San Diego

[TheEngineer]

Heading to San Diego next week and hoping to hit a few wineries in the Temecula area. Looking for some recommendations. Any good ones that I should be looking out for? Just going for a day before going back to SF.

[Innkeeper]

Here's hoping Verne has your number.

[dananne]

Can't help you with wineries, but there's a dandy shop in SD called Vintage Wines.

[winoweenie]

Sorry Eng but I've only tried the wineries in Temecula once and found them to my taste lacking as they mostly make SWs'. John at Vintage wines has a super store and is a friend of mine. He's opened a snack bar now. He's located at 6904 Miramar Rd., ph 858-549-2112. Great products at great pricing. WW

[TheEngineer]

Thanks much guys! I remember reading that you guys go to vintage wines and I'll head out there myself. If I do end up at any wineries, I'll let you guys know what I think!

[Kcwhippet]

Well, I've been three times in the past 17 years and I wasn't terribly impressed the first time. I was really hoping they would make some significant improvement over the years, but the last time I went two years ago, I was quite disappointed. The only two of the about 20 wineries there that I'd receommend are Mount Palomar and Hart. The rest just weren't there for me, and to make matters worse, they all charge a tasting fee now!! How arrogant!!

[Innkeeper]

If you do make to out to Temucula recommend Mt Palomar. They make nice reds including a very nice Meritage that was less than $20 last time I checked. Incidentally we took Lizardbrains out there when she lived in Oceanside, and now she and family live there!



[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 02-19-2006).]

[TheEngineer]

Thanks...looks like focus (one winery and one outstanding wine shop)!! maybe this will give me time to take a quick jaunt back into Lajolla [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[wondersofwine]

For a splurge evening in La Jolla I recommend Tapenade Restaurant. The food, wine and service were all excellent! (It's not a pretentious-looking place but they really know how to treat the customers).

[TheEngineer]

Thanks on the dinner recommendations. Gonna hafta keep that in my back pocket this tme cuz I'm hosting a dinner for a bunch of sales guys and they've already picked the place and posted my credit card as hostage there....and I don't even know where it is.....

[Oenotheque]

Ahhh San Diego, Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina...whoa snap out of it Burgundy. Anyways, I have a friend who swears by Mount Palomar Cloudbreak. As someone else mentioned I believe the winery is in the San Diego area.

[Bucko]

I'm singing the same song -- I wouldn't drink anything out of Temecula except Hart. I'll admit a bit of bias since I know and judge with Joe, but he is truly doing the best from the area IMHO, and that is still less than optimal.

[TheEngineer]

I went though a umm....large number of them and I would agree, Mt Palomar and Hart (just down the street) were far and away better than the rest. I also kinda liked Stuart (across the street from Palomar) Staff at both these locations also thought that Oak Mountain (name is not promising) and Leonesse were also decent. Some were plain aweful.

Also went to Maurice Carrie (avoid), Van Roekel (avoid and also associated with MC), Falkner, South Coast (nothing special), Ponte (too expensive for mediocure product). After that...stopped and drove back to SD with feeling that I should've just stayed in at Vintage Wines.

[winoweenie]

Tried to warn youse ENG! WW

[Kcwhippet]

Consensus appears to be that Hart and Mount Palomar are the only two wineries worth the trip to Temecula. Seems like a waste of gas and time if that's all there is there.

[TheEngineer]

WW Yeah I should've listened and not gone....still it was a nice break from the daily doldrums of work.....still better than having to have dinner with my business dinner group, pretend to enjoy it, and then get delayed on a flight to SF. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[lizardbrains]

Oops, sorry I wasn't here to respond in time for your trip! I keep taking these wine-sebaticals due to having babies!!!

I will have to try Hart & Mt. Palomar. I have heard good things about Hart. I haven't had a chance to try all the wineries here... though that would be a fun goal!

I recently tasted at Van Roekel and Falkner. VR wasn't as great as I had remembered it from my trip with IK and his lovely wife. I did like their Gewurztraminer and Pinot Grigio. I thought their reds were too dry.

I liked Falkner, and actually ended up joining their wine club - I liked every one of their whites (varied from good to great), and most of their reds, so I figure I ought to be pleased with my wine shipments from them.

I'm boycotting South Coast because John, the winemaker, was quite rude to me! I think their wines are okay.

I've heard good things about Stuart Cellars - I ought to go there sometime.

Though everyone I meet around here seems to love Ponte, I really don't understand it. I don't like their wines at all. There are a couple that are okay, but overall they don't impress me. And they recently offended me as well (with their military discount only being for the active duty ID, not for dependants), but whatever. And they charge TEN DOLLARS for a tasting! Yikes!

Maurice Carrie is known to be the crap-wine of this area. At least they give a free tasting (seems to be the only one that does now!).

I've never heard of Oak Mountain.

I just cancelled my membership at Leonesse, as I've realized I don't like ANY of their wines. A friend of mine says Leonesse (as well as Foote Print) are the two best wineries in the valley right now... I disagree (though I haven't been to Foote Print).

I used to like Keyways, but now it's been sold and the owner has opened his own called Frangipani Estate. I'm hoping Frangipani Estate ends up being good, b/c I liked it when Don Frangipani had Keyways a year and a half ago.

-Elizabeth