Once you’re on Rancho California Road you’ll pass by a few strip malls, condo and housing communities and suddenly you’ll come upon the Temecula wine country.

The first winery you’ll see on the SAN DIEGAN wine tour is Hart Winery (1), 41300 Avenida Biona (951-676-6300). It’s on the north side of the road in a charming rustic barn. A leader in winemaking since 1980, they produce 5,000 cases each year of mostly dry red wines. It is open for tasting 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Your next discovery should be the renowned Thornton Winery (2) at 32575 Rancho California Rd. (951-699- 0099). Lovers of sparkling wine will cherish this winery and its French country estate atmosphere. The Champagne Lounge is open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and till 4:45 p.m. on weekends. Tastings cost ($10-$17) for four different wine and champagne combinations. Saturdays and Sundays they offer tours at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. They also have a restaurant, aptly named Café Champagne (951-699-0088). Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Your next stop should be the awardwinning and internationally acclaimed Callaway Vineyard & Winery (3) at 32720 Rancho California Rd. (800-472- 2377)]. Housed in an expansive, modern building, Callaway has a spacious visitor center and beautiful gift shop, which is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Complimentary informative tours are offered on weekends every hour beginning at 11 a.m. with the last tour at 4 p.m., and during the week at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wine tasting ends at 5 p.m. A wine-tasting fee of ($10) during the week and ($12) on the weekends which includes a souvenir glass and six tastes. In addition, you can now also enjoy lunch as well as dinner Fri. and Sat. evenings at their Meritage Restaurant. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Baily Vineyard & Winery (4) at 33440 La Serena Way off Rancho California Road (951-676-9463) is next. Be sure to visit this winery with its medieval f lavor and artistic courtyard fountain. It is open for tastings Sun.-Fri., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The cost is ($10) for five tastings and a souvenir 19-oz. wineglass. Credit cards: AE, MC, VISA. They also have a delightful wine country restaurant called Carol’s Restaurant at Baily Vineyard & Winery (951-676-9243).

A member of the Southwest California Vintners Association is the Inn at Churon Winery (5) at 33233 Rancho California Rd. (951-694-9070). This beautiful chateau has a marble staircase and an intimate cellar tasting area. The winery is open for tastings daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with six tastes for ($10). Their estate varietals include merlot, Syrah, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. There is also a gift shop at this lovely inn, which features 5 suites and 20 rooms. Being a Churon wine club member is a perfect way to enjoy all the winery has to offer. Membership is free and there is no annual membership fee. You are invited to exclusive winery events. You get a 20 percent discount on wines and gift items, a 30 percent discount on rooms Sun.-Fri., a 15 percent discount on the Churon-owned hotel Inn on the Beach in Ventura, California (Sun.-Thurs.), a 10 percent discount on member held private events and four complimentary wine tastings per visit. Members receive six shipments of wine a year. This is a fantastic offer for wine lovers. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Mount Palomar Winery (8) is one of the original wineries, established 1969, it is up a little hill, hidden from the road. This inviting winery is open for tastings daily. They produce over 14,000 cases of wine annually and distribute to store and fine restaurants in Southern California. They also have a full-service gourmet deli, gift shop, patio and shady picnic area. An excellent site for weddings. Tours for large groups are by appointment only.

