Longshadow Ranch: San Diego Sojurn

I’ve been very busy with work lately. Since I am the planning member of our relationship, that means we went into this winery trip without a plan. Fortunately, the day before our outing, I saw my colleagues Devian and Carmella, and they immediately recommended legions of wineries to us. This was one of Devian’s two “YOU MUST GO!!!” recommendations. And when he says, “YOU MUST GO!” I go.

Devian said the winery was gorgeous, and he wasn’t lying. We drove down a narrow, winding road, bracketed by horse corrals on one side and vineyards on the other.

The facility has two potential tasting spaces: an outdoor tasting bar and a large indoor space. We rambled inside to see that half the building was set up for a recent or future function, and I could see just how it would be perfect for a wedding or business event.

The two tasting room staffers, Mikey and Tommy, were young, hip and enthusiastic. They looked like the sort of guys you’d expect to see drinking beer, but they sure knew a lot about wine. And their taste in music, based on what came out of the sound system, was impeccable. They made me want to hang out all day.

The Wines

All wines are from the Temecula Valley AVA.

2009 White Feather Chardonnay: This smelled of pineapple and clementine rind with a hint of musk. The flavor had hints of sweet apple; the taste was one that I would normally equate with a Riesling.

2010 Sauvignon Blanc: The apple element continued in this wine; there was a Granny Smith note to the scent. The flavor had a certain level of crispness.

2008 Estate Cinsault: I’ve never had a cinsault before, but it’s apparently a breed of grape known for its heat tolerance – especially important in sunny inland SoCal. This smelled like cherries and sage and had a sweet-savory taste with a hint of oak. It was not complex, but it was enjoyable.

2008 Temperanillo: The smell reminded me of Slim Jims. That may not sound positive, but I’ve always liked the smell of Slim Jims, so I considered it a plus. It was very astringent, but had a nice fruit structure backing up the astringency.

2009 Sangiovese: This smelled like frosted wood smoke. The taste was more tart and astringent than I could handle at that moment, but it would definitely go well with food.