The Scenic Route - PSP to SAN: Great Wine and Great People in Temecula
- Sir Shaker
- Jun 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 22
Recently, while traveling from Palm Springs to San Diego, we decided to take the scenic route through Temecula and spend the day exploring a couple of wineries. It turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip!
To kick off the morning, we stopped at Lindo’s Diner in Banning for breakfast. We had a fantastic meal, and I highly recommend the West Coast Omelet with bacon, avocado, tomato, and cheddar cheese. The food was delicious, the portions were generous, and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. If you're passing through the area, it's a great place to fuel up before a day of wine tasting.
Our first winery stop was Danza del Sol Winery. Right from the start, we were welcomed by two of the friendliest tasting room hosts you could ask for—Lindsey and Karen. Their hospitality made us feel right at home and set the tone for a wonderful visit. Before you go, make sure to grab the 2-for-1 tasting coupon from their website. It's an easy way to make an already enjoyable experience even better.
For our tasting, we sampled the:
2023 Albariño
2024 Vermentino
2023 Dry Estate Gewürztraminer
2024 Estate Viognier
2024 Rosé of Grenache
The clear standouts were the Gewürztraminer, Viognier, and Rosé. In fact, choosing which bottle to enjoy on the patio became such a difficult decision that we literally flipped a coin. The Rosé won the toss and earned its spot at our table.
The 2023 Dry Estate Gewürztraminer, grown entirely at Danza del Sol Vineyard, was a beautiful dry white wine with subtle tropical notes of mango and peach. Aged in stainless steel, it was crisp, refreshing, and one of our favorites of the day.
The 2024 Estate Viognier was equally impressive. It offered a cleaner, more delicate profile with hints of citrus and tea. This is exactly the kind of wine I'd want to sip on a front porch or shaded patio on a warm afternoon.
The 2024 Rosé of Grenache ended up being our bottle winner. Unfortunately, I can no longer find it on their website, so it may have sold out. If that's the case, I understand why. This dry rosé was packed with red fruit flavors, accented by subtle melon notes, and absolutely perfect for enjoying on their beautiful shaded patio. As we like to say, it was a true porch pounder.
One bonus tip: Danza del Sol allows guests to drive up the hill overlooking the vineyard. Don't skip it. The views are fantastic, and it's a great spot for photos.
After Danza del Sol, we headed over to Callaway Vineyard & Winery. We sampled quite a few wines here, so I'll keep the notes brief.
White Wines
2024 SS Pinot Gris: A full-bodied Pinot Gris with great mouthfeel while remaining crisp and refreshing. Notes of tangerine and orange blossom.
2023 SS Chardonnay: We're not usually Chardonnay fans, but because this one is stainless steel fermented rather than heavily oaked, we really enjoyed it. Tropical fruit flavors like guava and stone fruit shine through.
2024 SS Sauvignon Blanc: Very clean and elegant, with white tea characteristics and flavors of apricot and white flowers.
2019 WR Roussanne: This one finished with a date-like character that wasn't quite our style.
2024 WY Viognier ⭐: Bottle WinnerFermented with native wild yeasts, this wine was aromatic, balanced, and incredibly refreshing. We loved it so much that it became our bottle selection, which we enjoyed on the patio overlooking the vineyard. Great wine, great view, great afternoon.
2023 WR Harmonique: A fuller-bodied white blend with some oak influence. Interestingly, it reminded us a bit of a Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
2023 WR Chardonnay: Another Chardonnay that pleasantly surprised us. Nicely balanced with restrained oak influence.
Rosé & Sweet Wines
2023 SS Rosé Soleil: A bone-dry rosé with lovely strawberry aromas.
2023 SS Rosé of Sangiovese: Slightly more fruit-forward and less dry than the Rosé Soleil.
2024 SS Monarque: We typically avoid sweet wines, but this one was enjoyable. Bright, fruit-forward, and easy to drink. I'm not sure I could finish a whole bottle, but I was glad we tried it.
2022 SS Muscat Canelli: Classic Muscat through and through. If you enjoy Muscat, you'll appreciate this one.
Sparkling Wines
NV Bella Blanc: Smooth and well-balanced with notes of apple, melon, and pear.
NV Bella Allora: A fun and unique sparkling wine featuring blueberry notes, hints of clove, and a vanilla-spice finish.
NV Bella Rosé: A crowd favorite with lovely peach notes and plenty of charm.
Our tasting host at Callaway was just as friendly, knowledgeable, and welcoming as the team at Danza del Sol. They also honored a 2-for-1 tasting special during our visit, so be sure to ask if it's still available.
Overall, both wineries delivered exactly what we were looking for: great wine, beautiful scenery, and genuinely wonderful people. Between the vineyard views, shaded patios, and excellent hospitality, it made for an incredibly relaxing day in Temecula wine country.
If you're planning a trip through the area, I highly recommend adding both Danza del Sol and Callaway to your itinerary. Just be prepared...you may leave with a few more bottles than you intended!
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