It’s time for more wine reviews! We recently received these bottles for review courtesy of South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula, California.

South Coast is also a wine resort offering beautiful villas set among the vineyards, a spa, restaurant, and tasting room. In other words, it’s a wine tourism destination, just our cup of tea glass of wine here at TravelPlusWine! But, more about that later.

In the meantime, here are a few wines you can have shipped to your door:

2006 Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – 4 Block Blend

If you prefer to stay away from fruity, jammy wines, this Cabernet Sauvignon definitely offers what you’re looking for in a red! This 4 Block Blend isn’t your stereotypical bomb of a California Cabernet. To begin, it doesn’t smell overly fruity and doesn’t overwhelm the senses.

Expect plums and a slightly metallic taste on the mouth. This wine is oaky, but the winemakers don’t go overboard.

The tannins coat your mouth and stick around long after you swallow, leaving you with a delicious yet discreet spicy, vanilla finish. In fact, the earthy elements in this wine reminded us of a Pinot Noir.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect pairing for hearty mushroom ravioli with a marinara and ricotta sauce. In fact, it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

2006 Cucamonga Valley Zinfandel

This wine is smokin’! Or so we thought when we put our nose in the glass and smelled smokiness and dark cherries. We’d later find the smokiness not so apparent on the palate.

Woah baby, hold back those tannins! This wine is big and bold. The tannins will suck your mouth dry and you will quickly guess its alcohol content to be exactly 14.8%. In keeping with typical Zinfandel tradition, this Cucamonga Valley wine possesses that peppery goodness we’ve come to expect. There’s also a pleasant, yet faint licorice taste that lingers on the tongue post-sip.

We’ve never tasted the Old West as bottled poetry, but this wine has a truly Old West feel. Pop a cork, grab a glass, and kick up those cowboy boots! As you sip this wine, you’ll picture leather chaps, dusty streets, and maybe Calamity Jane holding a glass of wine.

Overall, it’s a very nice wine, but let’s just say I wouldn’t get into a gunfight with Billy the Kid over this bottle. The Wild Horse Cab… perhaps if I had that ravioli in front of me again!

Have you ever tried this Zinfandel with barbecue? With the next bottle, Ricardo wants ribs and barbecue sauce!

Everyone has a favorite, and my favorite winery in Temecula is Doffo Winery.

Yes, there are a few wineries in Temecula that produce excellent wines, but I believe Doffo’s great quality is simply apart from the rest.

I don’t know if they have a secret or not when making wine, but I am convinced their success is mainly due to their traditional way of making wine combined with the love and passion they put into the art of winemaking.

When you visit Doffo Winery don’t expect a souvenir shop, a Spa, or a restaurant attached to their business.

Doffo is all about wine and as a wine lover, that’s all I care. Since it is a small family owned winery, you will be welcomed by family members.

That to me is one of the most valuable aspects at Doffo Winery, the fact that you can actually have a great conversation with the family about their wines. You’ll soon feel like you’re talking to an old friend.

But let’s talk about their wines because this summer they released a few gems worth noting.

Let’s start with the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc.

This is the second year they’ve produce this white and if last year’s vintage was excellent, this year promises to be even better!

The nose is bright and fruity with hints of peaches. However, on the palate it delivers an unexpected but delicious taste of roasted almonds.

It is elegant and very smooth with tones of fresh grapefruit.

Let’s move on to the 2008 Syrah.

Ever since their 2005 Syrah, I have fallen in love with this fine wine from Doffo. Their Syrah was a huge success in 2006 and 2007 because of its superb quality and taste.

The 2008 vintage is no exception. Despite being young (just bottled in June), it is a very developed wine with a respectful character; the sign of a great winemaker. Nonetheless, it will improve considerably if stored for a few years.

This Syrah has vibrant tones of currants and berries. It is not heavy on the tannins, but silky and so smooth to drink, with a nice oaky finish.

