Wine and Cheese Pairing at Miramonte Winery in Temecula Valley

Miramonte was one of the beautiful wineries I visited in Temecula, with an outdoor seating area overlooking the valley and vineyards.

Miramonte opened in 2001, but they hired a new winemaker in 2008. The new winemaker is a UC Davis alum who used to work at Argyle in Oregon (great sparkling wines). His experience has brought gentler nuance to the wines. Miramonte has 9 acres which are all planted with Rhone varietals (Temecula Valley is said to be very similar to Rhone) and they have started planting some varietals from Argentina and Portugal.

We had a nice little pairing outside, with the fine breeze and beautiful view. The pairing showcases some items from their food boards, from cheese to tapenades.

The 2012 Grenache rose was paired with Spanish manchego and strawberries. The cheese made the wine less astringent.

Their 2012 Rousanne was paired with Apricot Stilton, poached peach, habanero infused olive oil. The wine had notes of apple and under-ripe pineapple. I didn't like the Rousanne at first because it was buttery, but it became much better with the pairing.


A garlicky butternut squash hummus on toast impaired with the 2012 Bin 380, their blend which changes every year. The blend for 2012 is quite light.

The 2010 Estate Syrah was paired with charred red pepper wrapped in Bresaola and English cheddar with roast pepper. This was a good pairing which balances the flavors without muting them.

The final pairing were for dessert: Chocolate truffles dusted with chili powder and served with blackberry compote. This was paired with their 2010 Tempranillo, which brings out the fruitines and spice.

The food boards are available on the weekends only (when they also have live music). You can enlarge the photo below for more info:

Miramonte is a nice winery to hang out at while you're in Temecula. You can either head to the tasting room inside or enjoy the view outdoors.

Of course, as with most wineries, there's a cute area reserved for weddings and private events.

Disclosure: The press trip to Temecula Valley Wine Country was hosted by Temecula CVB and the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association.