LOVE their perfectly-balanced wines, their friendly, welcoming staff--Jackie & Julie, the ambience, and the whole experience here! Compared to the other nearby wine tasting rooms, this one is by far the winner!
Don't miss Shadow Mountain Winery!
Highly recommend!
Passed by from Murrieta to Borrego Springs so many times, and finally stopped today... Verdict... Should've stopped many moons ago...too used to the proximity of the Temecula wineries... But got reminded today that a smaller winery has such a better vibe and you actually get to talk to owners who know their wines... Slow down, taste, talk, enjoy... Tasted the whites today.... Loved a 2018 Viognier and totally surprised by a Dry Muscat... Ready to go again and try the reds next time... Nice grounds and music. Overall a great experience at the end of a day poking around in the desert looking at cactus and assorted wildflowers.
My girlfriend and I stopped by this magical place yesterday. It was something out of a fairytale. Everybody was very friendly, even the people outside enjoying wine next to us were friendly. The bathrooms were very clean. I could’ve stayed all day long just looking out at the beautiful mountains and enjoying some live music. I would make the trip here from the city of San Diego any day. It is so much better than going to a busy winery in Temecula. I can’t wait to go back! Do yourself a favor and support this business!! It is a little getaway tucked in the mountains with some delicious wine. I even got a bottle named after my dog Gus!
My wife and I stayed one night in one of their bungalows and had a great experience. The owners, Alex and Pam, were very friendly and hospitable. The wine was delicious and they even prepared us a little breakfast before we left the next morning. Beautiful place and a great stay!
In the shadow of Palomar Mountain, this is a hidden gem! Our favorites were "Old Gus," from a 90 year old vine. Nothing old about the body and flavor!
For a real treat, try their sparkling rosé. Reminds us of French champagne. Seasonal and hard to find sometimes so call ahead to make sure it's in stock. You won't be disappointed!
The first time I experienced this winery it seemed wonderful. It was during Covid and I hadn't been out in a while. It was Spring. I arrived right as it opened and the owner was pouring tastings outside. The wine didn't really have much body or character, but the surroundings were beautiful. Her art was on the bottle labels, and her artistic touches were found throughout the grounds. It was cool, and a quiet, peaceful place to enjoy a glass of wine.
I returned this past weekend, and the grounds seemed to have been let go a bit. It was the weekend after Easter, and there were still plastic eggs sprinkled about the grounds (tacky). The umbrella over the table in back was visibly tattered, but that was just symbolic of the whole place. What once was a unique use of things like a painted bike and a bath tub on the grounds, now just looked junky. Still, it's a beautiful area. But with so-so wine and service, and no investment from the owners, you'd be better off checking out other wineries with better wine.
My guess, is that the owners are close to retiring. And it shows.
July 2021. Sunday. Around 1PM.
This our 3rd of the 4 wineries on the North Mountain Wine Trail - in as many weeks.
The crowd was light, which allowed us a more personal experience. We met the owners Pam and Alex - both were most gracious and hospitable. Pam filled my glass of wine knowledge to a new high level. So - prepare to learn as well as enjoy.
The setting and scenery were relaxing. The breeze cooled us on one of the patios as we
enjoyed a glass of Viognier along with our picnic brought from home.
They were having a contest on naming the artistic metal hostess. I thought a good idea was MaryJane - because her head was a pot.
We'll be back!
Pam is a great host. She and her husband have owned the winery for 30+ years, are very knowledgeable about grapes and have a delicious variety of whites, reds, a bubbly and rose. Great spot for a bring your own picnic. Pam was wearing a mask while giving us a wine tasting and there was hand sanitizer at the entrance. Very relaxing large space with lots of shade, a breeze and a cute family of humming birds.
I must admit that I can be a bit of a wine snob in that I didn't believe that anyone in this area could make good wine from local grapes. I was dead wrong. My wife and I visited the winery on April 21, 2016. What a pleasant surprise. We tasted 6 reds that Pamela (owner) was pouring. All 6 were better than good and we felt that the 3 that we bought bought were excellent. Pamela is delightful and the atmosphere at and around the winery is lovely and peaceful. I don't know the experience level of the lady in the tour group, but our experience was 180 degrees from hers. Visit this place.
