Temecula, CA – The culmination of Southern California Wine Country’s fall harvest will be celebrated, Sunday, November 8, 2015 when 10 wineries invite visitors to indulge in a full-day of sampling select wines artistically paired with the perfect cuisine. While much of the event which started 25 years ago will be familiar, organizers have changed this year and made adjustments to appeal to wine aficionados.
Previously organized by the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, a more intimate version of the event will be hosted this year by Grapeline Wine Tours, a Temecula-based company that offers wine tasting tours in Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles and Temecula.
“The event was difficult for the Winegrowers Association to sustain,” explained Kim Kelliher, Grapeline’s president. “Winery participation was mandatory, and as wine country grew more popular, many wineries could no longer adequately handle the all-weekend event. We realized we could make some desired changes and keep the tradition alive.”
The traditional event format – showcasing samples of premium wines and chef-inspired food pairings – remains the same. The new features include hosted transportation for every guest, a shift from a two-day weekend format to only one day on the less-busy Sunday, and optional participation by Temecula wineries.
“The changes should result in a higher level of service for guests,” Kelliher said.
“Including a smaller number of participating wineries allows us and the wineries to provide more VIP treatment,” explained Kelliher. “And including a low-cost transportation method solves the DD problem for everyone.”
Harvest-goers aboard Grapeline mini-coaches will stop at eight of the ten participating wineries. The wineries include: Baily, Callaway, Carter Estate, Cougar, Danza del Sol, Doffo, Europa Village, Falkner, Lorimar, and Oak Mountain.
This year’s Harvest Celebration presents three venues that will be new to the public.
- Oak Mountain Winery will present their Harvest offering inside their newly excavated 11,000 square foot wine cave. The cave reaches a depth of more than 100 feet below the surface.
- Carter Estate Winery, opened earlier this year, will participate in its first-ever Harvest Celebration. The winery is the second for Jim Carter, proprietor of three-time California Winery of the Year, South Coast Winery. Carter Estate features the finest wines in the Carter collection, and includes luxury lodging among its vineyards.
- Baily Vineyard & Winery will greet Harvest guests in its appointment-only wine production facility, normally reserved for Baily VIPs who arrange private tastings of library reserve vintages hosted by owner and winemaker Phil Baily.
As an added bonus to encourage wine purchases, Grapeline is offering its Harvest guests a $50 gift certificate toward future tours for anyone who purchases at least four bottles of wine or joins a wine club on the day of the event.
Grapeline was founded in 2002 by Kim and John Kelliher. The company provides wine tasting tours and transportation services to more than 25,000 guests annually in four California wine regions. Earlier this year, the Temecula Valley named Grapeline a Business of the Year for the second time. The company maintains a five-star average on all major review sites, with more five-star reviews than any other Temecula activity provider. For more information call (951) 693-5755 or visit https://gogrape.com/page/temecula/harvest-celebration-tour/
Grapeline: thanks for keeping this great event going!