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 10, 2008

Dan-o
GV – a 2 part QOTD, that is like giving homework assignments.
OK show, I don’t know much about the Temecula region. I do not like the sugar bombs, although my wife does.

QOTD 1 – football prediction – Jets in a romp! (note date of comment)
QOTD 2 – as said above, don’t know the region
November 10, 2008

Little Jonny H
Nice show from a completely unknown region in California. To be honest, I didn’t know they existed!

QOTD: Well, since it’s monday, I guess I’ll have to pick tonight’s game: SF-20, AZ-27
November 10, 2008

Davey
Thanks for the Temecula post! I live about an hour away, but because I know nothing of these wines (or the region), I never ventured out there. The sauvignon blanc is a nice surprise. Maybe a road trip is in order.
November 10, 2008

Ilse
it’s very worthy of you to spend attention to less known wine regions…if I see some of the comments (same line as your remarks during the video), I feared for the worst. I visited a number of smaller wineries in California years ago and they all seemed more proud of the parties they had organized on the premises (even between the barrels, wonderful for the temperature control!) than of their wines…in comparison to wineries of similar scale in Europe, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand (when on holidays, I always try to visit a couple of wineries), as far as I can tell, the Californean lacked behind in “seriousness” about their products…it’s only positive if this is changing now.
November 10, 2008

Jeff "SoCalinMotion" Crace
Man where’s my props for getting these wines to Gary!!! btw I agree that TV wines are over priced. But as everyone has mentioned they tend to stay local…doing alot of tours wedding etc so they can charge that much I guess.
November 10, 2008

chris
How about Grenache? There was a label Grenache Village a while back – OUTSTANDING (aka yum *#!@! yum)

great video! Hope this inspired Temecula to revamp their brand.
November 10, 2008

Scott Breffle
Gary, I was glad to see you take a look at some of the wines in this forgotten region. This area is a short drive from my home areas of Orange County and San Diego.

With many wineries focussing on day-tripping tourism and hosting weddings as the primary revenue stream, I think Temecula has gotten itself into an unfortunate self-perpetuating cycle: the wines get less care and attention, so the wineries focus ever more on tourism to make money, and the cycle repeats.

That said, I there are still some good wines made there. A good bet to find them is to focus on the wineries that dont tout wedding hostring on theier web sites . Leonesse Cellars and Stuart Cellars come to mind.
November 10, 2008

Nathan H
score prediction: Nathan 37 NYJ 3
November 10, 2008

Chris Rufkahr
NOT COOL! I didn’t mind if your Jets beat my Rams, but that was not necessary at all. You guys are mean!

I still think you’re hot, GaryVee!!!!!
November 10, 2008

Scottie P
I have a bad taste in my mouth for Temecula in general, because a slimy competitor of mine is based there. But, wine is wine. And I’ll certainly give it a shot.
QOTD: Even though it’s Monday now, I would’ve picked my Vikings to beat the Packers anyway. Thankfully they eeked out a win due to “All Day” AP.
November 10, 2008

Steve O
Frankly – Temecula wines suck! Overpriced, bad and for some reason they try to produce every varietal known to man ? ? ? I went to a wedding at South Coast Winery one recent weekend and they were charging 14 $ a glass to the bride and groom for VINEGAR. That region needs some focus but that is just my opinion.
November 10, 2008

late-start
Thanks for the interesting episode; especially as I just returned from a west coast trip where I spent a few midweek days in Temecula. It was a nice place to relax and taste a few wines. I agree with most of the comments that there are some good wines to be found, but substantially overpriced. That being said it does have potential to improve but will take a real effort from the wineries to initiate change.
November 10, 2008

GD
A Temecula show! Great! I was visiting Temecula last summer while on vacation in the US. We visited one of the local wineries there. Our impressions were quite similiar to yours on the show, very fruity wines, but often with high residual sugar. Too much sugar for my taste. But then we only visited a single winery, so I can’t say if that’s a common thing for Temecula wines.

