Our Laguna: Sipping through Temecula’s wine country

I spent a few days last week sipping and shopping my way through Temecula.

Temecula Valley is a growing community — in terms of population, now up to 105,000, and vineyards, which now number more than 30.

Wine tasting is the hot ticket in Temecula, and the wineries are easy to find. Fifteen of them are along Rancho California Road. More are located on De Portola Road. A few are on roads leading off of the two main stems, including Briar Rose, the first appointment-only winery in the valley.

The 1,100-foot elevation and well-drained decomposed granite soil of Temecula, as well as the expertise of the vintners, is credited for the award-winning wines.

I stuck with tasting champagne, one of my favorite tipples, even trying out a raspberry champagne — UGH. I also tried a pineapple champagne — not so ugh, and one I might mix with pineapple juice as a different take on mimosas and Bellinis.

My sister-in law and traveling companion, Patsy Hadlick, favored “flytes,” the term used for sampling a variety of wines: all whites, all reds or a combination thereof.

She was on a mission to find a really good viognier, a light crisp, aromatic white, and found the one she wanted after several stops.

Tasters are advised to limit tastings to two in the morning, followed by lunch, and two in the afternoon — advice not always taken. But trolleys, like Laguna’s, cart visitors from hotels to wineries.

The wine is served for the most part at bars, not in caves, as is done is some Napa wineries. Smaller Temecula wineries will have one bar. South Coast Winery has three, all of them three deep with tasters on our two visits there.

Most of the wineries also have gift shops, with inventories ranging from cutesy aprons to costume jewelry.

And some serve food — excellent food at South Coast, where rolls are accompanied by an herb butter to die for. By taste alone, we figured the herbs included dill and shallots, but unfortunately, the staff refused our bribes for the recipe.

We also had lunch at Bailey Vineyard & Winery’s restaurant, which is only open on weekends.

Many of the wineries provided entertainment, from concerts to barn dances, and they all have wine clubs.

Club members receive bottles from the winery on a regular basis. Patsy joined South Coast on this trip.

Wineries also offer banquet and wedding facilities.

Other attractions in Temecula Valley include golfing, horseback riding and ballooning.

The weather can be a problem for those of us who fade in the heat. Locals said in August they expect 105-degree temperatures. We lucked out. The temperatures during our visit were in the mid-90s — no big deal for a quick skip from parking to tasting rooms.

Besides a nice breeze was blowing most afternoons and the mornings were cool enough to shop at “Old Town.”

Old Town is Temecula’s grasp on its past. Buildings are required to adhere to architectural guidelines. A 2 ½- by 3-foot sign on a street corner made sure that the public was informed that one of the older hotels was to be remodeled and gave time and date of a hearing. Now that is “noticing” the public of a proposed project.

Some of the sidewalks would have made City Manager Ken Frank cringe. They were made of old, rough-hewn board — an invitation to a trip and fall lawsuit. And there were no parking meters.

Music is piped throughout the area.

The streets are lined with boutiques, antique shops and art galleries — does that ring a bell?

Year-round events include classic and street-rod car shows, a Blue Grass Music Festival, a chili-cookoff, an international jazz festival, a farmer’s market, a Plein Air Festival and a Winterfest — sound familiar?.

However, Laguna doesn’t have an Erle Stanley Gardner Mystery Weekend, which is held in November to honor the creator of Perry Mason.

The Temecula Valley Visitors Guide lists more than 85 restaurants from Shogun to Texas Loosey, where I had barbequed spareribs so good, I, who pride myself on my homemade sauce, bought a bottle of Loosey’s.

Oh — and there is gambling at a nearby casino.

Maybe next time.

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YOUNG ARTISTS HONORED

The downside of going out of town, even for four days, is what you miss.

And I missed one of my favorite events: the recognition of the incredible works of art produced by the children of Orange County and exhibited at the Festival of Arts.

Awards were presented for photography and three-dimensional works by students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade and seventh grade through 12th grade, and two-dimensional works from all 12 grades.

First-, second- and third-place winners were juried by Mary Aslin and Roger Folk, representing the festival, and Mark Porterfield, Sarah Middleton and Jason Tockey from the PIMCO Foundation. Gold, silver and bronze medals were presented while families, friends and art instructors looked on.

Two special awards were added this year, dubbed the Co-Directors Choice awards.

Jack Archer selected “The Big Kapoka Tree in the Rain Forest,” a collaboration by 16 first- and second-graders from Crosby Elementary School, instructed by Marianne Kovacs. The Co-Director Choice Award selected by Martin Betz went to sixth-grader Pearl Shoemaker from Thurston Middle School for “Peter Rabbit.” Her teacher was Linda Erikson.

“Special thanks to the PIMCO Foundation and the Festival of Arts for offering this wonderful opportunity to all of the young artists who participated,” said Jane Liu Hsu, godmother of Carissa Chen, one of the winners.

“In Carissa’s generation, kids grow up in a high tech computer environment and often lose the fundamental appreciation of art. It is a great blessing that the Festival encourages and inspires our youth in the pursuit of art.”

The Junior Art Exhibit was moved this year to a more visible site nearer the entrance to the festival grounds. It should not be passed by.

Laguna Beach residents are admitted to the grounds free and are encouraged to make repeat visits.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; call (949) 380-4321 or e-mail [email protected].