paying attention, the Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz Concert Series kicks off – and it keeps the vibe high right on through till October! Thornton Winery has been filling the warm Temecula breeze with the sounds of the nation’s top jazz artists for over 20 years now and has no intention of depriving devotees of the perfect combo of wine and jazz anytime soon!

Another interesting event that takes place in April is Grape Day. This informative conference takes an in-depth look at the latest in viticulture and is mostly aimed at winemakers and winery and vineyard owners and managers – but appassionatos are also welcome to come learn more about what goes into creating the object of their affection.

And it just keeps getting better! May is usually the lucky month chosen to host the much-loved Temecula Wine and Music Festival – a not-to-be-missed opportunity to see some of the hottest pop stars and jazz greats, Grammy nominees and raising stars, all while enjoying award winning wines and delicious local treats. The Temecula Wine Festival is sponsored by Michael Paulo owner of Apaulo Productions, and proceeds go to ‘All From The Heart’ for military families and wounded soldiers, so in addition to enjoying great music, wine and food, you can enjoy knowing that you are supporting a good cause!

One of the Temecula Valley’s very favorite festivals welcomes visitors in the sun-kissed month of June. The Temecula Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival is one the whole family will enjoy, not only because the sight of multicolored hot air balloons filling the bright blue Southern California sky is something that will delight young and old, but also for the lineup of events during the festival. There is a separate funzone for kids 14 and under that will keep them playing and laughing for hours on end with a petting zoo, facepainting, bouncy houses, a kid-sized climbing wall and more, not to mention the great music at the festival (we know kids love to boogie) and the adventure-ready shores of Lake Skinner – what more could a kid ask for on a warm summer day? While the balloons take center-stage overhead, down on terra firma the star of the show is undoubtedly  the wine, which can be found not only in booths near the main stage, but also in a dedicated wine-garden. The food court leaves nothing to chance and you’ll be sorry you packed a lunch once the tempting aromas of Greek, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and other dishes and ingredients start to fill the air. There are plenty of tickets so don’t worry about getting left out, you can pick them up at the entrance to the festival or at a variety of places around town.

September is truly a month dedicated to wine, a time when the whole valley gets caught up in the emotion of the harvest and all that it represents to farmers, winemakers and wine lovers – so for Wine Month Temecula wineries naturally offer a variety of great little events! Will you pick up a Wine Month Passport for you and a friend – you should, it allows you to visit 5 participating wineries for a full sampling at a low, discounted price. Or perhaps you’ll opt to surprise the love of your life with a romantic Stay and Sip package, which includes two California Wine Month Passports, an overnight stay in a deluxe villa at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, a bottle of wine in waiting for you in your room, a welcome gift, two free tasting flights at South Coast Winery and a Passport Discount Booklet. Worth checking out, no? Many wineries, including South Coast Winery, Mount Palomar Winery, Ponte Winery, Callaway Vineyards, Wilson Creek and Lorimar Winery also celebrate Wine Month in the traditional manner – trim your toenails and get your feet ready for viewing before heading to one of these wineries for a fun day of grape stomping, wine sampling, tasty food, hayrides and music! There is plenty more going on in September, take a look at our Events Calendar for a full listing, or subscribe to our newsletter – Tales of Temecula – to be kept abreast of all that’s happening.

Although the harvest gets going in September, it doesn’t end in September and the festivities keep pace until the last of the grapes are picked, stomped and lovingly stored in the waiting barrels to begin their metamorphosis into the beloved final product: wine. In fact, many wineries host grape stomps throughout October and then, in November, you’re invited to the gran finale, the two-day Harvest Celebration!

That’s just a taste of what Temecula offers throughout the year, there are so many smaller events that, although they all deserve mention, to list them all here would be overwhelming, no worries though, you can keep up to date with what’s coming just by checking out our Events Calendar or subscribing to our newsletter, Tales of Temecula, because best-temecula-guide.com knows what’s going on and wants to make sure you do too!

Upcoming Events

Blessing of the Vineyard and BBQ at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. April 10th at 4pm.  For those of you who had the time of your life at the Blessing of the Wines Celebration last fall, stop what you’re doing and reserve your place today at this annual spring celebration. Guests take the processional tour through the vineyards for the official blessing, while the chefs fire up the barbecue and live entertainment heats things up even more. Dine, dance, and delight in life—South Coast Style, of course. 951-587-9463  .

Easter Celebrations in Temecula Wine Country
Many of our member wineries are offering Easter Brunch Celebrations.  Whether you’re looking for a Champagne Brunch, a gourmet buffet or even the Easter Bunny, the Temecula wineries are offering celebrations for everyone to enjoy.