Maybe you’re a wine connoisseur or maybe you’re a wine newbie, either way…at some point you may be interested in attending a wine tasting. And if you’re like me, you might be a little bit clueless about wine tasting and what to expect. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of going on a wine tasting tour in Temecula, CA with a group of friends. I was a little nervous at first because I don’t know a whole lot about wine, but it turned out to be a wonderful and memorable experience! Here’s a little bit about my trip to wine country and maybe it will help you get a better idea for what to expect on your future wine tasting!
The first perk of this trip was that our group was able to take a Limo Bus to Temecula from San Diego courtesy of First Command Financial, Inc. If you’re going with a group, I highly recommend taking a bus, taxi, Uber, etc. OR make sure you have a designated driver so that you can enjoy all the wine you want without worrying about the logistics of getting home. Bottom Line – have a plan, be responsible. The best part of taking a bus is that you can drink on the way! Yay! We had mimosas and bagels on the way up (again, courtesy of First Command Financial, Inc.) and it made the trip extra fantastic!
Our first stop was Ponte Winery!
Wine tasting turned about to be way easier than I imagined! You just walk in, pay for your tastings, and taste away! It’s $20 for 6 tastings and you can split these with a friend if you aren’t ready for all 6 (which is what I did since I knew we were going to more wineries). And if you just wanna come for the atmosphere, you can also order a coffee and check out the beautiful gift shop. Then you can head outside to enjoy the scenery or grab some lunch at the restaurant! And bonus: you get to keep the glass!
Next, we headed over to Wilson Creek Winery. This winery is also $20 for the tasting room and keepsake glass, but again you can split it with a friend.
Wilson Creek offers a great selection of white and Moscato wines and they are also known for their wine slushies! Yes, that’s a thing and yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds! 🙂
Another awesome thing about Wilson Creek is that it’s a family friendly winery! They have a playground for kids, live music, an outside bar, a restaurant, and lots of room for the kids to play and run! They also had a nice gift shop and plenty of beautiful scenery to enjoy! We stopped here to eat lunch courtesy of Jersey Mike’s and of course, First Command Financial, Inc.
Wilson Creek turned out to be my favorite winery because they make Almond Champagne and it’s fabulous! 🙂
Our last stop was Callaway Winery and the price is $10-$25 depending on if you want to do a tour with your tasting.
This seemed like a smaller tasting room than the others, but it also had the most interesting scenery. They even have wine stations which are like little wine vending machines!
You can also enjoy a meal at their restaurant or visit their unique gift shop. The views were especially spectacular…I could have stayed here all day!
Seriously, all day…
Overall, I had an amazing experience visiting wine country! Even if wine isn’t your jam, I would recommend going to Temecula just for the atmosphere and breathtaking views.
Not only did I enjoy my wine…I enjoyed my SWAG, too!
And of course…wine is always better with friends! 😉
Have you been to a wine tasting? What was your experience like? I’d love to hear!
I’m off to review the next event!
~SM
The Swag Mama 