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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WINERY REVIEW

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Introduction
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Welcome to Southern California Winery Review!  I started this website in late 2017 because I kept finding really bad wineries getting rave reviews, while some very, very good wineries were totally ignored.  So, I've spent quite a bit of time visiting wineries in Southern California (over 60).  Of these I've found about 40 pretty good wineries, certainly worth my taking the time to write them up.  I know what you are thinking -- it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it....  These are summarized in the Wineries section of this website. 
Now wineries in Southern California  are rapidly becoming the centers of social activities.  Not just for special events (weddings and the like), but as a place to go on weekends with friends, to enjoy good wine (ok, that's pretty obvious), good food, and even good entertainment.  While most wineries have some sort of wine club, no two are run the same.  Some wineries have restaurants.  Some have entertainment on weekends.  Some even have hotels.   So I have included information on all of this, both in the Wineries section and in the Winery News section.
If you are looking for specific varietals, you can find long lists at the beginning of the About section.  Not just what varietals are available in Southern California, but which wineries are offering them.  The About section also includes info on wine storage, corks, the Sommelier test, how to cool your wine to proper serving temperature, and other little tidbits.

Wine quality determines which wineries I review, though I also pay attention to the wine tasting room, personnel, location, view, et al.   I should add that I am very much a red wine enthusiast....
And speaking of red wine, I shall now expound on my pet peeve -- namely, drinking red wine at "room temperature"!  Red wine should be stored and drunk at a temperature below 65 F.  If you don't believe me, I suggest you run a little experiment -- I like experiments, in fact I'm a retired experimental physicist.  Pour red wine into two glasses in a warm room.  Chill one to below 65 F (put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes) and let the other glass warm up.  Then taste them both.... 
See picture below for recommended drinking temperatures.  By the way, what you see in the picture is the back of a wine temperature gauge, one of many wine-related paraphenalia in the Gadgets section.
IMPORTANT NOTE:  At the end of each post is a small Facebook Like box....  Would really like a lot of likes....

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 NEWS FLASH:  Worried about brown-outs ruining your wine?  Well, Chateau 55 has added a generator so your wine will always stay coo.  Mention our name and get the first month of storage free and a 5% discount for the next 11 months storage.  To check them out  click the link below. 
Link to Chateau 55 Website
33% Discount!  Save $20 on a $59.99 Priority Wine Pass by using the link below and entering the code scwr.
Link to Priority Wine Pass

  • So Cal Winery Review has joined the American Institute of Wine & Food, San Diego Chapter.  AIWF was founded in 1981 by Julia Child, Robert Mondavi, and others.  Read more about it in our About section.
  • I got another gadget for Father's Day.  See it in the GADGETS section.
  The Latest Blog
New winery:  Bastian's Vineyards in Escondido, subject of my latest blog.
Site News​​
Links to special blogs:​
  • The Italian Connection
  • Purchasing Wine
  • Tasting Wine
  • Tastes like Marsala
  • And the beat goes on
  • We are the future
  • To taste or not to taste
  • Three years
  • Doc Ed's Excellent Adventure
  • Wine, food, and music in Ramona 
  • The Guadalupe Valley -- First Visit
  • Halloween 2021 -- Revenge of the Spirits




La Finquita

5/15/2018

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La Finquita is another boutique winery in Ramona, even further off the beaten path than Chuparosa.  At first glance, it is pretty much like Chuparosa – small tasting room with comfortable seating inside and tables outside as well, though with an actual tasting bar.  But, of course, they have their own uniqueness that I will get to shortly.  Pictures of the winery are shown below.
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La Finquita is a very new winery, only four years old.  Their tasting menu is shown below, five tastes for $10, six for $12 (makes sense).  The wines are pretty interesting, and this was my first taste of Petit Verdot (did not like!).  I did like their GSM, which is a first for me.  All of their wines are technically Estate bottled, and mostly red (only one white wine on the menu).  Unlike other boutique wineries, La Finquita has a wine club.  Wine club members buy two bottles of wine per quarter, or eight per year, at a 20% discount.  They only offer free wine tasting for members on pick-up – not a real issue.  Of course, they make no effort to chill their red wines for tasting….
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Now, for what makes them unique.  As I stood at the wine tasting bar, I could not help but notice on my left two slushy machines, one cranking a dark slush, the other a white slush.  There were two other containers in the back by the sink.  Below is a blow-up of the one of the boards behind the bar.  Ever heard of White Angel or Red Devil Slush?  Well, that is what they have in the two slushy machines.  But wait a minute – this is a winery!  They must be wine slushes!  The other two containers are for their Sangrias.  A woman came up to the bar while I was there and they created a drink mixing all four!  By the way, I tasted the White Angel/Red Devil combo – really not my thing, but on a hot summer day in Ramona…
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    Jim Treglio

    retired physicist and wine lover

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