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Categories: Wineries, American (New)
40620 Calle ContentoFor the month of November buy 3 bottles of any wine and…
Announced 1 week agoMon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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luscious lips... wow. This is one of my favorite reds. I mean it's not saying much because my palate is not that refined but for what it's worth I liked it. It's yummy. You should go and try it. Go... go now. I would if I could.
First rate winery, and I'm not just biased because I just got married there on 10/10/09! I am in love with the Luscious Lips and the Amante!
But more about my wedding which is the real reason why I am writing this review! We booked the Pinnacle restaurant for our venue and we had spectacular service and excellent food. From the beginning, we coordinated directly with Loretta Falkner, one of the owners of the winery. She was amazingly detailed and up front about what to expect and what not to expect so there were no unwanted surprises on the day of. You don't get that much these days in the wedding industry where everyone tells you what you want to hear. Our wedding Coordinator was Tina - she was on point at all times and did not fail to impress us with her efficiency and professionalism.
My husband and I had the BEST time at our wedding and are thrilled at how it everything went so smoothly.
If you want a fabulous backdrop, great food with delicious wines and excellent service for your wedding, I highly recommened Falkner Winery.
Falkner is my favorite of all the Temecula wineries.
Although their tasting format has changed, probably due to the economic downturn, the quality of their whites and reds remains the best. I really have no complaints about this establishment.
Don't assume that this is some ultra high-end establishment--it isn't. But it executes flawlessly, which is why its always so busy. The restaurant is one of the best in the area, but I spend most of my time in the tasting room.
The riesling, viognier and chardonnay are fantastic. Sweet, with various bouquets, but all have a hint of apple.
The pinot noir, syrah and merlot are mouth watering. For some time, I thought Wilson Creek had the better reds and Callaway had the better whites. But the more I compare, the clearer it becomes that Falkner is the pound-for-pound champ.
The decor is fantastic, very rustic, pseudo-mediterranean. There is plenty of room to sit outside if you wish. The tasting room can get crowded at times. So pay a visit to the wine steward at the outdoor area.
Global Thermal Nuclear War...
I am writing this from a different view than most fellow Yelpers... I got married here recently!
I wouldn't have picked the place if they didn't have a beautiful site, friendly staff, and good wines... so I hardly think I am being biased. Everything here was in order, so we decided to book an appointment for a wedding consult. Loretta gave us the full run-down and didn't miss a beat. I couldn't believe how inclusive their package was for the price, there was NO way I was saying no, and ended up saying YES that very same day with checkbook in hand. We chose the Garden for our ceremony and reception.
The following months were great. I was in touch often with Loretta, who took care of all money related issues and planning questions. She never made me wait long for a response, most times within the hour of emailing her I had feedback. June approached with September 25th as our wedding day, so Loretta turned us over to Eva Andrushko, our coordinator for all things un-money-related. Eva led us through our food tasting, with her and the chef allowing us to customize the menu to our liking. (This ended up being a great thing, I had almost every single one of our guests compliment the food!) Eva then met with us a month prior so we could finalize the time line and set up. From there on, we didn't worry a second about how the turn out would be. And sure enough, the big day came and went just as smooth as butter. Eva was there for me to keep us on track with our time line, but was never pushy. She made sure we were having a good time, kept the serving staff in check, and just all around made our night pleasant and worry-free. Not to mention she made me feel SO SPECIAL, so pretty, and made sure I was FED! Seriously... that was huge. :)
My guests all complimented the wedding, saying it was perfect for me and my husband; low-key, classy, a breath of fresh air compared to very structured weddings with not enough room to breathe. They all gushed over the food (it was AMAZING!) and the wines. I look back at the day and I am sad it went by so fast!!! I will always remember how beautiful everything looked as I first came out of the bridal room and had my first glance at everything set up and waiting for us. A truly magical evening, coordinated for us from start to finish by a top notch professional team who CARED about us and our needs.
If you are looking for a beautiful winery wedding, look no further. You will not find a better venue that is so inclusive for the price.
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It's a quite lovely winery to look at, however, the loveliness stops there.
First off, price, I think we paid $16 each which is way too expensive in my opinion, especially for the service and quality.
As soon as I went to order my first tasting, I saw that there were only 2-3 servers and quite a few people hanging around the counter. Second thing I noticed was that people were just chatting to the servers, not even ordering. I understand the ambiance of wine tasting, but I think its rude for the servers to ignore people who are trying to order. After about 7 or 8 minutes, the server finally asked what I wanted, and I honestly can't remember what I ordered except that it was a white and it was not very good.
