Sparkling Wine Itinerary: Spend the Weekend Sipping the Best Bubbly in Temecula
Updated:
Follow @twodaysintemecula
Is there anything better than an entire weekend sipping bubbly, dining at the area’s best restaurants, and taking in the vineyard views? I’ve discovered a lot of terrific sparkling wine in Temecula in the last year, and this itinerary is designed to show it off— and give you a few options. From traditional method sparkling wine and Cava to effervescent Pet Nat to Prosecco straight from the Treviso DOC in Italy, this valley has something for everyone.
Sparkling Itinerary
at a Glance
Dining
Mercato di Vienza at Europa Village
Two Travelers Wine Bar
Cafe Champagne at Thornton
Corbeaux Wine & Tea House
Leoness Cellars
Wine Tasting
Vienza at Europa Village
Raúl Ramirez Winery
Carter Estate Wines
Thornton Winery
Uys Wines
Friday Afternoon
Prosecco and Lunch at Europa Village’s Vienza
Kick off your weekend with a casual lunch and bubbly at Europa Village. It’s a grand estate that’s home to three tasting rooms, each inspired by a different part of Europe. Make your way up the stairs to the Tuscan-style Vienza tasting room and ask for a glass or bottle of their NV Prosecco, imported straight from the DOC area in Treviso, Italy. Directly below the tasting room is a delightful Italian market where you can enjoy made-to-order brick oven pizza and other Italian goodies for lunch. 41150 Via Europa, Temecula, CA 92591
Wine Tasting at Raúl Ramirez Winery
If you have time before dinner, head over to Raúl Ramirez Winery for a glass of their Cava made in the traditional method or try a full tasting of their Spanish style wines. Reservations are recommended for their seated tastings, but they’ll always take walk-in guests if there’s room. 32950 Marius Way Winchester, CA, 92596
Dinner in at Two Travelers Wine Bar
In the evening, head into Old Town Temecula for dinner and drinks at Two Travelers Wine Bar. They have a rotating list of wines by the glass and bottles from up and down the coast and across Europe. Some rare finds too. The chef’s focaccia “slabs” are a perennial favorite, as is the chips and dip starter that’s topped with caviar and would pair perfectly with a glass of sparkling, but there are always new and interesting raw fish and seasonal items to try too. Don’t miss the house-made s’mores bar for dessert. 41911 5th St #100, Temecula, CA 92590
Dinner at Corbeaux Wine & Tea House in Old Town Temecula
For dinner, make a reservation at Corbeaux Wine & Tea House in Old Town. Chef Gimeno creates some of the best, if not the best, food in the valley. I recommend his prix fixe dinner, but each dish can be ordered a la carte. Corbeaux owner Regan Schneider is the winemaker at Matin Du Bois Vintners. The wine list offers her own effervescent natural Mourvèdre Piquette and Tempranillo Pét Nat as well as sparkling imports from Champagne and Alsace. 41923 2nd St suite 105, Temecula, CA 92590
Saturday Itinerary
Stop 1: Sparkling Wine Tasting at Carter Estate Winery and Resort
Start your wine tasting adventure with the Méthode Champenoise flight at Carter Estate Winery. You’ll taste 5 quality sparkling wines made from estate-grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris grapes. These are seated tastings but no reservations are required. Find your preferred spot at a table or the bar. 34450 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA 92591
Stop 2: Lunch and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Thornton Winery
For lunch, head down the road to Thornton Winery to dine al fresco at their restaurant Café Champagne. They have terrific sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, plus more elevated chef’s specials to accompany your sparkling flight. Purists should not be put off by the flavored options on the menu. The NV Brut, NV Brut Reserve, NV Brut Rose, and NV Cuvée Rouge are the real deal. Thornton’s winemakers diligently hand-turn bottles on riddling racks straight from the Epernay region of Champagne, France every single day. 32575 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA 92591
Stop 3: Uys Wines or VOUX Wines
If you’re up for a third tasting, make an appointment at Uys Garagiste Winery to try their softly sparkling Pet Nat and other excellent natural wines, or Voux Wines to sit poolside at their private clubhouse and sip traditional method Chardonnay sparkling wine from Paso Robles and other organic estate wines. At either one, you’ll get an intimate experience and an up-close look at their winery operations.
Sunday Brunch
Sunday Brunch at Leoness Cellars
An al fresco brunch feels right with this weekend of indulging, so reserve an outdoor table for the brunch buffet at Leoness Cellars. They have everything from seafood paella to biscuits & gravy to omelets made right before your eyes. There’s a dessert bar too. A little something for everyone, in other words. It’s a beautiful setting on the edge of their vineyard with glorious views of the valley hills. 38311 De Portola Rd, Temecula, CA 92592
Places to Stay
When you book through the “Reserve online” links below, Two Days in Temecula receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. The opinions on this page are entirely our own.
Carter Estate Winery & Resort
The rooms at Carter Estate have a front row to the vineyard, and their tasting room is featured on this itinerary for it’s wonderful, traditional method sparkling wine flight.
Ponte Vineyard Inn
With two wonderful restaurants, a pool, and bar on-site, you could check in and never leave all weekend.
