Lots happening in Temecula Wine Country! Summer is a great time to visit the wineries and vineyards. Please enjoy this update, and for outstanding weekday discount coupons, remember to check out the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Web site at www.temeculawines.org/show/coupon.asp.

The ‘Perfect Wine Experience’

Leonesse Cellars is doing something extra special for its Wine Club members. On weekends, the winery on DePortola Road will take members on a private educational tour of the vineyards in a golf cart that winds its way from the tasting room to the secluded barrel room.

Along the way, passengers on the "Perfect Wine Experience" learn about the agricultural side of the winery business and what’s happening in the vineyard. They find out about such things as cane pruning, canopy management, petiole analysis, berry set and vêraison (changes in berry color), depending on the time of the growing season. In the barrel room and adjacent patio, participants experience private tastings with appetizers.

"We wanted to get our Wine Club members away from the crowds and create something special for them," said winery co-owner Mike Rennie. So far the enhanced Wine Country experience is a hit among existing club members and is a great way to attract new members. In the first couple weeks of operation, Rennie estimated that Wine Club signups are up several hundred percent. For more information, visit www.leonessecellars.com.

Temecula wines capture top honors

Several Temecula wines walked away with top honors at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, formerly the LA County Fair Wines Advertisement

North County Cosmetic of the World competition. Winning Best Limited Production White Wine, Best of Class and gold medal was Hart Winery’s 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($16).

Other Best of Class gold medal winners were Baily’s 2006 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon Rose ($16.95) and Wiens Cellars 2004 Dolcetto Reserve ($39). Additional gold medal winners include Miramonte 2004 Estate Syrah ($50) and Mount Palomar’s 2006 Castelletto Cortese ($20). The competition attracted 3,789 wines from 16 countries.

Block 5 set to open

The first restaurant on DePortola Road in the southern part of Temecula’s Wine Country is set to open later this month. Block 5 at Leonesse Cellars will feature California Wine Country-inspired cuisine with high-end steak and fish dishes, according to Executive Chef Frank Broersma, who previously worked at Ponte Family Estate Winery. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant gets its name from its location; it sits on what used to be Irrigation Block 5 – Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard.

Broersma, who was selected from a field of seven candidates, won the job after a cook-off with another chef. Along with seasonal and fresh ingredients from local and proven vendors, he is considering offering special dinners that feature such entrees as wild boar, Kobe beef and ostrich. "We want to make it a different dining experience for those who come to our restaurant," he said. "We just want to make sure expectations match the product we deliver."

The facility, which adjoins the tasting room, will include a climate-controlled dining area that will seat 160 people and provide stunning vineyard and mountain views.