After waiting quite a while AGAIN, I ordered the syrah, better than the first but still not something I enjoyed. finally I tasted a friend's who had ordered the sangria and I loved it, so I used the last 4 of my tastings on that. But seriously, It's pretty hard to mess up a sangria, I cant give them too much credit for that one.
Beautiful place, but not much else to offer.
Maybe I just have different tastes than many of the people here or maybe it was just because it was our first stop of the day but I thought this place and Longshadow Ranch were my two favorites.
The view from this place is probably the best of the wineries we visited and they had some really good reds. I like a good syrah and they came through with a good one. Their port was so good, I wanted to freeze it and make it into popsicles so I could eat it for dinner.
We were there on a Tuesday afternoon so perhaps our service was much better than people who flock here on weekends but our service was good and our pourer was very friendly.
Highly recommended.
This winery has some gorgeous views of Temecula Wine Valley from all around & the picnic area is very nice & green..The ladies behind the counter were nice, I guess that service here varies because the other times that I came here, they were very nice & others, not so nice.. but the wines were good... =) I just LOVED the Luscious lip that was served as hot lips in a crock pot with mulled spices...Yummy! =)
Most popular wine: 2004 Luscious Lips
Highest-rated wine: 2002 Merlot
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I'm rather late with this review, however, I'm just now familiarizing myself with this Yelp site.
I'm a vendor commenting on a vendor site and I have to say, when I was there on 3/22/08 to DJ my friends wedding, I was very impressed with the visual location of the outdoor lawn where the ceremonies are held & the indoor restaurant area where the receptions are held!! Both had very beautiful views of the valley and both were kept up very well!! Loretta & her staff were nothing short of pleasant and accomodating and their food was absolutely scrumptious!! Being that I'm a mobile DJ from northern California, it was quite a pleasure to come down to soCal and DJ at such a fine location!! So to all those beautiful brides out there, don't miss checking this place out for your big day!!
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Attended a wedding here tonight and was very disappointed with the food they served.
Walnut, cranberry, feta cheese w/mixed greens - that was the best edible dish
Stuffed chicken w/spinach - bland & dry and only the spinach inside was moist & tasty
Pork loin - moist & was alright
Mashed potato - horrible...bland & dry. sorry to say, KFC processed mashed potato was better!!!
I drank their "luscious lips" and that was yummy. If you like a tad more spicy & dry red wine, then you'll like their Syrah.
Not a bad place to have a wedding reception outside.
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Very solid winery with great Syrah and Tuscan blends. Their rhone varietals are more successful than anything here, hence the great Syrah, but their whites (other than their buttery chard) are pretty meh.
Had a great 6 hour tour and tasting here as a belated birthday present from the in-laws and had a blast with George Myers, one of their winemakers. Great day, George was amazing, and the wines were all very solid. His Chateauneuf du Pape-style blend that he's bottling privately is the best thing we had all day - absolutely perfect in style and weight, great stuff all around. There's a LOT of mediocrity to be found in Temecula, and this place is certainly a cut above. Just remember where you are, and where you're not, and enjoy!
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(Visited April 2009)
Faulkner is home to the most negative experience I have had at any winery, anywhere. It was cold inside, but I've come to expect that, as it preserves the wine. At some places - for whatever reason - that includes the tasting room. But let's get to the wines. We didn't taste every single wine they had, but aside from the port, they all ranged from "meh" to outright offensive. Done. Nuff said. My guest and I didn't even use our last tasting "chip" for the standard lineup that the pourer had flung our way, but rather decided to jump to the more expensive wines available in hopes of finding something enjoyable. Now let me say this; I've worked plenty of 15 hour days on my feet, in 90 degree plus weather the entire time, in pain from head to toe, and had crowds of people waiting on my attention. It's not fun, but you move as efficiently as you can, apologize for delays where necessary, and try to keep a smile up. But it was obvious our pourer was miserable, and it definitely bled into this person's attitude. There simply shouldn't have been only one person there, although I know it can be tough to anticipate and budget for crowds Monday to Thursday. But crowds we had. And the pourer was pouring, answering phones, and running the register. It obviously took us forever to get our wine. Again the port was very good, but I doubt I will ever go back unless invited and comped by the winemaker her/himself.
