January 27, 2009 - 5:21 PM

RICH MAURO, COLUMNIST

My niece Cari is my idea of a wine aficionado. She not only is knowledgeable about a wide range of wines and wine regions, she also is passionate about all aspects of wine.

And she is especially knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her home wine region, the Temecula Valley.

The Temecula Valley is southern California's wine country. The first thing I noticed about the valley was its rather convenient location for tourist visits, being close to suburban housing developments. It also is just 60 miles northeast of San Diego and 90 miles southeast of Los Angeles. If you are taking your kids to Legoland, visiting friends in the area or just want a wine country experience other than Napa and Sonoma, the Temecula Valley is a worthy option.

Head east from Interstate 15 on Rancho California Road, which becomes the valley's main drag. You can expect to find a wine country experience similar to that of any larger, better-known region. Among the more than 30 wineries, there are small, family wineries and large, modern wineries. Several feature restaurants, well-stocked gift shops and facilities for special events. Many tasting rooms offer discounts for veterans.

As for the vineyards, the valley struck me as a region with more similarity in terrain, soil and climate than I have seen in other regions I have visited. Most vineyards sit at a fairly high elevation, 1,100 to 1,600 feet. Although there is some variation, the soils are largely decomposed granite. The climate features warm, dry days and cool evenings. Although separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Santa Rosa Range, the Rainbow Gap funnels moderating ocean breezes into the valley.

Traveling on Rancho California Road, one of the first wineries you will see as you enter the valley is Hart Winery. This small, family operation dates to 1974 and has the feel of a place that hasn't changed much in the past 30 years. That's a good thing - the rustic, barnlike winery recedes to leave the emphasis on the wide range of wines.

A short distance up the road is Mount Palomar Winery. Established in 1969, Mount Palomar today includes an estate comprised of vineyards, a large piazza, concert stage and terraces, plus the winery and visitor center. The wines emphasize Bordeaux-style blends and Italian varieties (bottled under the Castelletto label).

Across the road, Faulkner Winery is high on a hill, with a spectacular view overlooking the Valley. This showcase winery features extensive indoor and outdoor tasting areas. The focus here is on blended wines, including Super Tuscan and Bordeaux-style red blends.

An even more impressive tourist-attraction winery is the Ponte Family Estate. The family has been growing grapes in Temecula since 1984. Their estate now sports a large tasting room/market/gift shop. We also enjoyed the beautiful grounds and a fine, elegant lunch at the outdoor restaurant.

A bit off the beaten path, at the far end of Rancho California Road, Doffo Winery is worth the extra effort it takes to get there. From the road, this 12-year-old property looked like another nice home with a large garage. Inside, though, the hospitable Doffo family busily attended to their customers' needs.

Two of the best wineries we visited were completely off the main road. Cougar Vineyards and Winery was purchased in 2005 by a husband/wife team after 16 years making wine as a hobby. Their impressive production focuses primarily on Italian varietals.
Palumbo Family Vineyards and Winery was established in 1998 with a commitment to small-lot, estate-grown wines. Specializing in full-bodied reds, the offerings include single-variety bottlings and special blends.

With more than 30 wineries, there is much more to the valley than we could cover in two days, including a full-fledged resort and a few large, commercial wineries, including Callaway Vineyard and Winery. Having pioneered wine production in the valley in 1969, Callaway has become the valley's largest, best-known and most widely distributed producer.

But Cari and I agreed that the smaller, family-owned operations are our preference.

Callaway's Sweet Nancy certainly is a fine dessert wine, but the other highlights all came from family wineries: Hart's full-flavored 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Mount Palomar's Solera Cream Sherry, Ponte's 2006 Dolcetto, Doff's 2005 Syrah and 2005 Mistura, Cougar's 2006 Aglianico and 2006 Malbec, and Palumbo's 2005 Cabernet Franc Catfish Vineyard and 2005 "Tre Fratelli."

After a setback in the 1990s when its vineyard sources were ravaged by Pierce's Disease and vineyard acreage fell from 2,300 to 1,300 acres, the valley seems to have largely recovered and should benefit from the replanting that has followed, especially with Rhône and Italian varietals. The Temecula Valley looks poised for a fine future. I look forward to tracking its progress.

Rich Mauro has been writing about wine since 1995. He is a policy analyst for the Denver Regional Council of Governments. Reach him at rich@rmpeoplespalate.com or Box 1779, Colorado Springs 80901.