A Nice Place to Visit in Temecula: Callaway Vineyard and Winery
Written: May 29 '01 (Updated May 30 '01)
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Pros: one of the better tourist spots in Temecula, inexpensive wine tastings
Cons: gift shop prices are too high, winery is falling out of favor with local growers
The Bottom Line: If you are in the area, why not visit? Wineries in Temecula are close to one another. Also, Old Town Temecula has a lot of antique stores.
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| 4-1-1's Full Review: Callaway Vineyard and Winery |
Twice a year -- during the Memorial Day and Veterans Day holiday weekends -- there is ritual that I almost always perform. I pick up my mom and we drive together to Riverside National Cemetery (the largest national cemetery in the United States) to visit my father's grave. My dad was a Vietnam veteran, a combat medic and a Bronze Star recipient.
After that, we usually drive on to Temecula, about 40 minutes south of the cemetery, to enjoy a nice lunch at Thornton (formerly known as Culbertson's) Winery's Champagne Cafe and, invariably, after that we cross the street and visit the Callaway Winery. If we have extra time, we'll jump on over to the Hart Winery next door and try a glass or two of their wine before going into Old Town Temecula to visit the antique stores.
Callaway Winery, Temecula
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I first visited the Callaway Winery in 1991. At that time, Temecula was a fast-growing town that was bursting with all kinds of activity: golf course construction, new housing tracts, new wineries, etc. The area went through a slight depression during the housing recession of 1992-1995, but has since come back and it growing faster than ever.
The definitive review for this winery was written by WorkingMomof2 -- there simply is no way that I can expand on her commentary, as she covered all the bases and more. Her five-star rating of the winery is perhaps a little generous, but when you compare the Callaway facility to any other in Temecula, save for the Thornton Champagne Cellars (www.thorntonwine.com), then I think it is a fair rating.
This year, as in years past, we decided against taking the winery tour. It was a short, informative tour -- as I remembered it -- but truth is Callaway is pulling out of the Temecula region ever since it became a part of the Allied Domec Wines, USA, family of companies. Recently, too, because of problems with the Glassy Winged Sharp Shooter, Callaway has resorted to purchasing from coastal growers, and is even marketing its wines as a product comprised mostly of coastally grown fruit ("Callaway Coastal"). I really don't know if they are crushing fruit in Temecula anymore, but I rather doubt it.
The winery is more popular than ever these days. I can remember in years past visiting this winery and having no trouble finding a parking spot and having no trouble finding elbow space on the wine tasting bar. Last Sunday, there were hundreds of visitors and wine-country tour groups at the winery. The annual Temecula Wine and Balloon Festival is only two weeks away, and some people seemed eager to get a headstart on the wine tastings.
Wine Tasting
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The best feature for visitors to Callaway is that wine tastings are inexpensive. For $5, visitors ave the opportunity to sample four different wines and receive a free souvenir glass. (GLASS, not crystal, as elsewhere reported. But a nice piece of stemware all the same.)
The wines available for tasting at Callaway Winery's Temecula vineyard were ALL COASTAL designations, and none were produced in Temecula. (Callaway's withdrawal from the local scene has p-iss'd some of local growers and wineries.)
Prices listed are Callaway's gift shop prices; the prices shown in parentheses are retail prices that are currently listed at evineyards.com -- which are usually a little higher than you would expect to find at your local supermarket. One complaint I have about Callaway's prices is that they are higher than what you could expect to find at your local grocery store. That's why I never buy wine at their gift shop.
The Whites:
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2000 Special Collection Coastal Pinot Gris - $14
2000 Coastal Reserve Viognier - $16
1999 Coastal Chardonnay - $10 ($10.39)
1999 Coastal Reserve Chardonnay - $16
1999 Coastal Sauvignon Blanc - $8 ($8.39)
1999 Coastal Chenin Blanc - $7 ($7.37)
2000 Special Collection Coastal Muscat Canelli - $10
The Reds:
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2000 Special Collection Coastal Nebbiolo Bello - $10
1998 Special Collection Coastal Nebbiolo - $16
1998 Special Collection Coastal Dolcetto - $16
1998 Coastal Merlot - $11 ($10.43)
1998 Coastal Reserve Merlot - $25 ($15.39)
1998 Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon - $11
I tried five different wines: the 2000 Viognier (interesting, may buy a bottle), the 1999 Sauvignon Blanc (nothing special), the 1998 Dolcetto (spicy), the 1998 Reserve Merlot (smoky, like burnt wood; not good and way overpriced), and the 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon (aged in oak for 11 months, but also hurt by a smoky taste).
Personally, I think Callaway is pricing themselves "out of their market." Recently, I am hearing a lot of radio ads for Callaway from "The Wine Guy," a fictional call-in radio talk show host who recommends Callaway wines for all occasions. Can't say I am impressed with the radio ads, but maybe if Callaway throws its name around enough some people will remember the brand when they go grocery shopping.
How to Get There
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Callaway Vineyard and Winery is located in Temecula. If you traveling from the Los Angeles area, you can take the 210 or 15 Freeways (travelling south). Exit at Rancho California Road and travel East for about five miles so until you exit all the housing tracts and wind your way into the wine country. If you travel from San Diego, take the 15 Freeway north. Parking is free, and there is no admission charge. There is a $5 fee for wine tasting, and a small fee for winery tours... which are really not that interesting because not too much happens at the winery anymore.
Callaway's website: http://www.callawaycoastal.com/
The Winery is open daily: 10:30am to 5:00pm
Wine Tasting (open bar): 10:30 am - 4:45 pm
Closed: Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Day
Daily tours at: 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm, Monday through Friday
Weekends and holidays tours: on the hour, from 11 am to 4 pm
Recommendations
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Compared to other California wineries I visited, there simply is no way that I can award Callaway a 5-star rating. But, compared to other Temecula and Southern California Wineries I have visited, this is certainly a 4-star facility and I recommend this winery to others who are thinking of visiting the Temecula area.
Last year, Callaway moved outside of Temecula for its grape sourcing -- giving the Temecula area a black eye that the remaining wineries are still suffering from -- and Callaway is now producing wines from grapes grown in regions that include pretty much all of California's Coastal winegrowing areas. I don't know, but I doubt that any 100% "Temecula" designations are made anymore. Maybe somebody out in the wine drinking public knows more about this and will share their information here.
If you plan on staying in Temecula for a weekend, one place my wife and I enjoyed was the Loma Vista Bed & Breakfast. Price is about $250 for a weekend... but don't come during the wine festival convened at Skinner Lake during the 2nd weekend in June. The town is going to get overrun.
http://www.bestinns.net/usa/ca/lomavista.html
Recommended:
Yes
Winery Name: Callaway Vineyard and Winery
Country: USA
State or Region: California
County or Appellation: Riverside
Date Visited: Various, last = May 27, 2001
Tours Offered: Yes
Tasting Cost, Per Person: 5.00
Guidelines for rating scale: If you're in the area anyway
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Epinions.com ID:
4-1-1
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 - Top 50 |
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Member: Tom Carr
Location: Southern California
Reviews written: 1091
Trusted by: 695 members
About Me:
Go U.S.C.!!!
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