My visit was on a Thursday, April 16th. I would not recommend this place. The wine tasting was inside (outside was not an option on a Thursday) and the room temperature was cold. They don't have a heater or a/c, so the cold is from the architecture of the building. It was a one man show that day; he was pouring, cashiering, and answering phones. He was a very large man with a bad attitude who clearly did not want to be there that day. His responses and comments were curt and unpleasant. The poker chips he used to tally the tastings were thrown about without consideration for noise or class. The wines were not great, in fact, we didn't even want to finish the last two tastings because we were so turned off. One good note: the port was nice.
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This review is for the winery portion only.
Be sure to download the 2-for-1 coupon at http://www.temeculawin.../ If you don't, you'll really hate coming here. Not only because the wines aren't that great, but the service also stinks. They also offer you the tasting without giving you the glasses for $2 less. There was no one else around and so the lady behind the counter just went and put stuff away while we were doing the tasting. She really made no effort to talk to us.
The only positives: they had some of the Sauvignon Blanc grapes that were just pulled that very morning. Very very sweet grapes and mucho delicioso. The other good thing was their Luscious Lips wine. It was served cold this time around. It's a blend of red wines and the taste was surprisingly sweet. It probably won't taste so good with the red meats you normally would eat with red so this is just a sipper.
People thought this was:
My friends and I went to this winery's tasting room after Pinnacle Restaurant. The quality of wines themselves are alright, but I've had better at the same price range at Napa and Livermore, CA. So I ended up not buying any bottle. Tasting specialists were very friendly and helpful on choosing which ones to try one after another. There was also a tasting counter outside, as one person got so drunk she had to sit at the table outside to get some fresh air. That was convenient.
We then went to a boring winery tour. While I appreciated information and history a guide told us, his deep voice almost put me to sleep (well, wine didn't help either :P). There was little visual aid such as glass cases of artifacts, so the tour was not exciting. It was a nice way to get myself sober though.
Another nice thing was that there were tons of seemingly single girls. Supposedly a San Diego touring bus took them there. Maybe I should go to Temecula more often just for that :P.
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Two words: Luscious Lips.
A sweet, table red with a fun name and a lipstick kiss on the bottle. One of my favorite wines, though as my palate has expanded I've come to realize it's not one that's going to win a ton of awards. But hey, that doesn't matter to me, I like what I like.
I love the feel of Falkner, it's on the busy side of the wine road but still has the charm that's found on the quiet, "new" side. I've witnessed a wedding there, uninvited which is a little strange, but if you're the type that doesn't mind random winery patrons seeing you get married I think this would be a beautiful location. It's just as private as the beach.
I always try to stop at Falkner when I'm wine tasting, if only to purchase a bottle of Luscious as a gift and one for myself.
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Falkner Winery, is one of the cool and hip wineries in Temecula, a must stop on any trip through the valley. The staff is always helpful, the wines are some of the best in the area, the atmosphere and views are "Southern California". All this makes for a fun experience for the novice wine connoisseur or the harden Sommelier.
I prefer a crowd when tasting wines, it's great to interact with follow wine enthusiasts (or people how just want to get drunk) and hear what they taste and smell, plus it makes for a more enjoyable experience, so if that sounds fun then Saturdays are the days to go (can get pretty busy, specially if the weather is nice). If you plan on taking the trip grab a coupon from their website http://www.falknerwine... I haven't tried the restaurant yet, maybe on our next trip!
P.S. make sure you try Luscious Lips & Hot Lips.
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The biggest plus is that Falkner is situated on top of a hill near the beginning of the Temecula wine country, and so you get fantastic views over the vineyards and a valley from where you are. Here you really feel like you're in wine country. The tasting room is indoors and pleasant, but there's an outdoor area you seem to be able to hang out in as well. There were several good reds here - the regular Syrah and a shorter-fermented, sweeter "Luscious Lips" (well-priced), their Bordeaux blend, Amante blend (2004), and a delicious port. What I found off-putting here as elsewhere in the area is the lack of knowledge or time that the pourers spend with you, combined with the Temecula practice of ringing you up at a register prior to your tasting, and the poker chips they hand you to "pay" for your tastings (don't go over - you have to pay for seconds!)
I really enjoyed my afternoon of wine tasting at the Falkner. For starters, it has a gorgeous view of Temecula, the vineyards and the hills in the background, I'm sure it'd be a great place to enjoy dinner, but I just stated at the winery. The winery itself is split into four major sections. First there's the gift shop with nick knacks and old art, maybe a cute place to find a wine cork. Second their's the indoor tasting area with the old barrels in the background has a very down to earth kind of feel making you feel like you're actually down by the wine press. Next their is the outdoor tasting which is just a few steps away. This was a very nice area, it opens up to the patio with a cute garden, picnic tables, grassy area, and a view of the Temecula hills and the Falkner's vines. It was a great place to spend a sunny Southern California afternoon. Last, there is a hidden "member's only" area to view art.
