Just at the end of Temecula Valley’s Rancho California Road is a family estate, vineyard and winery all rolled into one. Owned by the Wilson family, Wilson Creek is a 20 acre winery that was the result of a dream to run a family business that produced great wines from the rich soil of Temecula Valley.
They’ve come a long way since their inception in 1996, producing Almond Sparkling Wine and garnering many prestigious international awards for wine making. They have also become the winery of choice of many Navy ships and aircraft carriers. In 2015 alone, the winery won gold in New York’s Fifty Best Wine Competition and a bronze in the Los Angeles International Wine Competition.
Today, the family is still hands-on with the business. Beyond the warm welcome, visitors will feel the personal touch added to what they sample in the tasting room. They will even see members of the Wilson family working around the property every now and then. Those who visit the winery can check out the pavilion, gazebo and jazz stage.
Wilson Creek also specializes in weddings, while others have found the winery to be a novel venue for meetings and other events. Meanwhile, everyone who becomes part of the Wilson Creek’s wine clubs becomes part of the extended family, enjoying special privileges and, of course, great wine.
1. Guest Accommodations
Wilson Creek has an impressive selection of accommodations for visitors to stay in. The Wilson Creek Manor is great for those who are looking to have an individual or romantic vacation near the winery. It’s ideal for travelers wanting to visit the winery for more than a day or hold overnight events.
There are four bed and breakfast suites on the 1st floor of the Manor. The Riesling Suite presents an old country atmosphere with its antique furniture, stone tiling and vineyard views. It comes with a sunken spa tub, a queen sized bed and a private patio. The Rose Suite is decorated with brown and olive hues, featuring a queen sized bed, a spacious bath and shower area, and a patio that leads to the Manor’s pool and spa. It’s also handicap accessible. The Viognier Suite comes with just the right hint of wine and country design, featuring a large spa and bath area, a queen sized bed, and a private patio. Finally, the Chardonnay Suite is colored with blues and sips of champagne, filled with antique furniture, and features a queen sized bed, a front patio, a sunken spa tub and a cozy reading nook with a nice view.
The rest of the suites are on the second floor. The Pinot Noir Suite offer a king sized bed, a reading nook, a private patio, and a bathroom with a sunken tub within a knotty pine ambiance. Designed with a Tuscan cottage-like ambiance is the Syrah Suite with travertine tiles, wood flooring, a spacious bath area, and a balcony with a view of the vineyards. This suite comes with a king sized sleigh bed. Aside from the private patio, the Merlot Suite’s double French doors lead to a balcony that overlooks the Manor grounds. It features two queen sized beds, a spa and bath area, and accented wood furniture. The Cabernet Suite offers lots of space filled with red and gold accents. It has a king sized sleigh bed, a sunken spa tub, a spacious bath area, a private sitting area, and a private balcony with an amazing view of wine country.
Largest among the nine suites, the Grand Almond Champagne Suite spans 1,600 square feet and offers many luxurious amenities, including full-length mirrors, a spacious living room, lush spa tubs in the bathroom with two vanities and a full shower, a private bedroom with a king sized bed, and so much more. The patio and balcony give breathtaking views of the Manor’s vineyards.
Guests will also have the option of renting out the entire Manor for special events. They will have access to the Manor’s full range of amenities, the landscaped grounds, lawn areas, gardens, pool, spa and grilling area. The Full Manor Rental is for up to 24 guests and comes with a case of sparkling wine as well as 20 tasting tickets.
2. Tasting Room
Wilson Creek is well known for being one of the friendliest tasting rooms across Temecula Valley. More than just a place for experiencing great wine, their tasting room is a nice place for a quick getaway due to the lush surroundings that are just perfect for picnics and outdoor gatherings.
Wilson Creek’s gift shop and visitor center has lots of interesting merchandise that visitors can bring home after their stay. These include wine racks, tapestries, glassware and logo wear, as well as cigars, wine-themed jewelry and ceramic bowls and platters. Of course, this is also the place where wine lovers will find the famous Almond Sparkling Wine that’s been known to be great for birthdays, holidays and pretty much any other special occasion.
The Tasting Room offers many fine wines and is where guests to get to know the Wilson Family, surrounded by countless flowers planted and cared for by Rosie Wilson herself. The tasting room is open between 10 AM and 5 PM every day.
There are wine tours available on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM. These run for about 45 minutes and include 5 wine tastings, a free wine glass and 10% off on purchases made on the same day.
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Wilson Creek is its wine clubs. Their goal is to share their wine with individuals, who they see as extended family, enjoying privileges that come with their wine club membership. These privileges are mostly significant discounts on wine purchases.
The best part is that it’s free to join any of the clubs that guests feel are good for them. As members, they’ll get bottles from the winemaker for bi-monthly and semi-annual clubs. They also get complimentary wine tastings per visit to Wilson Creek.
3. Restaurant and Bar
Creekside Grille is Wilson Creek’s award-winning restaurant that serves delicious appetizers, fresh salads, sandwiches and tasty main course cuisine, all served in a relaxing al fresco dining environment. Outside are the winery’s 30 year old lush grapevines, gardens, and the rest of the landscape – definitely the place to build up an appetite and enjoy a good meal made of fresh, locally available ingredients. Of course, these meals are perfected with a delicious selection of wines.
The restaurant offers all kinds of fare, including a gluten-free menu and their Daily Menu Specials as prepared by Chef Steve Stawinski. Also offered are special dinner deals, Monday through Thursday, as well as a Brunch Buffet on Sundays. Wine Club members will especially enjoy Wine Club Wednesday where they will get a half-price bottle of wine with two entrée purchases.
4. Weddings & Meetings
From casual to corporate, public to private, Wilson Creek has been a place for all kinds of events. With more than 12,000 square feet of event space indoors and 10 acres of landscaped areas outdoors, the Manor is capable of accommodating all types of corporate retreats, seminars, meetings and other events.
The hotel’s experienced staff will work closely with the organizers in order to make sure that every step of the preparations until the end of the actual event will go according to plan. Thanks to the customizable venues, state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, and other facilities, guests will have everything they need to make the event a huge success.
Wilson Creek’s lush gardens and country-style architecture also makes it a wonderful backdrop for wedding celebrations, engagements and receptions. Guests to the event will enjoy the fresh environment as much as they will love the winery’s cuisine. Of course, they’re going to love the wine.
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5. Plan This Vacation
Wilson Creek is located at 35960 Rancho California Road, Temecula, CA 92591. This is conveniently plotted on Google Maps, so travelers can find it on their GPS. Below are some basic directions on getting there from different locations:
Downtown San Diego: I-8 East to I-15 North (1 hour)
Orange County: I-91 East to I-15 South (1 hour)
Los Angeles: I-60 or I-10 East to I-15 South (1 hour and 20 minutes)
Palm Spring: I-10 West to I-215 South, merging onto I-15 South (1 hour and 20 minutes)
In any case, exit on Rancho California Road and turn left. After a seven mile drive, the winery will be on the left side.
Back to: Weekend Getaways from San Diego, California.
35960 Rancho California Rd., Temecula, CA 92591, Phone: 951-699-9463, website
