A Temecula Wine Tasting

A Temecula Wine Tasting – Episode #573

November 7, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 3 wines from the emerging Temecula region of Southern California.

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Comments on this episode(145) Leave a comment ›

“We’ve lived in Temecula since 1996 and moved to Temecula Wine Country …” by Kirk from Temecula
“Just came back from my second trip to Temecula today, so I dialed this…” by G
View all 145 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Keyways Sauvignon Blanc
2005 Hart Family Meritage
2005 Thorton Estate Syrah

145 Responses

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November 9, 2008

David Dadekian
QOTD: I know nothing about football and maybe just a little less about Temecula.
November 9, 2008

joeinla
Leonesse is pretty DAMN goood is what I meant to say!
November 9, 2008

joeinla
Leonesse is pretty dany good and was a shocking surprise for me, a Napa and Tuscan wine fan…!
November 9, 2008

Kent
Gary, I think you underrated the Keyways Sauvignon Blanc. It’s one of only maybe 4 or 5 wines you’ve tasted on Wine library TV that I’ve actually had before. In all of the past instances I agreed with your assessments and ratings, but not this time my friend. I absolutely loved it when I tried it. It was pretty spectacular to me; big honey, a little bit of a sour apple flavor going on, and nobody else agreed with me on this aspect of it but I was tasting a bit of garlic as well. That may seem peculiar in a wine but I went absolutely crazy for it. I’d give it a 92 or 93 instead of a 87. And that’s remarkable because I usually don’t like white wine whatsoever.
November 8, 2008

Andy
QOTD—- Carolina Panthers 35 Oakland Raiders 10
Never had a Temecula wine G
November 8, 2008

Susan
Gary, Praying & hoping that The NY JETS will win tomorrow……………………..
November 8, 2008

Ray Barnes
Postscript to my football prediction yesterday, being a “rational” BC Lions season’s ticket holder:

yesterday’s prediction: Lions lose to the Saskatchewan Roughriders by 14 points. A team playing home games indoors going to the Canadian prairies with frigid conditions forecast.

today’s result: weather at 32F no wind chill. ideal conditions for November. BC Lions 33, Roughriders 12. I’m extremely pleasantly dissapointed. Time for a drink. This was also the first round of the playoffs in Canada.

Advance prediction for next weekend: BC Lions visit Calgary Stampeders and lose to the Stamps by 14 points. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. :-;
November 8, 2008

Riche
My 2 boys visted Temecula this past spring and found the wines just okay to the the price points, so Gary it appears you seconf that opinion.

QOTD:
Jets 23
Rams Suck
November 8, 2008

Bill Carter
Have been to Temecula many times and agree that the wines are way overpriced. Had some decent white wines but have yet to find a drinkable red. Barefoot makes better reds for 6 bones. That being said, tasting there is great fun. It can get very crowded if the weather is good.

QOTD, Da Bears in an upset over Titans. Not a big NFL guy. Far prefer college football.
November 8, 2008

Susan
Gary – HATE to break this to you…………………………I have been doing good things for MANY years…………………………..
November 8, 2008

BobbyTiger
Didn’t Lon Chaney star in Temecula?
Football?
November 8, 2008

Kenny Hyder
QOTD: Just went tasting in Temecula last month.. I had the same thoughts, some decent wine, but nothing spectacular to write home about…
November 8, 2008

Willem
Great to get feedback from you on Temecula.

You are right about them not marketing themselves as a region…what gives?

One to look out for particularly is Leonesse Cellars – They are not on the main strip! They are on the De Portola Wine Trail (Same road as Keyways) The guys farm about 400 acres of vineyard in the area. Starts in the Vinyeard!
(Gary, you might even find a ninety in there somewhere) Pricey, but worth it!
OHHHH – Great looking place too! leonessecellars.com
November 8, 2008

Mikey Schotts
WOW a Temecula Episone!!! I’ve waited 375 episodes for this one!…………………………. Looks like omeone in Temecula made you MAAAAAAAAAAAAAd!!! It wasn’t the traditional Gary on the screen today, it was an angry man . . . . . . Anyway, It was great to see your thoughts on Temecula because I live 45 minutes from there. Its the closest area to my house. Loved the episode!

Mikey Schotts
November 8, 2008

Benson from Temecula
I live in Temecula and have for the past 11 years. The region has grown and matured, partly due to an influx of new wine makers buying up land and planting vineyards over the past several years. Gary hit the nail on the head relative to the marketing of Temecula Valley; it sucks (including the labels). That said, very comfortable place to visit, taste wines, and spend time with friends and family.

Some up-and-coming wineries are Ponte, South Coast, and Stuart Cellars. Hart, Keyways, and Thornton have been around a long time. Ponte and South Coast have really built fantastic properties with the winery, restaurants and lodging. So, no question – the area is growing up, particularly from a tourist standpoint.