The wine is delicious! They have many award winning wines and I LOVED the Riesling. They have a clean, crisp, sweet wine selection of whites. Unfortunately, I can't review any of the reds ...I'm allergic. Sorry. But if you love whites, this place is hands down one of the best in Temecula!
Cheers to the Wino's!
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Please beware when dealing with the owner.
A few years ago, I discovered this place as i was looking for wedding venues. I was excited about getting married like any soon to be bride would, so I visited this winery and soon met with Loretta Falkner (the owner). Loretta made me feel very at ease when presenting the venue but she hooked me as soon as we sat down in a private room where my friends were not allowed to be in. The next thing I knew, I was signing many forms and gave her an $800 deposit for reserving a Sunday wedding. I left with a feeling like I have been taken and pressured.
A few weeks later, I was given the news that my fiance got an offer to work out of state and we both decided to move cross country. We also decided to postpone our wedding since we were unsure of the future. I then explained to Loretta the situation and asked if we could move the date or at least get a portion of our deposit since she still had 7 months to book the date to others. She refused and when I asked if we could at least get some wine for the $800 she happily took from us, she of course refused and said she was not able to help me with anything and she was to keep the deposit. She did not suggest any other options and we found out that she later had booked the date to someone else. She made money from us for doing nothing!
We never did have a nice vineyard wedding ceremony but we're still together and happily married. We are also not so naive and so trusting of people like Loretta Falkner who obviously makes her money from pressure and hook and bait tactics.
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Gorgeous location. Excellent wine. A great choice for a Sunday summer evening.
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Falkner has a great view, a nice outside tasting area that is open on the weekend when it's crowded, and the wines were very nice, better than I remembered. I again liked the whites here, from the Double Gold Sauvignon Blanc, to the Chardonnay, the Riesling, to the Viognier. The Sweet Loretta this time, was just ok, I liked the other whites more. I still liked the Luscious Lips, for the sweeter side of things; but the Amante SuperTuscan blends and the Meritages here (on the reserve tasting list) are really excellent. Both the 2004 and the 2005 Amante (Super Tuscans) were really quite good. I would definitely recommend getting the combo tasting here and the staff were just as friendly here as I remember them being.
This is a beautiful winery and a nice place to visit. I was impressed with the view and the… Read more »
Update: the wedding was wonderful, and everything was fantastic. The food was delicious, as was the wines. We had a great coordinator who had the patience of a saint with some guests who didn't understand the no drinks on the dance floor rule. She was great, as was the rest of the staff. There was no stress at all, and everyone was very attentive to anything we needed and was also very nice.
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I am writing from two positions. First, we went here and tasted and it was a lot of fun, all the… Read more »
I was there this weekend for one of my best friends wedding reception. It was wonderful. The reception was a sit down dinner and the staff was impeccable. The food was delicious (filet mignon...mmmm) and the atmosphere was great. Everyone had a blast and it was beyond beautiful. Kudos to Falkner.
Very small tasting bar. The staff made no effort to talk to us at all. We felt rushed in here, and the wine wasn't all that great.
People thought this was:
A fantastic little winery in Temecula. I have been to most of the wineries in Temecula's wine country, and this one is on my top 5. I enjoy their chardonnay, viognier, and luscious lips- also served as hot lips in a crock pot with mulled spices. I HAVE TO SAY- HANDS DOWN BEST THING IN THE WORLD! Basically its a semi sweet red wine heated with brown sugar and spices, and it tastes like Christmas. Imagine a cider made from wine instead of apples. I want to take a bath in it. Not all the wines at Falkner are a treat. The Merlot is a disappointment and also the sweet Loretta is not very good. Other than that though- the wines are pretty satisfying. AND the pouring staff is pretty cool. Hang out outside if its warm enough, its a beautiful view and just feels more personal. They have a cool art gallery here and they host weddings and parties. I take away a star for the prices. You can get better and cheaper tastings in the area but damn, I gotta go there for the hot lips.
rad place. attended a wedding there, was a really nice venue. the food was awesome as well. dunno if it's a catering company or falkner's in-house crew, but i was happy with the experience. the bride's maids were kinda bitchy, though, but i can't blame falkner for that. bad parenting.
Temecula, CA
Category: Wineries
Temecula, CA
Category: Wineries
Temecula, CA
Category: Wineries
Temecula, CA
Category: Wineries
Temecula, CA
Category: Wineries
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