Temecula Wines OnLine.com "Your one stop internet shop for all the valley's great wines!"

The Wine Report Card I think you’ve noticed, I have started to incorporate a grading scale into my reviews.. This scale is based on value, perceived quality, for the dollar. I first saw this system when reading” Professor Bainbridge on Wine”.Let me give you a breakdown of the grades and what they mean. A: Highly recommended. An exceptional wine providing high value (fairly priced given its perceived quality).An Investment grade wine worthy of collecting. B: Recommended. A very good wine, which I would be proud to own and even serve to guest in my home.   C: No recommendation one way or the other. Drinkable, but not a wine I would buy again. An average quality wine or a better wine at an unfairly high price.    D: Not recommended. Poor quality wine.   E: Undrinkable.Aviod

HUNT CELLARS AND DESTINY VINEYARDS LLC     I find it interesting that a month ago, both in the North County Times and in the Temecula Winegrowers Assoc. April Newsletter, the Association seemed happy to have David Hunt bring his winery to the area. They said " Hunt would fit in nicely with Wine Country's roster of 20 wineries. Now the Association  has voted 37 to 1 asking The Riverside County Planning Commission to restrict the amount of outside wine that can be sold through a Temecula tasting room. This seems aimed directly at David Hunt and his proposed venture. What do you think caused the shift? It seems on one hand they're welcoming him, on the other they're saying"not in my town you won't". I think increased competition in Wine Country will push wine makers to create better and better wines. A win win for the wineries and wine lovers as well.   I look forward to reading your opinions and comments.   Send them to Temeculawinereviews@yahoo.com.

WINE AND FOOD GUIDELINES   There are those who believe that if you do not pair the proper wine with the proper food, and word gets out, you'd be held up to public ridicule and be forced to stand before the Wine Police and beg for forgiveness. You've been lied to. First, there are no Wine Police. There are no laws dictating what wines should be served with which foods. So the most important factor in deciding which wine to buy or serve can be covered in two simple rules, Rule #1: Buy what you enjoy. Rule #2: Enjoy what you buy. That's it! No big secret. Let me give you an example. You walk into a wine shop or maybe a grocery store to pick up a bottle of wine or two to serve your guests. You're grilling some steaks and vegetables. You ask the clerk for a suggestion and 9 times out of 10 they will suggest a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. The problem, you don't care for red wine but your guests do. Let's say you happen to enjoy Gewurztraminer. Solution, buy a red wine for your guests and a Gewurztraminer for yourself. They will enjoy, you will enjoy, everyone's happy. We all seem to work too hard these days, with long hours at work and longer drives on the freeways. You deserve to enjoy time with your family and friends. So make some plans. Have your friends over, fire up the grill and raise your glasses. "Toast Life". Experiment a little with wine. The next time you buy a bottle of Riesling or Gewurztraminer, pick up a few pears. Cut the pears into sections (small enough to fit into a wine glass). Chill the wine put one or two slices into each glass. Pour the wine and let them sit for a few minutes. A great treat while you're grilling your dinner.

Temecula Wines OnLine.com "Your one stop internet shop for all the valley's great wines!"

Wine Country Talk Radio "Talk with the minds behind the wines"

NEW!!      2004 Special Collection Nebbiolo Bello

This was the surprise of the day. The wine maker's notes say it all. "A light and delicate rose, Nebbiolo Bello's soft bouquet of strawberries and cherries with a fresh clean finish. Just a touch of sweetness". I asked my wife to try this and she does not like wine. Her response was "I could drink this". She said it would make a great wine cooler. I think she's right. Grade B May 17, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2004 Special Collection Nebbiolo Bello, Callaway Winery

Santa Magarita   2000 Cabernet Sauvignon.   Nice garnet color. Good consistency of flavor and aroma. Black cherry and oak. Great compliment to any hearty meal. February 3, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2000 Cab Sauvignon, Santa Margarita

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon   Good clarity with the color of old brick. Nose of black pepper, chocolate and oak. Very enjoyable with hints of black cherry and figs. Nice dry finish. Next time you BBQ, try this one with some grilled brats or any other sausage. At this price, you can't afford to pass it up.   February 3, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 1999 Cab Sauvignon, Santa Margarita

2002 Viognier   Crystal clear yellow /gold color. Vanilla cream / apple nose. Good summer wine with light foods or fruit. February 3, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2002 Viognier, Santa Margarita

2001 Chardonnay   Bright gold color. Hints of mango and pear with soft oak. Nice buttery texture. I'll have this wine with grilled salmon today! If you think that Chardonnay is too dry for you, this will change your mind.  Great Value!   February 3, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2001 Chardonnay, Santa Margarita

South Coast Winery Black Jack Port   Deep ruby color. Smooth and sweet with flavors of currants, chocolate and caramel. Put away the pie and the cake. Black Jack Port and some chocolate is the only desert you'll need. *For you cigar smokers……break out the good ones and enjoy with this delicious port. You won’t be disappointed. February 3, 2005 by Bob Wilson, Black Jack port, South Coast Winery

NEW!!      2003 Merlot

This is a new release for South Coast. The first thing you will notice is that it comes with a twist top cap. Now that you’ve gotten over that, lets look at the wine inside.The grapes for this wine were grown at an elevation of 2200 ft and is described as a mountainous wine, and a big wine it is.  Black cherry ,plum, and a hint of tobacco. This was a very enjoyable wine. I shared it with a friend over pizza but would love to try it with some grilled swordfish. Don’t be put off by the twist top cap. You’re going to see a lot more of that from other wineries as well. What’s important is the quality of the wine and South Coast consistently produces the quality you desire.Interesting label, very good wine. This wine is not available at the winery. It can be found at some retail outlets and is also available on Temecula Wines Online (Twines.net) Grade B+   May 17, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2003 Merlot, South Coast Winery

Filsinger     2003 Gewurztraminer   "Gewurz" means spice, and is an important descriptive term when describing this wine. A touch of citrus adds to the crisp finish. Its have this with a traditional German meal like "Schnitzel" or just with some cheese and fresh bread. Grade B.   February 22, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2003 Gewurztraminer, Filsinger

Van Roekel    2003 Gewurztraminer   Aromas of apples and pears, this is a nicely balanced wine. Enjoy this wine like I did, for lunch with a sandwich and some fruit. Great choice as a gift for the new wine drinker. Grade B.   February 22, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2003 Gewurztraminer, Van Roekel

Bella Vista/ Cilurzo    2003 Muscat Canelli   Most of the Muscat Canelli's I have tried are just a little too sweet for my taste's this one surprised me. I found it quite enjoyable. A little honey sweetness was just the right touch after dinner. Grade B.   February 22, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2003 Muscat Canelli, Bella Vista/ Cilurzo

Falkner    2001 Cello   My grandfather, whose roots were in both Italy and Yugoslavia, made wine almost every year that I can remember. Falkner's 2001 Cello takes me back to those days. Like his wine, Cello is a wine made for the family meal. Enjoy it with every thing from pasta and meats to grilled fish. Very drinkable. Grade B+.   February 22, 2005 by Bob Wilson, 2001 Cello, Falkner