Europa Village

About EUROPA VILLAGE

Europa Village is a wine resort that sits on 300 acres in Temecula wine country. It encompasses three tasting rooms, a hotel, two restaurants, shops, and several event venues. Conceived out of founder Dan Stephenson’s love of the old country, each of the three wineries is dedicated to a distinct European country: Bolero for Spanish wine, food, cocktails, and music, Vienza for Italian, and C’est la Vie for French. The architecture and design of each venue take on traditional elements of the regions as well. There’s a bit of a Disneyland feel to it all, especially on busy Saturdays when it can be impossible to find a parking spot and visitors queue up at the tasting bar for a glass, but it’s hard not to be won over by the charm and undeniable beauty of the place. On a quieter weekday, it can be absolutely transporting.

Bolero is all white stucco, Spanish tile roofs, wood beamed walkways, and decorated with dramatic artwork of Flamenco dancers, mosaic tiles, and ironwork. It is here where there is an excellent tapas-style restaurant and a small number of hotel rooms or “casitas”. (Europa also operates a small inn that overlooks the resort, but it’s not technically at the resort itself.) A new winemaker, Blake Miller, joined the team two years ago, and tastings are starting to get exciting. The Estate Reserve Tempranillo has earned over 90 points on Wine Enthusiast, and the 2023 La Monarcha, a Cabernet Sauvignon – Petite Sirah blend, is a standout as well. 

Vienza is Tuscan-themed with travertine walkways, picturesque arches, and a colonnade-encircled lawn which is designed for events, but open to visitors when no event is scheduled. The tasting room menu includes solid, drinkable takes on Italian varietals like Prosecco, Primitivo, Sangiovese, and Vermentino. Vienza is also home to a delightful Italian Mercato with shelves lined with dried pastas, flavored olive oils, cookies, and other packaged Italian goodies. Adjacent to the market is an Italian “deli” counter that serves up gelato, meatball sandwiches, lasagna, and made-to-order stone-fired pizza. The counter has just started offering weekday breakfast items, too. Eventually, the plan is for Vienza to include a full-service spa, pool, and an additional 40 hotel rooms. 

C’est La Vie is a small, by comparison, charming tasting room that is due to undergo a major renovation over the next few years. The plans will transform the small tasting room and shop into a large French chateau. There, you’ll find Europa’s French varietals like a Cabernet Franc Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a lightly oaked Reserve Chardonnay. 

Europa Village visitors can choose to taste at a single winery or purchase a multi-winery “passport” good for 14 tastings at any of the wineries.

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