Legend says that the festival for Dionysus was in spring, when the leaves began to appear on the vine. Springtime is also when the De Portola Wine Trail Association hosts its annual Big Red Fest celebrating the best of the red wines produced at the wineries along De Portola Road, otherwise known as the De Portola Wine Trail. Participants take the scenic drive along the trail, visiting each of the nine wineries, where they are treated to local cuisine paired with three of each winery's best reds. Participating wineries include Cougar Vineyard and Winery; Danza del Sol; Frangipani Estate Winery; Gershon Bachus Vintners; Keyways Vineyard and Winery; Leonesse Cellars; Masia de Yabar Winery; Oak Mountain Winery and Robert Renzoni Vineyards. This popular early April event is a yearly sell-out.
It is written that Dionysus was a patron of the arts as well as the god of wine, which could explain the happy union of smooth wine and cool jazz at the annual Temecula Wine and Music Festival at the Vail Lake RV Park in early May. As many as 10 Temecula wineries provide their best vintages for tasting, while as many as 14 musical artists provide pop, jazz and rhythm and blues on stage in four live concerts. Tickets for table seating close to the stage include catered meals. Food from local vendors is also sold. Tickets for bottles of wine and wine tasting are available at the event as well.
Three days of food, wine, live concerts and balloon flights are the bill of fare for the annual Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival at the Lake Skinner recreation area in June. A four-course food and wine pairing experience is offered on Saturday. Wines from a variety of Temecula wineries are available for tasting on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Speakers from each participating winery deliver short narratives about their featured wines. Live entertainment from top pop, rock and country performers are on all three days on two stages. Balloons are launched early Saturday and Sunday mornings and again just after sunset on Friday and Saturday evenings. Hot air balloon rides must be purchased in advance of launch, and balloon launches are weather dependent.
It wasn’t a mythological god but, rather, a Franciscan missionary who brought wine to California. When the Rev. Junipero Serra planted the first vineyard at Mission San Diego de Alcala in 1769, he began a California wine growing tradition celebrated at harvest time to this day. And to celebrate California Wine Month, all 35 Temecula wineries participate in CRUSH, Temecula’s wine and culinary showcase at the Callaway Vineyard and Winery in mid-September. Wine samples from all of Temecula’s wineries are served during the evening along with samples of cuisine from participating restaurants. Chefs and winemakers mingle with guests throughout the evening to provide unique insights into their crafts. The Pointe Vineyard Inn and the Temecula Creek Inn both offer weekend packages in conjunction with the CRUSH event.
