Mount Palomar Winery

My husband and I have been wine club members here at Mount Palomar Winery for about 7 years now and have always loved the wine but now they have an amazing restaurant! We dined there last night for Valentines Day and it was beautiful. They had live music and FANTASTIC FOOD… It was laid back but really nicely decorated and they have a wall of windows that overlook the vineyards. They also have a full bar. I’m don’t know many wineries in Temecula that have a full bar. They even have extended hours which is really nice since most wineries shut down around 6pm. I’m so excited that one of our wineries that we’ve loved for so long has a really nice place to dine! LOVE IT!!!

The view is nice, seating area is great! Riesling, cab and port pretty good! Service ehh! One of the girls that was serving us made the experience feel so uncomfortable. Did she think we weren’t going to buy anything? Could’ve been a good time but not so much. Wish my dad wouldn’t have bought the wine club. Cancelling that soon! Been wine tasting so many times and most people are so personable and friendly. Thanks but no thanks

I attended the 5K Holiday Run event on Saturday. I feel really bad for the winery. The events company that loused up the coordination is doing their best to slander the winery and ALL of the participants. The winery is beautiful and would make an excellent venue for a wedding or get together. I hope the winery gets through this PR mess without too many bruises. Hopefully they had a good contract in place.

Came here with 3 other people on Saturday February 6, 2016
For a 5KHR,
I couldn’t get much of a taste of wine
After our run, so so many people
The ones serving the wine there was only 2 of them they needed more than That. .
One of these days i would love to come back n try more wine

My husband and I went to the Palomar winery for the kiss wind run, I want to express my extreme disappointment at the event. First no parking, no organization for registration, ran out of the bags, only 4 porter potty for 1000+ people, during the course there was no direction on where to go, the course was poorly mapped out. The lines to get wine and wines glasses extremely long. we will not be going back

Beautiful grounds, i was there for the Kiss Wine 5K and tasted the Sangiovese rose. it was good! Will return to sample their other offerings! Eric was a great bartender and made great drinks… kept me from trying more wine!

5kHR run so disorganized and poorly ran event I have ever attended. Parking was disorganized and parking spots ran out prior to race starting. Absolute nightmare! Course not well planned. Food line not moving. Where is the wine?

Completely grossed out by this establishment. Like really? So disorganized and the wine was horrible. .
A

This was my first and last time to this winery… the overall experience of an even that should have been a great experience to the Temecula wineries.
My husband and I did the kiss 5k run… what a joke. Can anyone say organization… really for what we paid for the tickets you would have thought there were more staff to assist. .talk about a health hazards… really ONLY 4 PORTA POTTIES for over a couple thousand people. From the time you got into the winery it was a complete mess, the fact our tickets were purchased over 4 months ago there is no reason it could not have organized better, no visible signs to infirm you of lines for shirts, glasses, lunch… and by the time you did see them you had waited well over 30 minutes to find out your were in the wrong line.
The run was also not the best especially when it came to water stations. .DID U NOT LEARN HOW TO COUNT IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST 1000+ people then you should have that amount of water, by the time my group passed by all you saw were packages of empty water cases… usually there is someone there passing out the water… what good is the little medic-​guy riding on his bike if someone is passed out from dehydration.
Then no one really telling you if you finished t g email race since there was no finish line sign.
At first I thought maybe it was an outside company hosting the event but since I saw their logo on the give away glasses… I’m disgusted to see they would allow there name on something and not take more pride in the structure and organization of their events.
I will never step foot on their property again and will make sure to inform all my wine lover friends to do the same… thanks again for the worst experience to a Temecula winery.
What a waste of over $ 100…

This place is too expensive for what you get! My friend and I got a Caesar salad and added chicken for $ 18. Now we’re expecting a big salad with a big chicken breast. Nope! Its below average size and the chicken was blah. We also got a meat and cheese platter. It had 2 types of bologna with below average cheese and bread for $ 16! The only good things I can say is the wine was decent, the atmosphere was very pretty, and the service was excellent. I’d come here for wine tasting and that’s it.

