Fallbrook Wine Tasting at Montserate Vineyards

One of the sweet features of traveling around San Diego County is discovering hidden neighborhoods between canyons and ridges. Many streets twist and wind along with the terrain. The county is huge, so no matter how long I’ve lived here, there’s more to experience. One sunny winter afternoon, I joined friends for a Fallbrook wine tasting at Monserate Winery and the area was completely new to me.

Monserate Winery, the perfect Fallbrook wine tasting destination.

The Property

Fallbrook, which lies about an hour east of the coast, is about an hour’s drive from the San Diego airport area. The country road leading to the winery twists through an Oak and Sycamore dotted canyon. I approached from the east and the 15 Freeway and others can cruise west from the coast along Highway 76. Visiting Monserate is worth the ride.

I turned into the parking lot at a low stone marker. The lot was dotted with ancient trees, which offer shade to many of the cars.  First I noticed the proportions of the buildings of the vineyard complex and how they blended into the landscape graciously.  Below a red tile roof, a wide path narrowed as it approached the main doors. They were beautiful and welcoming but it wasn’t a statement entry. That honor is saved for the wines.

Watch this YouTube Short  about Fallbrook Wine Tasting at Monserate Vineyards

Just inside I faced a wide, shaded hall with a gift shop and tasting room on the right. Amenities and the restaurant lie opposite. The hallway ended at a bright patio punctuated by a rectangular reflecting pool with a lofty event barn beyond. The scale and bright surroundings begged me to relax and pause, sit, and sip. And even though I was there on a warm January weekday, live music wafted through the gentle afternoon sunlight. I felt like a member of a special society, a delight that is reserved for the Wine Club members. Those members are treated to special comforts throughout the winery as well as monthly wine specials. Their dedicated tasting room has lofty ceilings, fireplaces, and deep cushioned sitting areas.

The reflection pool on the terrace at the Monserate winery.

Some tasting rooms are like barrel-room taverns, shadowy and dimly lit, but the Montserate owners knew they had a special location and brought the outdoors inside through wide windows.  There were ancient trees, preserved and tended to well, towering above the flagstone terrace. The hillsides to the west and east hugged the vineyard acres. Umbrellas shaded some seating clusters, others waited beneath a long portico. The tasting room itself had a center case of featured wines, with a surrounding countertop and stools. Tables with tall chairs circled the island. I joined my group at a long table and our charmed afternoon began.

Tristan, the tasting room manager, at Monserate winery.

The Tasting

We were lucky to have Tristan, Assistant Manager for the Tasting Room as our guide. He was a wine club member before joining the team and clearly loves his job. Tristan shared much about each featured vintage as well as the Fallbrook wine tasting history.

We learned that the property wasn’t always a winery. In fact, the family behind it was in the golf course business when they purchased the 116 acres. The original old golf course was slated to be bulldozed to make way for housing. Luckily, the family had the vision and wherewithal to change that fate. They were ready to pivot away from tending greens to grapes and have set 3 C’s as their mission: Community, Conservation, and Commitment. Today the whole family is involved in the winery’s success, from selecting furnishings to creating three on-site event spaces. This may be the premier place for a Fallbrook wine tasting but last year they also hosted about 300 weddings.

Our table was embellished with fresh bread and house-made olive oil then the tasting began. All of the wines are inspired by South Italian vineyards.

• 2023 Malvasia Bianca – sparkling, Tristan  called it a “vacation in a bottle.”
• 2023 Fiore – Their flagship wine was chosen as a Best in Class winner. Citrusy and delicious
• 2023 Monte Luna – A delicate and refreshing Rose

Map of the grounds of the Monserate winery showing the different vineyards.

Red wines in our Fallbrook wine tasting:

• 2022 Ruscello –  A full-bodied red blend. Ruscello means river or brook in homage to the waters that flow from the mountains to local wells.
• 2022 Pompei – Double gold winner and French varietal
• 2022 Sagrantino – Umbrian influence, Double Gold winner 2021. Strong but smooth.
• Late Harvest – Exquisite dessert, port-style

Wine tasting on the terrace at the Monserate winery.

The Lunch

After our tasting, we adjourned to the restaurant and slid into a large banquette. Before long the table was full of appetizers, pizza, a pasta dish, and salad. Our Fallbrook wine tasting finished with a final sip of the Late Harvest dessert wine in a Port style. As the delegated driver, I was careful about how much wine I consumed but over the three hours we were there, by judiciously drinking plenty of water and enjoying our lunch, the afternoon drive went well. I look forward to bringing more guests to Monserate and plan to spend more time touring the grounds.

The region is prime vineyard country with many options for wine lovers. Read about the Temecula wine region which is about twenty minutes from Fallbrook in this earlier post.