Bottaia Winery: A Taste of Italy in Temecula with a View to Match

With Bottaia Winery’s sky-high ceilings and sweeping views, the setting alone is an experience not to be missed. The concept, as explained by owner Claudio Ponte, is meant to transport visitors to a luxury destination in Northern Italy and act as an escape from the more crowded tasting rooms around the valley. And it is transporting. My husband and I visit regularly, but even so, whenever I step out onto the deck, I feel like I’m on vacation. Relaxed and a world away.

We like to visit on Sundays when there is almost always live music in the late afternoon. Bottaia doesn’t allow tour buses, and all visitors must first check in with tasting room hosts, so the atmosphere can become festive when the outdoor deck is busy, but it never gets overcrowded like some popular wineries in the area.

A host will walk through the gift shop on your way to the outdoor deck.

Winemaker Arnaud Debons crafts beautiful Italian style wines for Bottaia. The full-bodied, dark fruit Aglianico and smooth Montepulciano are at the top of my list and my Sunday afternoon go-to’s. They might have a couple of years of the same varietal, ask for a small taste of each before you commit to a glass, they’re quite different. If the weather is warm and it’s too hot to contemplate a bold red, the Vermentino and Pecorino are a great choices for white wines, as is the Rosé Spumante. The Spumante is lightly fruity, not too sweet, and very refreshing. Bottle prices start at $35.

Wine Tasting Experiences at Bottaia

Now let’s talk about the wine tasting experiences because they offer a few.

The guest deck at Bottaia

The Guest Deck

Visiting the outdoor guest deck used to require a reservation, but it no longer does, making the experience for non-members much simpler. Just check in at the front desk when you arrive. Out on the covered deck, guests have an incredible view of vineyards and valley hills. There’s an outdoor bar where you can order a glass or hand-pick a tasting flight to bring to your table. A light food menu with charcuterie, salads, and small sandwiches is available, and on Friday and Sunday afternoons, Bottaia almost always brings in local musicians to entertain guests out on the deck.

The bar at Bottaia’s pool. They serve wine, beer, cocktails and a light menu.

The pool at Bottaia Winery. Loungers and Cabanas are rentable for the day.

Guests can rent lounge chairs and changing rooms by the day or half day. (Photo by Visit Temecula)

Bottaia’s Seasonal Pool

During summer months, a unique thing to try in wine country is a day pass at The Pool at Bottaia. Guests can reserve a day pass for a pool-side lounger or cabana and have a glass of wine, beer, or even a cocktail from their full bar delivered while you take in the scene. Pool guests can also take advantage of the Pool Cafe’s dining menu, which has a few more options than the winery food menu with light fare such as salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and tacos.

Kicking off our charcuterie and wine pairing tour at Bottaia. There is a room dedicated to the experience.

Seated Charcuterie Pairing and Wine Tasting

My husband and I took our small wedding party to the Seated Charcuterie Pairing and Wine Tasting after our rehearsal. They have a special tasting room with floor-to-ceiling windows set aside just for this experience. The pairing includes five wine tastings to accompany your pre-selected individual charcuterie board. A trained server guides guests through the experience. This is a casual, friendly affair, and a great way to get a true sense of how a wine might taste if you brought it home and served it with food. $72 per person at the time of writing. Reservations required.

Inside Bottaia’s wine blending lab. All the tools required to blend your own bottle.

The Wine Blending Lab

For a literal hands-on experience, make a reservation for Bottaia’s Wine Blending Lab and go home with your own hand-crafted blend. We were fortunate to try this for a friend’s birthday celebration and it was such a fun time. As winemaker for a day, you’ll first learn a little bit about the qualities of wine that winemakers think about when blending, like acidity, fruit, spice, tannins, body, sweetness. You’ll then work on blending a glass to your taste, which gets scaled up to a full bottle once you’re happy with your creation. There are even markers available for you to design your own label. The hard part is waiting a year to taste your creation. $135 per guest. Reservations required.

Whether you’re sipping a bold red or crisp white on the deck, blending your own wine in the lab, or simply relaxing by the pool, Bottaia Winery offers something special for everyone. Each visit feels like a mini-vacation, a chance to unwind and sample some of the best of Italian-style wines in Temecula. Cheers to that!

35601 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA 92591
www.bottaiawinery.com

Find more upscale Temecula wineries like Bottaia on our Luxe Escape itinerary.