Is a luxury wine country vacation on your bucket list? For a perfect weekend in Temecula, where someone else takes the reins and plans every aspect of the trip, get in touch with Sue Reyes from Tour del Vino. This is exactly the kind of getaway she specializes in. All you need to do is literally go along for the ride.
Originally from Los Angeles, Tour del Vino has been operating in Temecula since 2017, creating elevated, unique-to-you wine country experiences complete with luxury transportation. Over the years, Sue and her husband Rich have built a robust network of restauranteurs, wineries, sommeliers, hoteliers, and other vendors with whom they partner to bring their vision to life. A client might call Tour del Vino and describe exactly where they want to go, and Sue works with her partners to make it happen; or, they may request assistance designing a special day, and Sue will dream up the perfect escape.
I was looking for a unique mid-week staycation and asked Sue to help plan a romantic day out for my husband Dan and me. We wanted a little something more than a day of standing at wine bars. Sue and I talked about the kind of places that Dan and I enjoy, then she crafted our custom itinerary. Acting as our concierge, she meticulously planned and booked each experience for us. The itinerary included some of our favorite spots as well as a few places we had never been to before. And at each stop, she arranged special experiences that added a touch of surprise and delight to even the familiar places.
Our Tour del Vino Itinerary:
Morning Pickup at Domaine Chardonnay
Sue picked us up in a gleaming GMC Denali as we were finishing breakfast at Domaine Chardonnay, a French chateau-style bed and breakfast in the center of Temecula wine country. Proprietor Laura Stern is a regular vendor for Tour del Vino, so they coordinated the timing of our vineyard view breakfast and tour pickup time perfectly without any involvement from me. When Dan and I climbed into the spotless black leather seats, we found bottles of water waiting for us and screens displaying gorgeous imagery of wine country.
Quick sidebar: Domaine Chardonnay is a gorgeous spot if you are looking for a luxury hideaway. They have three suites, each with its own entrance and private outdoor seating area—and that breakfast of fresh and tender homemade crepes was incredible. See my write-up about the hotel here.
Stop 1 – ATV Vineyard Tour at Danza Del Sol Winery
At Danza del Sol Winery, we were scheduled for a Grapes & Gears: ATV Vineyard Tour. Sue escorted us into the tasting room where we were welcomed by Executive Director, Walter Carter, who would be our personal tour guide for the morning. He started us off with a pour of Danza’s NV Espumosa, an off-dry sparkling cuvée, then off we went into the vines.
This particular vineyard tour is one of best experiences in the valley. As we drove through vineyards of Orange Muscat, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, Walter touched on a little history of the vineyard. We paused by gorgeous, gnarly old Sauvignon Blanc vines that had been planted in 1972 and tasted Danza’s light and fruity 2023 vintage. At the top of “Viognier Hill,” we were treated to a wide-open view of almost the entire Danza estate accompanied by a taste of, you guessed it, 2023 Viognier, one of my favorites of the day.
After our vineyard adventure, we stepped into the members-only lounge for our final tastings of Danza’s subtly strawberry 2023 Rose of Grenache, wonderful dark fruit 2021 Estate Tempranillo, and sweet, easy-drinking Orange Muscat. Walter brought out three elegant small bites of charcuterie and cheese, each designed to perfectly pair with the wines. Near the close of our tasting, Sue appeared briefly to let us know it was almost time to move on, and pulled the SUV up to the bottom of the steps when we were ready to go.
Stop 2 – Olive Oil Tasting at the Olive Plantation
The Olive Plantation is usually only open for tastings on weekends (you’ll see little white signs pointing the way all over the valley), and though we were out on a Wednesday, Sue set up a quick stop for us with owner Lori Fenton. She let us explore her grounds, meet her kitty, then guided us through a quick tasting of her farm’s award-winning olive oil and decadent, flavor-infused balsamic vinegars. The olive oil is so rich and fresh, it would be perfect for drizzling over salads or dipping breads. And it also makes a terrific local gift to bring friends. I can’t wait to try the farm’s sweet peach vinegar drizzled over a good vanilla ice cream, but since I’m speaking of dessert, it’s time to move on to stop 3.
Stop 3 – Chocolate Cake Wine Pairing at Voux Wines
Dan and I truly enjoyed our tasting at Voux Wines’ exclusive clubhouse earlier this year and were excited to return. Especially since owner and winemaker Chad Hughes recently released his first Grenache rosé: 2024 Lilly Dry Rosé. Sue added a chocolate cake pairing to our tasting, so we spent the afternoon poolside, sipping organically grown Rosé and Petit Sirah between forkfuls of homemade chocolate cake. I had told her that my husband has a sweet tooth, and this was a really nice touch. It’s creating these kinds of delightful moments that Sue genuinely enjoys planning for her guests.
Stop 4 – Small Plates and Wine Pairing at Corbeaux Wine & Tea House
Dan and I have dined at Corbeaux Wine and Tea House on a few occasions and were already big fans. I’m completely smitten with the chic vibe owner Regan Schneider has created and the chef’s always-creative seasonal small plates. As soon as Sue suggested it, I knew she understood me. We were delighted once again on this visit by the appearance of Sous-Chef Ite and team who stopped by our table to describe the dishes and personally deliver each course. The kitchen even prepared a couple of off-menu items just for us. And when I half-jokingly mentioned that my husband is not always the best at sharing desserts, they adorably divided our decadent butter cake onto separate plates—no fighting over that last bite of kettle corn ice cream this time!
Sue clearly takes pride collaborating with her vendors to create these one-of-a-kind adventures. It’s this level of service that sets Tour del Vino apart from the sea of public tours in the valley. At each location, she took charge of our purchases, storing them safely, and made sure that we arrived at our appointment on schedule. Sue also subtly checked in at each stop to make sure things were going smoothly and offered to take photos, though we barely noticed it happening, like an invisible puppet master ensuring each moment went off without a hitch. For Dan and me, it was a completely worry-free and effortless day out, and the whole day we were made to feel like VIPs. We’ll remember this special outing for a long time to come.
Tour del Vino offers customized experiences for groups of all sizes. They have luxury SUVs that can seat up to six guests, as well as luxury sprinter vans and full-size coaches for larger groups. Even corporate group outings can be completely customized. Tour del Vino will pick up guests from anywhere in Southern California, like hotels or residences in San Diego or Palm Springs, to enjoy a luxurious tour of wine country.
