Our visit to Wiens Family Cellars was the highlight of the 2019 Temecula Wine Barrel Tasting event! We enjoyed the casual and relaxing outdoor patio where our wine tasting started with a wine bar and great pairings.
We were greeted at the wine bar by the enthusiastic Chef Volker Lutz of Vineyard Gourmet Catering. We were offered a barrel taste of the 2018 Chardonnay that we tried to pass on (after all, we are My Red Wine Guys.) A staff member insisted that we had to give this Chardonnay a try because it was like no other. Chef Volker began to describe the Chardonnay as we smelled it and it was truly nothing like we had ever tasted when it comes to Chardonnay’s! The wine had a lovely bouquet of apple, banana and tropical fruits and the taste was lovely. Chef Volker personally prepared a smoked salmon and cod on a crostini for us to enjoy with the Chardonnay. It was an exceptional and amazing pairing! Next we tried the 2016 Conjunction, a Syrah and Petite Verdot. It was interesting but not quite ready in our opinion.
Later, we were delighted to meet Jeff Wiens who joined us at our table to talk about Wiens history and wines. Just as their name implies, it is a family business. They initially opened in Lodi in 2001. Later they opened the Temecula location in Oct. 2006 and the rest is history! Their family mission is “To make the highest quality wine and provide it at a reasonable price.” The winery seal contains the words Quality, Family, and Integrity. You really get a feel for this when visiting the winery and tasting room. We felt the winery went out of their way to make us feel like we were a part of their family! It is obvious they are very proud of the wines they produce!
We moved inside to the tasting room and were joined by Jeff Wiens to try some of their Cabernet Sauvignons and Blends. We tried the new world style Perspective 2016 with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Petite Verdot. It is engineered to drink now and boy was it ready! You might be able to hold this up to 7 years, but not longer due to the way it was engineered. They dedicated this wine to their father by putting a picture on the label of a model car their father built.
Lastly we tried the Cabernet Franc 2016. This had a lot of fruit – plum, spiced plum, berry. The tannins squeeze your tongue to the middle with sours on the side and balance of tannins with acidity. Tannins are strong & bold with a nice long finish.
This is a winery you definitely want to visit for a wine tasting when in Temecula! And trust me, you will be taking a few bottles home with you. After all, it is the home of the “Big Reds”!