Falkner Winery (9) at 40620 Calle Contento (951-676-8231) sits high on a hill with panoramic views of the mountains and vineyard. It’s open for tasting 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The cost is ($10), which includes four tastes of white or red wines. On the weekends, wine tours are offered at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. They also have an outdoor tasting area. Plus, they offer wine-tasting classes monthly. The winery also has an art gallery featuring talented Southern California artists and a gift shop filled with unique gifts. Impressive weddings of up to 200 people, banquets, catering and private parties from 50-175 people are all things they do very well here. Call Loretta at (951-676-8231 ext. 102). For high quality award-winning wines, this is definitely the place. And as you might expect of a top winery, they also have an impressive restaurant offering lunch daily. It’s aptly named The Pinnacle, and it sits on a hilltop offering beautiful views of the vineyards. It’s open Mon.- Thurs., 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Fri.-Sun. till 2:30 p.m. serving Mediterranean- American cuisine. For groups of 20, you should reserve their impressive Wine Cave downstairs. Definitely dine here! They also offer delicious box lunches to go. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Your next discovery will be a winery to remember featuring superb-tasting wines. It’s Alex’s Red Barn Winery (10) at 39820 Calle Contento (951-693- 3201)]. These hand - crafted wines include sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, Johannisberg Riesling, solera-style sherry, viognier, grenache and Syrah. The winery is only open on the weekends for tastings Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. in the summer and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the winter. Tastings cost ($10) for seven tastes and a souvenir glass. Credit cards: MC, VISA.

Bella Vista Winery (12) at 41220 Calle Contento (951-676-5250) has an informal and friendly tasting room. The winery planted the first premium wine grape vines in the region in 1968 and opened the winery in 1978. They now annually produce over 14,000 cases of both red and white award-winning wines. The winery is open for tasting 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the summer and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the winter. Twenty-three wines are available for tasting daily; the cost is only ($10) for six tastings and a souvenir glass. Credit cards: MC, VISA.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa (15) is at the intersection of Rancho California and Anza roads at 34843 Rancho California Rd. (951-587-9463). Tasting hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. This is also the perfect place to stay for an overnight adventure of Temecula’s wine country. It’s a perfect place for wine tasting and a whole lot more! First, their bungalow-style accommodations are first class in every way. Plus, their restaurant, The Vineyard Rose, serving coastal cuisine, is an excellent discovery. It’s open daily 7a.m.-9:30 p.m. As for their spa, they have 13 treatment rooms and offer everything from massages and facials to their famous Merlot Masks. If you have ever wondered if yoga and wine tasting go together, make a reservation for their newest spa adventure called Vino Zinyasa. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Ponte Family Estate Winery (17) is at 35053 Rancho California Rd., Temecula (951-694-8855). Enjoy a day in the country. With a full selection of whites and reds to choose from, tastings cost ($12) Mon.-Thurs. and ($20) Fri.-Sun. for six wines and include a souvenir glass. Tour their winery, have lunch at their Smokehouse Restaurant and browse through their beautifully landscaped gardens. Weddings, special events and private parties are their specialties. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Wiens Family Cellars (18) on Rancho California Road at 35055 Via del Ponte (951-694-9892) [wienscellars.com]. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This winery is literally family-run, with four brothers working together to grow, produce and distribute their "Big Red" wines. Their selection of handcrafted wines includes over 15 different varietals like tempranillo, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, white port and amour de l’orange, which is a sparkling white wine with a touch of orange. Tastings are ($15) for six tastes. Join their wine club and receive two bottles of premium red wine every other month. Start enjoying your wine club benefits by simply purchasing three bottles (at 20 percent off). The winery hosts events year-round like their Summer Concert Series, Wine - making Seminars, Wiensfest and the annual New Year’s Eve Celebration! A visit to Wiens Family Cellars is a must. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

The newest winery in Temecula also happens to be one of the biggest and best wineries in the Valley. Monte de Oro Winery (19), at 35820 Rancho California Rd. (951-491-6551) offers the ultimate wine tasting experience in its state-of-the-art 31,000-sq. ft. building. A very appealing aspect of this winery is that it is located on the top of a hill and offers a spacious view of the wine country and the Palomar Mountains. Its name in Spanish is aptly given and means "gold mountain." Approximately 66 percent of the grape production consists of red grapes. They offer excellent Syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, zinfandel, tempranillo, petite syrah, malbec, grenache and cinsault. The remaining 34 percent of their grape production is devoted to white grapes. These grapes go into the production of viognier, chardonnay, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and muscat canelli. With such an impressive setting, the winery has quickly gained an excellent reputation for weddings, private parties and corporate events. Be sure to visit them online for a schedule of their upcoming events. The winery is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. A great way to get the most out of the wine tasting experience is to join their wine club. Use their coupon for 20 percent off all wine purchases. Credit cards: AE, MC, VISA.