I love this winery! Great wines, beautiful grounds, and every single employee I’ve come in contact with there was amazing! This is one of the wineries I keep coming back to. They also sell cheeses and fruit and light snacks to help soak up the wine. Last time I was there they were renovating the place and I can’t wait to see it when it’s done. Also, if you are looking to get married at a winery, I seriously recommend taking a look at this place. Beautiful place for a wedding.

This place is too expensive for what you get! My friend and I got a Caesar salad and added chicken for $ 4, which together was $ 18. Now we’re expecting a big salad with a big chicken breast. Nope! Its below average size and the chicken was blah. We also got a meat and cheese platter… it had 2 types of bologna with below average cheese and bread for $ 16! The only good things I can say is the wine was decent, the atmosphere was very pretty, and the service was excellent. I’d come here for wine tasting and that’s it.

Nice and open place with good friendly people. Well organized for the wine barrel tasting event. Good sliders with the tasting event.

Okay so, the two stars is a little ambiguous, so I should clarify that it just represents an overall picture.
I had a great time on the wine tasting visit; the grounds are beautiful and I did like some of the wines. I found the staff to be friendly as well. If I were basing my review on these things alone, it would have been closer to 4 or 5.
But the ‘Wine Club’…
To me, when one person provides incorrect information, it could easily be an error… but two people, one a manager, on the same day, and another representative confirms by phone a month later… that’s not likely a mistake… more like misleading.
I was told by the bartender that sold me on the wine club that the package I chose would amount to $ 30-​$ 40 per shipment, depending upon what the staff had chosen, and that shipping would amount to about $ 10 from Temecula to Orange County. That’s what I agreed to.
Fast forward to the first shipment, which is only a few weeks after my visit (turns out as well that they were supposed to offer me a choice of shipping in January or the next one, March, since I had just purchased two bottles when I joined in December). I see a charge on my credit card for $ 76! I called, and when I finally got someone on the phone, no one from the wine club was available. The young lady that answered the phone did tell me, however, that I had been ‘misinformed’, (3 times, apparently, across 3 different people), that my level of wine club was $ 45-​$ 50 per shipment, and that shipping was actually over $ 20 from Temecula to Orange County. She also told me she would have someone call me back on Monday.
Ended up having to call them myself on Monday, and the wine club rep knew nothing about my previous conversation, said she would have her manager call me back. So far nothing.
Unfortunately, with honesty and customer service being more important to me than aesthetics, the ‘after the sale’ issues bring the rating down to a 2.
Cancelling my membership.

After enjoying an afternoon of Mount Palomar Winery wines, I was intrigued in the latest project at the winery, a newly constructed restaurant called Annata Bistro/​Bar. Light, spacious, with large windows facing the vineyard, Annata has a lot of natural light and is simple in décor. Besides Mount Palomar Wines, mainstream commercial beers and some local California beers, both in bottle and on tap are available. There is a full service bar with a drink menu of recommended house cocktails. While the «Laid Back Lemonade,» «The Carol» and the «Annata Mimosa» sound wonderful and very tempting to try, this visit was going to be wine only.
Always pleased with the small plates, sandwiches, and the entrees served in the MPW cave and patio, Annata did not disappoint. For some starters and all entrees there is a recommended MPW wine for each one. I had the artichoke dip, the charcuterie board, and the mussels accompanied with a glass of bubbly MPW Brut Sparkling Wine. My favorite starter was the artichoke dip, so creamy with large chunks of artichoke accompanied with homemade pita chips. Cooked with fennel, sausage, and an array of herbs in white wine, the bowl of mussels was very tasty. If there was one minor gripe is how few mussels were served in comparison to what I have had at other restaurants for such a price. The charcuterie board was hearty, so much so that myself and the two ladies I dined with continually commented how substantial it is with lots of Italian meats. The server was pleasant, detail-​oriented, and attentive.
My first impression of Annata was that it is airy, fresh, and simple in presence and food which I appreciate and enjoy. I look forward to the next visit to Annata Bistro/​Bar when I will begin with a house cocktail and enjoy an entrée with the recommended MPW wine pairing.

My bf and I came here, along with other wineries, to celebrate the new year. The tasting garden and room were very beautiful with well kept plants and fountains. The tasting was introduced and fun as our servers were knowledgeable and friendly. We bought two bottles of their dessert Sherry wine as a gift and for ourselves. Their red blends were different from other wineries which is a plus because when all reds taste the same, tasting gets boring. I loved the view and would love to go back sonetime just for a glass.

