Ponte Winery

About PONTE Winery

With a charming tasting room & gift shop, al fresco restaurant, multiple wedding venues, garden, and adjacent Four Diamond hotel, Ponte Winery is its own vacation destination within Temecula wine country. Scenic winding paths connect the winery to Ponte Vineyard Inn, and the striking view of 300 acres of vineyards that stretch behind both properties is alone worth the visit. 

The tasting room serves a mix of French, Italian, and Spanish varietals, and is open to walk-in guests daily. Winery tours are available by appointment Fridays through Sundays. On the weekends, wine by the glass and small bites can also be enjoyed on an elevated deck that overlooks the vineyard and is designed to make the most of the vineyard view. This is a popular location, with live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, so it’s recommended to arrive early for the best experience on the weekends.

The Ponte Winery vineyard was first planted in the 1960s by John Moramarco, a pioneer of Temecula wine country. The Ponte family bought the land in 1984 and started selling grapes to wineries in Napa and Sonoma under the name Temecula Valley Vineyards. Pierce disease, a valley-wide infection, decimated the vineyard in the late 90s, but the owners were able to re-establish most of the vines and opened their winery in 2003. They were the first Temecula winery to earn the Certified California Sustainable Winegrower (CCSW) designation in 2011.

For a time, the winery was mainly known for its sweet red wine Beverino and crowd-pleasing red and white blends both labeled Angry Wife. But in 2022, a new winemaker, Arnaud Debons, joined the team, and his influence is starting to be reflected in the tasting room. His white wines, in particular, are some of the best in the valley. Of note are the Vermentino and Pastorello, a medium-bodied, fruit-forward Pecorino. Debons holds a Master’s degree in oenology from Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III in France and is also the winemaker at Ponte’s sister winery, Bottaia.

The Restaurant at Ponte Winery

The outdoor restaurant at Ponte serves seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired fare. There’s hand-tossed pizza, salads, and entrees like salmon with cannellini beans, spinach, and sun-dried tomato, a seafood pasta reminiscent of Cioppino, filet mignon wrapped in prosciutto with gorgonzola and red wine reduction. You’ll also find generously portioned appetizers like fried calamari, mussels in a white wine broth, and Brussels sprouts with goat cheese and a balsamic glaze. Reservations are recommended, especially on the weekends.

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