Temecula wine tasting trip - part 2

As we drove the smooth, natural terrain, I saw in the distance feathery grasses in fusion with boulders and chaparral giving way to Bobs' favorite cheese factory. We arrived at Winchester Cheese Company, an unpretentious farm, with goats, cattle, geese, chickens and dogs. Jorge felt right at home. " It reminds me of my Rancho Delicias, back in Mexico," I heard him say. He went straight to the corrals with Bob following him to play and pat the animals.They fell in love with a brown and white goat and a goose that followed them everywhere. They were pretty mellow now, frolicking with the livestock. Seeing them at ease and in good spirits, reminded me of Saint Francis of Assisi who also loved animals, Being around them gave him happiness and tranquility. Studies suggest that that patting and loving animals causes your brain to produce oxcitosin which restores your inner health, strength and fills you with kindness towards animals and your fellow men. Here was proof: they were happy as larks, their earlier squabbles were all forgotten.

The cheese making process was closed and the only cheese available was a hard aged Gouda. This was a major disappointment to me because Bob had been instructing us on the finer points selecting and tasting cheese. " I took a class in Italy ", he said and considers himself to be an amateur fromager, an expert in the art of selecting cheese at the peak of perfection.  Jorge told us not to worry, he would take us to Henry's, another excellent establishment which carries a blue-ribbon assortment of fine cheeses. He was right: it proved to be an excellent outpost for all kinds and varieties of cheese.

Temecula is an "eco-chic" town with gentle rolling hills wrapped in brown/green veils of  majestic grape vines.  Now at the budding stage, it won't be long before the grapes mature and are ready to harvest. The burgeoning wine industry has made room for numerous wineries all along California Rancho Road where you can easily find most of them. One word of warning from Bob, "Preparation is essential."  True to form, he made a list of the wineries he was interested in visiting and the kinds of wines he wanted to taste. Jorge, on the other hand, knew which kind he wanted to taste. He said, " The vintage, taste and the year are more important to me no matter what the price is! ". For me, I was in a learning expedition with the masters so it was all good.

We followed Bobs list of wineries which were all wonderful structures: chalets, estates, cottages, mansions, villas or ranches. Each establishment had its own distinct artistic and architectural design and all had productive fields of grape vines.
At each winery we paid a fee ranging from $10.00 - $12.00 dollars for about eight "tastes",secured a nice table and took turns describing the flavor and rating. Some of the nicer wineries even present you with the tasting glass as a souvenir. We enjoyed: Syrah, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Malbec, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Fume Blank, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Tempranillo. Bob was very descriptive and exquisite in explaining what he tasted in the wines. Jorge, contrast, was more to the point. He knew what he liked and what tasted good to him. He was not impressed with aromas or subtleties; earthiness, berries, oak, buttery, dew etc. " If I like the taste I buy it, "no importa lo que cueste!", he said and he did.

After a few more wineries we noticed Bob was no longer interested in tasting wines. He just sat and reading brochures, reminiscing of his visits to the wineries of Italy. I suggested that we have a late lunch, a suggestion to which they eagerly agreed. After a pleasant conversation over lunch, we each made a list of the wines we would be purchasing. Then we headed to S'yrneh Jorge's favorite Winery and Retats Brothers, Bob winery of choice. We stocked up for a few weeks. On the way back, a quiet drive. Three sages, of the third age, headed home.