Saturday was my first time here with a group of 10 moms and we all had a great time. They allow limos and are very responsive via email for tasting and restaurant reservations. Kris May was very helpful!
The service was also excellent once we arrived. There was someone at the very front to answer questions. They gave my group a discount for paying with one credit card which was awesome. They had heat lamps on outdoors and tons of patio seating. The chardonnay was my favorite. The experts pouring the wine were friendly and knowledgeable.
The Annata Bistro was the best part of the day! The views are spectacular, they have a full bar, and the entrees were delicious! Jaime was our server and she was on top of things! The flatbread and chicken sandwich were both amazing!

Mount Palomar was our last winery stop in Temecula. It’s ranks among one of Temecula’s oldest wineries and is centrally located in the middle of Temecula’s wine country. We bought a Groupon which included a six flight wine tasting for two and a hummus and pita appetizer. The wine selection was better than expected. We went with mostly reds since we’re not much into whites. The boyfriend tried their 2010 Quartet, 2009 Kyanti, 2010 Charbono, 2013 Castello Dolcetto, and Limited Reserve Port. I tasted the 2010 Castelletto Sangiovese, Shorty’s Bistro Red, 2010 Charbono, 2011 Cloudbreak, 2013 Sangiovese Rose, and Solera Cream Sherry. The wines were fairly decent. I personally enjoyed the Sangiovese Rose, which was one of their award winning wines. It was very refreshing and had scents of strawberry and melon with a nice smooth finish. The hummus plate was very mediocre. We had to ask for another order of pita bread because the order they brought out to us was stale. Aside from that, the overall experience was great. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the winery and all the different variety of wines on their menu. After our tasting, we stumbled and explored the beautiful grounds around the winery. We climbed atop the grand staircase, located right outside of the wine tasting room, which offered a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains and vineyards at a 1400-​foot elevation. Not the best winery we visited in Temecula, but definitely worth checking out.

Mount Palomar Winery Review — October 1, 2015
(Scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the MOST family-​friendly and 1 being the LEAST)
Quality & Location of Parking Lot — 3.67
Quality of picnic or play area — 4.00
Quality & Cleanliness of the bathrooms — 4.50
Level of entertainment for kids — 3.33
How family-​friendly is the winery? — 3.67
How easy was it to move around with a stroller? — 2.67
OVERALL RATING — 3.64
Mommy Reviews:
«We experienced a new side of Mount Palomar this year. Usually we congregate on the patio outside the tasting room but they are in the process of some major renovations (and repairs due to the fire) so things have been moved around a bit. That forced us to explore the property a little closer and we found an amazing garden area with multiple levels and lots of picnic tables all covered by large trees. The kids had a blast just exploring the gardens and the moms enjoyed the scenery while the kids were close by. The parking lot is large and paved but its on a bit of a hill making for a nice hike back to your car especially if you’re pushing a stroller! The bathrooms are nice because they are in a separate building outside of the tasting room so its easy to run in and out with kids. Most of the winery is on one level so a stroller wouldn’t be an issue. The gardens do have some stairs but most of the moms who brought strollers were still able to get them up easily. We really enjoyed our afternoon here and we look forward to checking out the renovations next year.»
«The parking lot is steep but close to the tasting room. If you have 2 kids a side by side double might not fit in some areas.»

So this is my first time wine tasting. The Somalier did not even instruct our group on the proper decorum of how to conduct a wine tasting. That was a huge disappointment for me. Additionally, the wines tasted like yellow tail, or something you could buy at Ralphs, Albertsons, or Food For less, or Savon. I spent a lot of time and money drinking French and Italian wines which are imported into the US… These domestic wines are far below the scale for me. However, the Charbono what’s the closest they have to a real wine. So that’s the only one I actually recommend at this location.

Yes and no.
On the plus side, I like the grounds. And I also love that you get a gigantic charcuterie platter for so cheap. In fact, it’s probably the most generous (for the cost) charcuterie platter I’ve ever ordered. However, note that it’s a quantity vs quality thing, so please ignore if you’re a weird cheese or sausage snob.
Sadly, the wines were just about terrible — easily the worst of all the Temecula wineries we visited, and on par with the kind of stuff you can buy at 7-​Eleven (I’m kidding, I don’t think 7-​Eleven sells wine, but if they did, it’d be this stuff). That’d be fine if you just want to get sloshed, but the pours were incredibly stingy. Which I suppose is a good thing, because even with the dinky pours, we both managed to toss most of our tastings. We’re in a drought, don’t waste water.