Another great wine that is becoming a classic at Doffo is their 2008 Mistura, Portuguese for blend. This wine is 60% Cabernet and 40% Syrah.

The Mistura is a big medium-bodied wine with nice tones of blackberries and delightfully peppery. In a year or two you can better enjoy the wine as it will have developed its character.

The newest wine varietal at Doffo is their 2008 Zinfandel.

I can already foresee this wine becoming one of the stars at Doffo (see photo).

With peppery traits and fruity, this Zinfandel is well balanced. Interestingly, this Zinfandel is a bit sweet but without sacrificing the integrity of its zippy personality.

On the contrary, this quality makes it a bit more flexible allowing you to enjoy it with a meal or on its own.

Among Doffo’s repertoire, don’t miss their Malbec and their Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve. And for those who love dessert wines, try their Late-Harvest Syrah and Port.

If you’re visiting Temecula wine country, make sure you stop at Doffo Winery. They are definitely putting Temecula on the world map of wines.

PS: Once there, ask Don Marcelo or Damian to show you their impressive Ducati motorcycle collection. It will blow you away!

Have you been to Temecula? Tell about your experience and favorite winery.

It’s not just about drinking wine, but about experiencing wine using all of your senses.

In this video, Dorian at Briar Rose Winery in Temecula, California explains how to taste wine:

Nestled in a small wine region in Southern California, Temecula winery Briar Rose Winery is a hidden gem among the few dozen valley vineyards.

Quaint and story book- like, when you visit Briar Rose Winery, you’ll want to allow enough time to really taste and enjoy the wine.

The History

The tasting room is located in Snow White’s cottage. Seriously!

The previous owner worked for Walt Disney and built an exact replica of the cottage for his wife, a huge Snow White fan.

Current owners, Dorian and Les, bought the property and decided to open a winery. They keep the Disney tradition alive through the décor, music, and overall experience.

The Setting

Enjoy your wine in the tasting room, the back patio, or under a shady tree right out front. Thankfully, the wine tasting room offers a welcome reprieve from the steadily increasing Temecula summer temperatures.

Upon entering, you’ll feel like you’re on a classic movie set in Disneyland.

The Experience

Briar Rose Winery offers a tasting experience unlike any other winery in Temecula, or anywhere for that matter.

Inside, friends and couples sip wine at intimate bistro tables while the gracious hostess (and owner) Dorian gives wine tasting lessons to even the most seasoned wine enthusiasts.

Unlike other wineries, there’s no standing at crowded counters because here, at Briar Rose Winery, the wine is brought to you!

Visiting

In order to offer you an intimate experience, Briar Rose is a reservations- only winery. All it takes is a quick call ahead (or email) to verify large crowds won’t put a damper on your visit.

Definitely Taste…

Briar Rose makes a very unique beverage called Talking Frog, a wine lager. Think of it as a cross between a sparkling wine, cider, and wheat beer. You’ll just have to try it for yourself!

From Doffo Winery in Temecula, California, comes the Tiarella, a rich and intense Cabernet Sauvignon 2005.

One of the best wines from this boutique winery, the Tiarella awakens its fruity elegance and comes to life as soon as you open the bottle.

The nose is sophisticated and aromatic, and you might be tempted to serve immediately. However, I would suggest letting it breathe for at least 40 minutes before serving to reveal its full character.

On the palate, the Tiarella is balanced and very smooth; a masterpiece of an extraordinary winemaker.

Besides the intense flavors of berries that unveil the Tiarella’s refined attributes, I also found modest but distinctive hints of raisins. In my opinion these are very well balanced, preserving its magnificent body.

Out of all the wineries in Temecula, I have to say Doffo Winery is simply the best. They don’t mass produce wines, but their hand-craft technique is very meticulous, ensuring the best quality production.

Besides the Tiarella, another one of my favorites is the Syrah 2005, made with 100% syrah grapes. For a complete list of their wines click here.

If you love traveling and you love wine, make sure Temecula is one of your next travel destinations. Once in Temecula, make Doffo Winery your first stop!