A true gem.
The owners of this winery are all about the wine. Their reds are aged in oak barrels for 30 months and are produced from their own grapes, grown in Temecula. Three generations of the Baily family are involved in the winery or their restaurants in some capacity.
You can call ahead to reserve an estate tasting, in which you are treated to a private vertical tasting and pairing at the estate, then head back to the main winery for a complimentary tasting from their menu. Wish we had known this in advance, we would have done it.
Our server for the day, Chuck, was delightful, personable, knowledgable, and into drones.
Our favorite sips were the 2012 Malbec and the 2013 Cabernet.
Things I learned at this winery:
The word meritage is a “blend” of marriage and heritage, and rhymes with heritage. The double meaning of blend was not lost on me.
If you call ahead to a Temecula restaurant, they often waive the corkage fee for local wines, if they don’t carry them on their menu.
