Leoness Cellars is a name you will not want to forget if you plan to visit Temecula, California. Not only will you find world-class wines on the gorgeous property tucked away on the lesser known wine path in Temecula. You will also encounter the most incredible restaurant in all of Temecula. Yes, we said it! The Restaurant at Leoness Winery is aptly named as it really is the only restaurant of its class in this town as far as I am concerned so you will definitely want to come HUNGRY!
Leoness Cellars- One of the BEST Wineries in Temecula
Photos by Harmony Pyper Studio
Leoness Cellars- The Story
In 2003, veteran grape growers Gary Winder and Mike Rennie came together and founded their winery. The two have over 80 years of agriculture and grape-growing experience in Temecula. Their vast experience has led them to create some incredible wine grapes; grapes that are balanced, concentrated, and ripe which help to produce wines full of amazing depth and flavor.
Speaking of the wines, Gary and Mike brought on vintner Tim Kramer who helped them create the best possible wine and put Leoness Cellars on the map. Tim has created some amazing wines for Leoness Cellars over the years including four that have earned 90+ points from some of the most respected wine publications in the US.
Currently, Leoness offers three wonderful wine collections: Their “Cellar Selection” wines are suited for all types of palates; the “Vineyard Selection” wines are handcrafted from single vineyard varietals and their “Signature Selection” wines which are handcrafted wines made from small individual lots, aged for an extended period of time in the finest oak barrels.
You can visit Leoness Cellars 7-days a week. I suggest heading into the tasting room or scheduling a tour. They also offer a lovely outdoor patio with plenty of seating overlooking the vineyard.
Experiencing Leoness Cellars
Photos by Harmony Pyper Studio
I recently had the opportunity to experience Leoness Cellars with some of my fellow #OMAGinsiders who had flown into town. These women had flown from all over the states and Canada and I wanted to show them some of my favorite places in my hometown of Temecula. My first stop… Leoness Cellars.
The word Leoness means “village of dreams,” and I think the name is so fitting because when you sit down at their gorgeous patio or inside their incredible restaurant you will feel as if you have been transported to a far-off land. Tucked away off the main drag of wineries in Temecula, Leoness Cellars offers a relaxing, peaceful setting where you can enjoy sweeping views, incredible wine, great food and wonderful time spent with friends and family.
Wine Tasting Offerings at Leoness Winery
Leoness Cellars produces a wide variety of wines including Viognier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Merlot, Muscat Canelli and Cinsault Port. Plus, they also offer a limited quantity of other specially selected varietals as well. While you are there make sure to ask about their Library Wines which are high-quality wines aged to perfection.
- Cellar Selection Wine Tasting
(includes 6 tastes): $16 Monday-Friday, $20 Saturday-Sunday - Complimentary Wine Tasting for Leoness Members
- Wine-by-the-Glass or Bottle
- Winery Tours & Hosted-Tastings
- Winery Tours and Private Tastings by Reservation Only
A note from the owners, “We want to go beyond our guest’s expectations. We have created an in-house wine and hospitality training program to assess and create what makes it “perfect” for each unique guest. And we believe that the more our guests learn about wine, the more they’ll enjoy it. That’s why we developed a self-guided vineyard tour. They can see and touch the vines and grapes in every stage: from flowering to fruit set, to fruit development, and learn about what’s involved in viticulture. The self-guided tour puts them right in the middle of agriculture. We also offer extensive educational tours like Wine 101, to teach people how wine is made in different regions.”
The Restaurant at Leoness Cellars
Photos by Harmony Pyper Studio
A tip when visiting Leoness Cellars is to come HUNGRY!! The Restaurant at Leoness Cellars has been rated #1 Winery Restaurant by USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice and Best Restaurant of the IE for four consecutive years!!!
Executive Chef Daragh Matheson has created an exceptional menu that will delight even the most discerning palettes. The Chef prides himself on creating magnificent offerings that are prepared 100% scratch from the kitchen. True fact… Chef Matheson’s fries take a whopping 3 days in the kitchen to create. Trust me when I say they are SO WORTH IT!!! And, you guessed it all three of the sauces in the picture are all made from scratch.
What to order at The Restaurant at Leoness Winery
Photos by Harmony Pyper Studio
- Some of my favorite dishes include the Oysters Rockefeller (pictured above- lower left) featuring Fanny bay oysters baked with garlic, Prosciutto spinach, and glazed béarnaise sauce.
- The Hand Cut Fries (top right) is a MUST if you visit during lunch. They come in a variety of flavors and all of them are amazing but if I HAD to choose my favorites would be the Creole and the Grana Padana, Applewood Smoked Bacon & Garlic. The fries are served with three different sauces including made from scratch Ketchup, Cajun-Creole Sauce, and Garlic Mayonnaise.
- For dessert, you can’t go wrong with any of the incredible options but I HIGHLY suggest the Black Forest Gateau– a multilayered decadent chocolate & almond cake, rich chocolate mousse, the most incredible amarena cherries you will ever taste!!, chocolate ganache, white chocolate kirsch mousse, almond & hazelnut praline.
Have you visited Leoness Cellars yet?
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*Disclaimer- Thank you Visit Temecula and Leoness Cellars for hosting our recent visit. All thoughts and opinions expressed above, as always, are 100% my own.
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