Ranch & Coast Magazine

the menu offers an array of dishes for broad appeal in approachable but delicious preparations. Most importantly, don't be deterred by the $13 price tag of the hand-cut fries. Prepared to order with house- made ketchup, I can guarantee you will not have even one fry left over, and it'll be worth every penny. e seabass, served over risotto, was delicious and complemented the many estate-grown wines my sister and I tasted at the table with co-owner Mike Rennie, who shared with us the winery's history and heavy emphasis on farming first. According to Rennie, Leoness is the largest grape farming company in the valley. Also one of the more established producers here, Leoness provided grapes, and still does, for other labels in Paso Robles and beyond long before launching its own label in 2002. As a testament to their commitment to the land, some of Leoness' bottle labels, as well as the art in the restaurant's dining room, feature an image of Rennie's business partner and co-founder Gary Winder's hands in the property's dirt; one of Winder's now-antique tractors greets guests at the restaurant's entrance. "Basically, we're just farmers," Rennie tells us humbly. "I pride myself in that, because good wine starts in the vineyards." leonesscellars.com Not far across the valley lies Europa Village Wineries & Resort, which includes three wineries, each of a different country: Italy (to debut in 2023), France, and Spain. Bolero, the Spanish winery, is home to Bolero Restaurante, helmed by Executive Chef Hany Ali, an Egyptian-born, Swiss-trained, globally influenced toque whose arrival in Temecula follows his travels worldwide (28 countries, to be exact) in Four Seasons Resorts kitchens. Despite an impressive résumé that might portend a matching ego, there's none to be found with Chef Hany — it's clear that watching people savor his creations is his own great joy. A Jamón Ibérico platter is an authentic opening into a Spanish meal at Bolero, and it's delicious accompanied by select cheeses and other small bites. e Organized Caesar is an inventive take on the classic, with the salad rolled up to stand within a thin jicama wrapper. Blistered shishitos maintain their fire, but they're tempered by a bed of chickpea puree. e paella is the restaurant's true showstopper, and people in the know make sure to order it upon being seated — it requires a (well worth it) 45-minute prep time. If you've paced yourself well, the dessert menu does not disappoint, and my advice is to order more than one. europavillage.com If the desire to taste all that Temecula has to offer has you longing for another day, Bottaia's sister winery Ponte offers the Ponte Vineyard Inn. Set amid yet more vines and stunning scenery, the AAA Four Diamond hotel is an ideal base from which to explore the 40-plus wineries that dot Temecula Valley. Beautifully appointed rooms are spacious, and the bed was one of the comfiest hotel beds I've slept in. e quiet setting is a great spot to recharge, with a pool and hot tub on-site for a soak after a long day. en, it's just a walk across the parking lot to the tasting room when it's time for more wine. On its other side, e Ponte Vineyard Inn sits adjacent to South Coast Winery, which has its own hotel as well as its Grapeseed Spa, because if you're going to indulge, why do it halfway? ere, I enjoyed a spectacular, kneading-tight-muscles-to-jelly massage at the hands of the small but mighty Keiko. With that, my awakening to the delights of Temecula was complete. pontevineyardinn.com, southcoastwinery.com My former bias in check, I left Temecula thinking of Robert Renzoni's wise words when I asked him outright if the area was going in the right direction. "Oh, hell yeah," he said emphatically. "ere's no question." Detour destinations Robert Renzoni BJ Fazeli << @ranchandcoast ranchandcoast.com 72 MAY 2022 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE

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