Another great winery you should definitely visit is Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyard (20) at 35960 Rancho California Rd. (951-699-9463). This is an elegant Mediterranean-style winery with a restaurant called Creekside Grille, serving lunch daily. The 19 estate wines featured here are cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, mourvedre, Riesling, Syrah and chardonnay. Also popular is their famous Almond Champagne. The winery is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Six tastings cost ($12) and include a souvenir glass. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Rancho California Road is usually packed with cars going into the wine country. This is especially true on weekends and major holidays. So more and more wine tasters are opting to do the SAN DIEGAN winery tour in reverse. The De Portola Road Secret You’ll find that even on non-crowded days, the wineries along De Portola Road offer a wonderful beginning to wine tasting in Temecula via Temecula Parkway (Highway 79). And before or after a day of wine tasting at the wineries, Highway 79 is one of three restaurant rows for discovering excellent local restaurants. The boldfaced numbers next to each restaurant in this chapter correspond to their location on the Temecula map.

Cougar Vineyard & Winery (22) at 39870 De Portola Rd. (951-491-0825 opened their doors to the public in 2006. They now produce 3,000 cases annually of both red and white wines including an award-winning cabernet franc, cortese and Meritage. The winery is open daily for tasting 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tastings are ($10) for six samples and a souvenir wine glass. The winery is also available for weddings. Credit cards: AE, DC, DISC, MC, VISA.

Your next stop should be Leonesse Cellars (24) at 38311 De Portola Rd. (951-302-7601). It’s hard to decide which is better, their panoramic view of the vineyards, or their fabulous-tasting wines. You can be the judge. Their award-winning wines include pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, merlot, Riesling, muscat and cinsault port. Leonesse offers the winery for weddings, banquets and other special events. They even do catering. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Robert Renzoni Vineyards (26) at 37350 De Portola Rd. (951-302-8466) is open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Five tastings are ($15) for premium wines and ($12) for standard wines and include a complimentary wine glass. While this is the newest winery in the Temecula Wine country, it comes with very good credentials. The owner, Robert Renzoni, is a fourth generation winemaker. So you can expect to enjoy good wines here. They include a marvelous old vine zinfandel, pinot grigio, chardonnay, La Rosa, moscato and sangiovese. They also offer free membership to their Vino Famiglia Wine Club featuring up to 25 percent off wine tastings and more. Credit cards: AE, DISC, MC, VISA.

Definitely stop in Keyways Winery & Vineyard (27) at 37338 De Portola Rd. (877-539-9297) [keywayswine.com]. Open Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., till 6 p.m. A wave of excitement surrounds this winery as it is the first winery in Temecula to be owned and managed by a woman. The presentation of the winery is light and bright with a flower garden and gift shop. Their award-winning wines include Syrah, cabernet, barbera, petite syrah, merlot, zinfandel and tempranillo. Wedding, special events and their Cork Club memberships are prized activities here as well. Credit cards: AE, MC, VISA.

Off De Portola Road Just off of De Portola Road is a tiny boutique winery called Briar Rose. It’s wineries like this one that make a wine tasting tour so memorable. They have a very small wine tasting room, so it’s a good idea to make an appointment before you go. And getting there is an adventure in itself. Briar Rose Winery (28) is located at 41720 Calle Cabrillo (951-308-1098)\. Established in 1996, they produce 3,000 cases annually featuring an award-winning estate viognier, estate Riesling, zinfandel, carbernet sauvignon, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, orange muscat, port and sherry. They are open for tastings daily 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Credit cards: MC, VISA

Baily’s Fine Dining (30), 28699 Old Town Front St., Old Town Temecula (951-676-9567). Open for dinner only. Continental gourmet cuisine is served here in a sophisticated setting. They also have an excellent wine list.

