Adobe Hill Winery’s striking cornflower blue tasting room sits at the center of 85 acres of rolling hills in nearby Fallbrook. We visited on the last day of January, so the vines were bare, but the setting was still green thanks to late December rains. Sheep were roaming about, “mowing” the growth between the vines, small groups of guests were lingering over tastings on the outdoor patio, and a food vendor was busy serving up tacos next to a bocce ball court. A small windmill, spinning in the breeze, completed the pastoral scene.
About Adobe Hill Winery
The San Luis Rey AVA in nearby Fallbrook is just two exits south of Temecula on Highway 15. It’s a beautiful town of winding roads and rolling hills, with farms, homes, and a few wineries — an area more known for its avocado farm than wine. But, thanks to its new officially designated AVA, and the introduction of some gorgeous new tasting rooms, that is slowly starting to change. The region had its first wine festival last year at Daily Blooms Lavender Farm, with 6 wineries participating, and there is a dedicated Fallbrook winery tour company.
Adobe Hill Winery, in its current incarnation, opened its doors in 2024. It’s a family-run operation that practices regenerative and organic farming. In fact, the whole place is operated by just 7 individuals. Husband and wife team Vickie Landig-Merrick and Gordon Merrick initially purchased a 5-acre plot in Fallbrook in 2016 that had an adobe house at the top of the hill. There, they planted their first few thousand vines — Bordeaux varieties — with help from friends., and their son Jason, an environmental engineer, learned winemaking under the tutelage of Temecula winemaker Renato Sais. When the family decided to purchase the larger plot of land in 2020, they enlisted Jason’s partner, Camry Roth, to help design the public space.
The Experience
The tasting room exterior has a modern barn design, but inside, there is a retro-cool vibe. The tasting bar is a straight shot from the entry, but off to the side is a low-slung mid-century lounge where a cluster of glass pendant lights dangle low overhead. There’s even a record player and vinyl albums perched on a nearby credenza. Glass windows peers into the adjacent barrel room, and garage-style doors open out onto a patio for a seamless indoor-outdoor tasting experience. You’d never guess that just a few years ago they were pouring wine out of a converted horse trailer.
Outside, umbrella tables, chairs, and one or two fire pits line the edge of the patio and overlook the vineyard. A dog-friendly terraced lawn angles toward a small pond, which is home to several rescue turtles. Food trucks make appearances on Saturdays and Sundays, and in the summer, musicians perform on Friday evenings.
The Wine
My group met up with Vickie near the vineyard while we were unabashedly taking photos of the grazing sheep. She told us how they spent considerable time researching varieties that would grow well in new vineyard, eventually settling on Italian styles. They learned a few hard lessons along the way, having to rip out a vineyard of Nebbiolo that died at the very first frost. But they’ve since had success with other varieties, and their current estate vineyard is thriving with Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Teroldego, Montepulciano, and Arneis. These plantings are still new, and the whites are currently the only bottled Italian varieties.
On the patio, tastings are served by the flight. At the time of my visit, we had a choice of either a mostly red flight made up of their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bordeaux blend called Fusionne, and a Rosé of Cab and Merlot, or a more mixed flight of Pinot Grigio, the same Rosé and Fusionne, and a Muscat. Given the young age of the vines, the wines were impressive. Each one was thoughtfully made and very drinkable. My group agreed that the 2020 Fusionne was the most interesting and flavorful of the reds. It had a nice balance of dark fruit and peppery fennel. We were also all delighted by the lightly sweet 2022 Muscat, with flavors of pear and melon. Our server told us that the Muscat also makes a terrific base for a summer spritzer. Sounds like an excellent idea to me.
Visit
Adobe Hill Winery offers tastings, glasses, and bottles, with no appointments needed for parties of 6 or fewer. The winery is family and dog-on-a-leash-friendly. They are open Wednesday through Sunday and outside food is welcome. If you plan to make a day of Fallbrook wine tasting, Fallbrook Winery is the next closest public winery, and Monserate Winery is a great choice for lunch.
