Temecula Valley is located in Southern California, within hailing distance of San Diego.
When it comes to wine growing it is a valley with a lot of diversity.
Everyone knows that the son of Southern California can bake you when you're on the valley floors, but the air gets a little cooler as you rise in altitude.
When it comes to growing grapes, you need an area that will not take the fruit unmercifully.
In the Temecula Valley, they have accomplished this by moving the vineyards to an altitude of 1500 to 2500 feet.
By raising the vineyards to this altitude, it reduces the daytime temperatures from what you would get on the valley floor.
An atomic valley also has the added effect of being able to take advantage of the ocean breeze is coming over the coastal mountain range to the west.
Because of these ideal growing conditions, with warm, sunny days combined with cooler temperatures, this region is able to grow a variety of grapes.
Not only are they able to grow the Mediterranean varieties of grapes such as Viognier, Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, as would be expected, they are also able to grow.
Some of the other varieties of grapes which you would not expect.
Some of the moderate climate varieties that they are able to grow in this valley is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, which is not really all that surprising, as in many regions you can grow Mediterranean varieties as well as moderate climate varieties.
What is really surprising to me, is that in the same area.
They are able to grow the cooler climate varieties such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay.
It is simply astounding that one area can produce such a variety of growing conditions.
The reason of course, is the range in altitude that the valley has.
What will not grow on the valley floor because it is too hot, grows well at 2500 feet, where the air is much cooler.
This micro climate produces some of the finest wines around.
Another contributing factor is the soil in the area.
With high mountain ranges between the valley and the ocean, you can imagine that the soil in the area is decomposing granite, a great medium for grape growing.
The morning mists and afternoon sunshine produce ideal conditions for slow ripening fruit, which converts into tasty wine.
If you have never had the pleasure of visiting the Temecula wine country, put it on your radar screen.
The wineries in this area are small, family owned wineries, where getting to meet the owner or winemaker during a tasting room visit is the norm, not the exception.
It is a friendly area, where the growers love to sit and talk about the process of making wine.