Gary, when will you have a Sauvignon Blanc from Austria (Styria) on the show? Time to present some alternatives to the SBs from California and New Zealand.
November 10, 2008

David Siteman Garland
Gary,

My poor Rams yesterday

I haven’t been this embarrassed since….well you get the idea.

Keep bring the damn thunder.

(whoops on my last comment, typed in someone incorrectly!)
November 10, 2008

Susan
Gary, I HAVE to say CONGRATULATIONS to the BIGGEST JET FAN ever!!!!!!! What a blowout!!!!
November 10, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD 1: I know you hate it, but since they already played- PATS BABY!
QOTD 2: NEVER had a Temecula wine and it’s one of the closest wine regions to my current home… I need to fix that. SOON!
November 10, 2008

J Crazy
Weekend has passes so no prediction. I will predict, however, that you will do a show with Beau from True Sake in San Fransisco very sooner than much later.

Temecula is rockin’ and rollin’. I’ve had the Hart before and was pleased in my mouth but not in my wallet.
November 10, 2008

Ray Barnes
Belated QOTD..First of all congratulations Gary on a most convincing Jets victory. This weekend now sets up a crucial game this Thursday with your favourite football team against my favourite and likely your most hated team. I truly wish this game was being played next Sunday, since I fear both teams will not be fully rested. I expect both quarterbacks to do better this time than when they met in week 2. I expect the game to be close and am hoping for a Patriots win by 7 points, but would not be the least bit surprised if the Jets win this time around. The AFC East division in my view, unlike prior years, does not have a dominant team now. Good luck to the Jets on Thursday, and may the best team win.
November 10, 2008

RobT
G,

Kurt Warner’s gonna light up Martz on Monday night — 2 for Boldin, 2 for Fitz, and a dash of Hightower in garbage time. Niners D will hang in the first half, but Shaun Hill ’s debut will be… “eh”. Aside from Gore TD or two, Arizona 38, San Fran 20

Temecula… where the 215 & 15 meet?

PS. Nice graphic design blast (!)
November 10, 2008

Jason Schermerhorn
Hi Gary!
It is great that you are trying some Temecula wines. We recently PCSed (permanent change of station) in the US Marine Corps, from Virginia to California. I am stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. Like many Marines who chose not to live in Oceanside, we decided to settle in Temecula. Temecula is a great little city of about 100,000 people. We absolutely love it here. I have been a fan for about a year, but until we moved here, I’d never heard of Temecula, muchless that it was a wine region. Now that we’re here, a lot of people seem to visit, as it is much closer to San Diego and Los Angeles than Napa is – and the wines have gotten some acclaim, but as you mention in your show – there is no cohesive organization that does even a half decent job of marketing the region. Nonetheless there is steady business for the many beautiful wineries here, and a lot of anticipation that the region is going to explode as a wine mecca over the next 10 years or so.
Thanks as always for bringing attention to regions and wines that are oft overlooked. We’ve meant to start visiting all the local wineries, but now I think we’re inspired to stop procrastinating and go out and do it. Will let you know if we find something else we think worth your while.
Semper Fi,
Jason Schermerhorn
November 9, 2008

Mik991
Throw that Jets win in your Rams friend’s face.
November 9, 2008

Rick W.
I have lived in the Temecula Valley for 20 years and still think there red wines are 75 to 85 points at best. Wiens Winery makes the best reds in the valley. It’s still fun to go wine tasting just a few minutes from the house, but I wish I lived in Napa Valley!!! Jets 47 Rams 3 (I cheated)
November 9, 2008

Shawn_944
Good Show, i will admit it never heard of the region and it is now to late to make a prediction as the game is over…
November 9, 2008

HuskerJamie
QOTD: Jet 80 Rams 0
November 9, 2008

Theresa
Gary – just came across this webisode on Temecula! Glad to see you reviewing. I lived in Laguna Beach for a couple of years and went out there a few times. I really enjoyed Hart and also another vineyard, Stuart Cellars. Next time, you should give Stuart a try!