Wine, Food, Wine, Food, Repeat. That's my plan for November 8 when Temecula wineries celebrate the completion of harvest with a cornucopia of tastiness. The Celebration turns 25 years old this year, and marks its quadranscentennial with three "you've never seen this before" experiences.
The three trailblazing happenings? Sampling in subterranean style at Oak Mountain Winery, tasting like the rich and famous at Carter Estate Winery, and venturing off the beaten winery path to the appointment-only production facility of Baily Winery.
Caves are cool, literally. Sequestering wine barrels deep in the earth keeps fermenting fluids at a just-right temperature. And caves are cool, colloquially. They're intriguing and beguiling. But Temecula wine country lacked one... until now. The almost-finished cavern at Oak Mountain Winery will be ready to host the Harvest Celebration, giving Harvest participants an inaugural look at Temecula's first wine cave.
During the last decade, Jim Carter's South Coast Winery has been anointed three times as California's Winery of the Year. But resting on laurels is not Jim's way. Earlier this year, he opened Carter Estate Winery, catering to the most discriminating tastes. Luxury lodging, limited estate bottlings, and gourmet food pairings are de rigueur at Carter, and Harvest-goers can expect posh treatment at the Estate.
Wine Country has a surface - the public side that anyone can see when they come to visit. But if you want to go deeper than the stylish tasting rooms, into the authentic winemaker's realm, you gotta know someone. And you do - you know me! So Harvest Celebration will include the seldom-seen Baily Winery production facility, where Phil Baily, an early pioneer among Temecula's vintners, works his liquid magic.
This year's Harvest tickets will be available exclusively from The Grapeline. Get all the details, and book it quick. It sells out - every year.
~ Kay Syrah
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