Winemaking
Our Vineyards & Winemaking Legacy
Our vineyards were planted in 1969, and by 1975, we began crafting our own wines, becoming the second winery in Temecula Valley.
Today, we cultivate 54 acres of estate vineyard with 17 different grape varieties, each carefully selected to thrive in Temecula’s unique terroir.
The Terroir: A Perfect Balance of Stress & Flavor
Temecula Valley’s soils are composed of decomposed granite, rich in minerals but naturally low in nutrients. This allows us to stress the vines intentionally, giving us greater control over their nutrient intake. While this results in smaller yields, it enhances the intensity and complexity of our fruit, leading to more flavorful wines.
Our region’s climate is more comparable to North Africa than France, making it ideal for Mediterranean varietals that struggle to ripen in cooler climates. The combination of long, hot days and cool nighttime temperatures helps our grapes retain their natural acidity, ensuring a perfect balance of ripeness and freshness. Recently, we expanded our vineyards with a large planting of Aglianico and Nero d’Avola, two Sicilian varietals that thrive in our warm conditions.
What’s Our Best Wine?
People often ask, “What’s your best or favorite wine?”We see each wine as a favorite in its own way—every bottle has a unique character and story to tell.
However, one wine deserves a special mention—our Cream Sherry. Aged in an outdoor, 50-year-old Solera system, this sherry is a true rarity. Bottling a 50-year-old sherry is no small feat, and its rich, complex flavors transcend cultures and taste preferences.
For those who say, “I don’t like sherry,” we say—you just haven’t tried ours.
Wine Style
iNTERESTING GRAPE VARIETIES THAT ARE GROWN AND USED AT MPW
Cortese: We have our own clone of this varietal and use it to make our White Port.
Charbono: Came to California when Savoy was part of the Kingdom of Piedmont, so at once it was Italian, but now it’s French. Charbono is a difficult grape to get ripe. It’s not grown much in Savoy for this reason. It is a difficult grape in both the vineyard and the cellar, but worth it. It’s currently on the bar.
Cinsault: An ancient varietal, it’s believed to have been introduced to Europe by the Phoenicians. It is one of the most drought tolerant grape vines you can plant and is widely grown in North Africa which is like our climate. We make Solstice and a Blanc de Noire out of it.
Petite Verdot: Not grown much in Bordeaux anymore as it is difficult to get ripe. We use it for Cloudbreak.
Carmenere: Rare in California and was thought to have gone extinct but was rediscovered in South America. South American Carmenere is basically jug wine, however it has an exceptional flavor profile when produced here. Our small planting is used in Meritage and sometimes as a stand-alone varietal. This varietal performs very well in Temecula. You will find this grape planted near our ceremony site.
Dolcetto: Little sweet one. It’s not sweet, but the acid drops out early making the grape taste sweeter. It is picked earlier to maintain normal acid level. We do a superior style (heavy), rather than the more common nouveau style mostly done in California. Our Dolcetto is in barrels.
Aglianico: Currently the small amount we have is blended into Travato but is our largest new planting at MPW. An ancient grape of the Romans with chocolate elements. Best known for growing on the volcanic soils on the sides of Mount Etna in Sicily. Very late harvest but grows well here as we can get it ripe.