I had my wedding at Mount Palomar Winery in September, and it was such an amazing day! I actually visited about a dozen venues (mostly wineries) in Temecula, and it didn’t take long to narrow it down to Mount Palomar. These were my reasons:
— The venue is beautiful, with many different locations for guests to explore and for the wedding couple and bridal party to take gorgeous photos.
— This wasn’t the cheapest venue in the area that we visited, but it was definitely on the lower end. The prices might’ve changed since I booked the venue in early 2014, but I think you can still trust me on this – I used a spreadsheet to compare all the venues using different variables (number of guests, number of hours, with or without unlimited wine & beer).
— I was worried that we could not reach the guest minimum at most venues. However, Mount Palomar would allow us to upgrade the linens, purchase bottles of wine for the wedding day, etc. to reach the equivalent cost of the minimum. We ended up having more guests than expected, but it was nice to have the peace of mind that our money wouldn’t simply be wasted if we couldn’t fulfill the guest minimum.
— Although the winery is open to the general public during the day, the ceremony site was distant enough to keep the wedding event private. Many other wineries we visited were too commercial and did not offer enough privacy.
— I really wanted to have my reception in a barrel room, and the one at Mount Palomar provided such a beautiful and unique setting.
Overall, our expectations were met! The food was a small downside for us – it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing either. The winery partners with a catering company, so we didn’t have much of a choice there.
Also, our wedding cake came with three different flavors, but only two of them were served (we certainly didn’t need to order an extra sheet cake like our cake vendor suggested). When one of our guests requested the cake that hadn’t been served, a staff member – not sure if this was Mount Palomar or the catering staff – just told the guest that there wasn’t such a cake available. This was my only disappointment with the service, and it was a small one in the grand scheme of things.
The wedding day would not have gone as smoothly if it weren’t for the coordinator Lauren, her assistant Cassie, and the staff at Mount Palomar! Lauren and Cassie answered any questions I had from the day I first toured Mount Palomar to the day before my wedding. Even though many people warn against just having a «venue coordinator,» Lauren was essentially a «day-​of-​coordinator.» Lauren contacts all your other wedding vendors prior to the wedding day, and can help you plan out and coordinate the wedding timeline. We were also able to drop off any of our DIYs (card box, engagement photos, favors, etc.) for the staff to set up for us on the wedding day.
So many guests commented on how beautiful the venue was, and that my wedding was the classiest one they’ve ever been to. I highly recommend considering Mount Palomar as your wedding venue!

Since redoing some of their outdoor seating, this place has a nice ambience. The selection is good, and this is one of the places that actually serves food! The hummus and pita bread was delicious. The pita bread might be the best pita bread I’ve ever had, which is saying something!
The service was pretty slow. Waiting at the bar to get my next taster was not a pleasant experience. There were probably 10 – 15 people waiting there with only 2 servers.
A lot of the construction isn’t finished yet either, so it still looks a bit messy.

This is one of my favorite wineries to visit as I enjoy their wines and they have a nice patio to enjoy your tastings. The inside of the tasting room is on the smaller side but is the perfect size of you go on a non peak day. The staff is nice, knowledgable and handle crowds well too. Make sure to stop by Mount Palomar if you are in the area.

Mount Palomar Winery in Temecula has outstanding views of the surrounding area (and mount Mt. Palomar itself? That would make sense, but my geographic knowledge is lacking). They have a pretty large property, including a small indoor tasting room and a ton of outside room. There is a large covered seating area for those hot Temecula days, and even more uncovered seating all over their property. If there isn’t an event going on, you can walk up their stairs to see a few fountains and the view of the wine valley below (and questionable mountain).
I went with one of their standard tastings, and was not disappointed in any of my choices. I went from with and sweet to pinot noir (I don’t particularly care for the bold, tannic reds, so I skipped them). They also had a delightful sangria.
Palomar has a beautiful property that would be great for a wedding — very pretty views and a ton of space!

