On any given weekend in the nearby Temecula Valley, wine enthusiasts motor down Rancho California Road, the main drag of the region marketed as “Southern California’s Wine Country,” looking for fun and an authentic vintage experience.
According to Kevin A.
Yelvington, professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida Tampa, “Tourism for the Temecula Valley represents $650 million a year, with wines and vines claiming a good portion of that business as perhaps 500,000 people visit the area’s 40-plus wineries.” Yelvington has studied Southern California wine history since 2010, and recently visited Cucamonga-Ontario area vintners.
New release
Today I share my wine pick of the month, a delicious new release: 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Musque Clone from South Coast Winery’s Carter Estate Vineyards in Temecula.
This fine white produced by Master Winemaker Jon McPherson offers the best character of both Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Canelli varieties.
The floral, spicy nature of Muscat tempers the grassy citrus notes of Sauvignon Blanc resulting in a tasty offering that is a cornucopia of flavors and aromas – sweet kiwi and lime, gooseberries and pears and passion fruit. A perfect pour at spring and summer gatherings.
Steve Geiger, wine buyer at the Sycamore Inn and Cask ’n Cleaver Restaurants in Rancho Cucamonga, selected the SB for their premium lists.
“We always like to promote local wineries and our owners have known McPherson
‘You Were on My Mind’ Burgan and Stewart moved north and immersed themselves in the bustling San Francisco folk scene while attending college, where the group expanded to include bassist Peter Fullerton and guitarist Bob Jones.
On John Stewart’s recommendation, they were taken on by The Kingston Trio’s management and first saw their name posted on the marquee of the legendary Hungry I club, where they began breaking new ground in popular music as We Five.
When the band’s rock ‘n roll reworking of the Ian and Sylvia tune “You Were on My Mind” exploded on the charts, they embarked on a whirlwind tour. It included headlining the popular Hollywood Palace and Hullabaloo television programs, as well as Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars traveling mini-pop festival.
“It’s a goose bumps record,” Burgan said, adding that in 1965 “there was nothing like it on the radio.”
Today, Burgan is accompanied by his wife - singer Debi Graf Burgan, who joined We Five in 1967 and provided vocal arrangements for the original lineup – and son Chris, as well as original guitarist Jones, Terry Ragano, Jimmy Dunn and Tom Murry to bring the We Five “goose bumps.”