Temecula Valley in Southern California is about 90 miles from where I live. It is located between San Diego and Los Angeles.  With its award-winning wineries, great restaurants, and activities such as hiking and hot air balloon rides,  it makes for the perfect weekend getaway.

There are about 40 wineries in Temecula to visit in the rolling vineyards of the area.  Since some of the wineries are smaller than others in areas such as Napa, it lends to a more intimate wine tasting experience.

Here are some of the wineries we plan to visit:

• Mount Palomar Winery – Located on 315 acres, this award-winning winery has been producing wines since 1969. You can sit on the patio or at the outdoor bar and enjoy sampling wines from their extensive tasting menu while overlooking the spectacular views.
• Avensole Winery – This winery is located on top of a sprawling hilltop estate.  If you decide to eat at the restaurant, you will be in for a culinary treat.  Savory foods and delicious wine make for a perfect dinner.
• Briar Rose – This is a charming, fairy tale estate where you can relax and enjoy the gentle rolling foothills of Temecula Valley. They are known for producing world class award winning cabernet Sauvignons, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Merlot.

With the rolling hills covering the vineyards, expansive views of the mountains, ocean breezes, and world-class wines, Temecula Valley is a beautiful and enjoyable place to visit.

We will be sure to purchase multiple bottles of wine when we visit Temecula and share them with friends when we get home.  I purchased some wine tags from Penless  to attach to the bottles of wine that I will give out as gifts.  Penless makes it fun to give wine as a gift.  I will just upload a picture to the QR code on the wine tag of when we were at that particular winery.  Now my friends will not only get a wonderful bottle of wine, picked out just for them, but they will also get a personalized wine tag with a picture of the winery.  What a unique way to give a bottle of wine!