Great Temecula winery. Took us a few head-​scratching minutes to understand the tasting options on offer, but one of us went with the one we called the ‘wine tree’ which is a set-​menu kind of tasting that gets dropped off to your table, along with some really delicious share plates we ordered, while the other got a more normal tasting where we went up to the bar and ticked off the other red wines we were yet to try.
Lots to like here, for my wine tastebuds anyways. Lots of reds, a great variety of tastes and styles.
Can get a little busy from the look of it, but the grounds are nice and it was a very pretty spot to stop for a revitalising bite.

Staff: 3 stars
Unavailable, gated grounds: 3 stars
Overall lush, shaded grounds: 5
Wines: 4 stars
This was the second stop for my girls and me after touring another winery. I bought a 2 for 1 groupon special for 6 tastings and cheese or hummus plate. With the exception of one friendly young, petite lady with black hair, the others were just mehhh… not very friendly or inviting.
What I did enjoy was the grapevines and view as I drove in. Parking was ample, but confusing because there was signs and arrows everywhere. The water fountains along the walkway and stream were tranquil. There was ample outdoor seating and a shaded patio area with a bar. No sign led us to the tasting room, but process of elimination told us it had to be near the outdoor patio.
The tasting room was small, dark, and danky. Several people blocked the entire counter and paced around the small area, so there was a wait to check in. Although check-​in was conveniently done via our cell phones, this was the first time… EVER…at any winery that my friends and I also had our id’s scrutinized. That was a bit much, I thought. The gentleman who checked us in slid a table number to me, explained what food we could purchase, and gave us a receipt for tastings and told us to go outside.
Nevertheless, my friends and I moved over to the next counter and selected our first tastings before heading outdoors. Two of my friends enjoyed the hummus. I had no idea what cheeses were on my plate because they were never explained. The croutons and cheeses weren’t memorable. I indulged in the variety of sweet wines. Cream sherry was my favorite. It had a thick caramel flavor that I loved. Bottles seemed very pricey compared to other wineries, so I didn’t purchase one. :(
From what I could view, I thought this could have been one of the prettiest wine grounds I’ve visited. With most areas gated off, I can’t confirm. Most of what appeared to be beautifully lush, green, grassy, and shaded wedding/​picnic areas were gated off and unavailable.

I came to Temecula over the weekend to go wine tasting at a few different wineries and Mount Palomar just happened to be my first stop of the trip! It’s a beautiful little winery. Once you walk into the winery, they have someone who greets you and tells you where to go. They have plenty of outdoor seating, but they also have some spots inside at the bar.
We decided to try out the different flights. Each flight was 5 tastings for $ 18.
Miss Sweetness: 2013 Cinsaut Blush, 2012 Riesling, 2013 Nouveau, Mont Noir, Cream Sherry
Ruby Reds: 2009 Kiyanti, Shorty’s Red, 2009 Sangiovese, 2010 Meritage, Debut
Rose, White & Bubbles: Shorty’s White, 2011 Viogner, 2013 Rose, 2012 Dry Riesling, Sparkling wine
We also decided to order the charcuterie plate which consisted of some bread, 5 cheese, 3 meats and olives.
Everything from here was good and I would definitely come back to Mount Palomar Winery the next time I’m in Temecula.

Such a beautiful winery! Beautiful outdoor seating area as well as a stunning inside cellar with a built in bar.
I ordered a glass of their chardonnay and rose which were both refreshing and tasty on a hot day. They poured a pretty big glass too! I highly recommend their rose (I am not normally a fan but this was delicious).
To accompany my drinks, I got their charcuterie board too. A good array of cheeses and meats which paired with wine perfectly. Staff was extremely friendly here and they gave great recommendations!
Best part is, this place wasn’t pack at all on a Saturday afternoon!

Beautiful outdoor tasting area.
Pet friendly outdoors only.
Tasting bar area was inside, but they do have an outdoor area also, just was not open. Service was good.
I bought a $ 20 Groupon, you get 2 tastings and a hummis plate. ! tasting is normally $ 16 and the hummis is $ 9. Great deal.
The red wine was great. The hummis and toasted pita was delicious.
Warning, closed on New Years Day!