I, too, haven’t been happy with TV wines over the years. As a result, I’m now making my own juice with the Winepod. Growing grapes too (Peachy Canyon cab vines from Paso Robles). So far, so good.

Gary – Ever thought about doing a Winepod tasting? Get a few of the home-winemakers out there to subject their juice to your rigorous analysis? Could be fun. Talk to those Winepod folks (or they should be talking to you!).

Great show and website. Big fan.
November 8, 2008

Joe
Great show, I’ve been waiting for a Temecula show for a while since i live in Murrieta, 10 mins from Temecula. Gary you are right on about the labels. They are horrible. There was one out here with a black label and a huge red lipstick print on it, not good.

The wines are getting better though, little by little. If you ever make it out there, try Leonesse, they are right past Keyways. So far they have impressed me the most. I also like Wiens.
November 8, 2008

neutron212
QOTD:Temecula donr know anything about it il give it a go we shall see. as far a football buffalo is playing New England as well have all been seeing the bills have been imploding with no coverage over the middle the bills are a getting 3pts with the spread but im going NE 27 BUF 17
November 8, 2008

Rowland
hahaha, thank you, as soon as i saw those 2 first bottles, i was like, wow those labels suck!

dude get with it, anything that was $18 in 1999 has got to be at least $30 now.

uuuuuuh i got no thunder today.
November 8, 2008

Matt
Hey!

Been watching for a long time, first time leaving a comment (I know…lurker…). Nice episode. When are you going to do some Canadian wines?? I am from the Niagara Region from Southern Ontario which over the last 10 years has really been growing. Niagara wines are a big part of any wine retailer in my area, so I would love to see you do some wines from here.

Thanks,
~Matt
November 8, 2008

DC Devil
Southeast coast of California, Gary? Would you like to buy some beachfront property in Arizona?
November 8, 2008

Arnie the one man party
Gary!
I remember you mentioning Temecula a few times in other shows and I got excited to see that this episode was on Temecula wines when I got the email. Temecula is not too far from me (Palm Springs.. spreading The Thunder hear baby!) and I’ve been to a few tastings over there before going to my parent’s house in San Diego. I really liked the reserves from South Coast winery which I think has won many medals. You should check them out.

I also just wanted to mention that ever since being inspired by you and your show, every 2 months or so I have been getting my friends and relatives together for some great food and tasting many wines to expand their palate. More and more of my circle of people now have an appreciation for wine and a different outlook on it. Instead of drinking the same old bud light, miller lite, corona, etc. just to get a buzz, I have been getting calls from them asking what wine or beer I would recommend they try with their food or for a date. And I tell them the same thing you say because I totally agree with it.. To try something new. But if they are on a date or something, I’ll of course recommend an entry level kind of wine. You should come and visit Palm Springs some time!

I have been over estimating my Chargers every week. So I’m gonna say Chargers 30, Chiefs 24.
November 8, 2008

SurfCityJay
Been to Temecula numerous times over the years, actually, just 3-4 weeks ago… Always felt that for the most part, they are very overpriced… And I agree about the labeling… cartoonish,,, in a bad way…

QOTD 1: Carolina 31, my Ray-Duhs 3

QOTD 2: Maybe you could try some other Temecula wineries to see how they fare… Mt. Palomar, Callaway and Baily…
November 8, 2008

Christine
Gary, thanks for doing a show on Temecula. Living in San Diego, Temecula wine tasting makes a nice day outing every once in a while. Although I’ve been tasting there many times, I haven’t found many wines I really appreciate from that area, with the exception of Stuart Cellars’ wines. It’s unfortunate that the prices per bottle are so high.

QOTD: no clue about football, sorry.
November 8, 2008

Garry M.
So what you are telling us is that these wines
are well made but as with most California small production wines
these days, overpriced.
I can match this performance for $15 everyday.

I am from Cincinnati and the Bengals will lose.
I think they have a by this week but they will find a way to lose.
November 8, 2008

SoCalDaveL FROM TEMECULA
Kudos for bringing Temecula wines to the table. Quick correction though… Temecula is NOT in the South East Coast of California (there is NO Southeast Coast). It’s located inland a bit about 55 miles north of San Diego.

There are over 22+ wineries in Temecula and it does get quite a lot of tourist attraction with Thornton typically being one of the busiest (as it’s the first one you come to on Rancho California Rd). The wines are absolutely overpriced, but there are certainly some good finds.

Temecula is a valley and as such, gets very warm (hot in the summers) days and very cool nights which the grapes love. It’s also based just beyond a ridge in the mountains and because of that it gets the cool breeze from the Pacific Ocean in the late afternoons. All of the wineries here attribute this weather to the grape growing climate.