Baja Cactus Restaurant (29), 31285 Temecula Pkwy. (Hwy. 79), Temecula (951-308-1468). Open Daily. Baja Cactus serves delicious Mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Carol’s Restaurant (4) at Baily Winery, 33440 La Serena Way, Temecula (951-676-9243). Open for lunch only Thurs.–Sun. from 11:30 a.m. Carol’s serves delicious California cuisine overlooking the beautiful Baily vineyard and winery. Live music on Saturdays.

Front Street Bar & Grill (30) 28699 Old Town Front St., Old Town Temecula (951-676-9567). Front Street Bar & Grill is the casual counterpart to Baily’s Fine Dining, which is located in the same building. They are open for breakfast, lunch Temecula Wineries 61 and dinner serving classic American fare. They also have a nightclub called Eleven After Dark. It’s open from 10 p.m. on Fri. and Sat. nights with a DJ for listening and dancing.

Pinnacle Restaurant (9) at Falkner Winery, 40620 Calle Contento, Temecula (951-676-8231). Open for lunch daily. This restaurant sits on top of a hill overlooking the vineyards, and is a wonderful treat for fine dining and fine wines. You can also get a delicious box lunch to go.

The Melting Pot (42), 39738 Winchester Rd., Temecula (951-693-2222). The Melting Pot serves fondue appetizers, entrées and desserts. For a fun and interactive dining experience, this is the place.

Staying overnight in the Temecula wine country is a must. The Inn at Churon Winery (5) 33233 Rancho California Rd., is in the heart of the Temecula wine country (951-694-9070). It is a French chateauinspired winery and inn that sits on a hill overlooking the beautiful wine country. This Tuscan inn features 5 luxurious suites and 19 spacious vineyard view rooms with elegant French furnishings. The rooms have private balconies overlooking beautiful gardens, fountains and vineyards. Plus, they have marble bathrooms, Jacuzzi bathtubs for two, big showers, gas fireplaces and down comforters. ($179-$275) Sun.-Thurs. and ($295-$450) Fri.-Sat. Credit cards: AE, MC, VISA.

Historic Old Town Temecula is an authentic western town with buildings dating back to the late 1800s. The City of Temecula has completed a $5.5 million project to preserve Temecula’s Old Town theme, and they continue to improve and enhance the area. With more than 640 antique dealers and specialty shops in Old Town, antique collectors will love shopping here! A Temecula favorite is Up Your Alley (33) at 41973 Sixth St., (951-308-1930) in beautiful Old Town. They specialize in "outrageously feminine attire" and receive a dazzling array of clothing and accessories every day from the Los Angeles Fashion District.

Temecula also has many neighborhood shopping centers. However, the major ones to discover are just off Ynez Road and on Highway 79 South in Temecula. See map. The largest retail, dining and entertainment center in the area is The Promenade in Temecula (951-296- 0975). It’s located at the southeast corner of Ynez and Winchester roads adjacent to I-15.

This partially enclosed, two level mall has expanded to its current size of 1,139,000-sq. ft. It features more than 150 stores and restaurants.

The hub of commerce in Temecula is the Promenade in Temecula. Here you will find plenty of banking establishments. A popular one is Pacific Marine Credit Union (37) at 26490 Ynez Rd. (800-736- 4500). It’s ideally located for everyone to use. And it is open six days a week. Don’t let their name confuse you, they offer membership to everyone. So stop by and see what they have to offer. They also have an ATM.

Whether you are relocating to the Temecula region or you need a trustworthy place to store your valuables, San Diego Self Storage is the place. View their special offers for new customers online. This network of neighborhood self storage facilities has a Temecula location called Butterfield Ranch Self Storage (36) at 43920 Butterfield Stage Rd. (951-200-3257) for your convenience.

An adventure trip to the Temecula Valley should not be limited to just a tour of the wine country. There is a lot more to see and do here as well. For example, the largest casino in southern Riverside County is only minutes from the wineries. It’s the Pechanga Entertainment Center (50) (888-732- 4264), which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is located off Interstate 15 and Highway 79 south at 45000 Pechanga Pkwy., which is on the border of Riverside and San Diego counties.