Monserate Vineyards and Winery genuinely has it all. Along with a group of fellow food, wine, and travel writers, I was fortunate to be hosted to an afternoon of winetasting and lunch. The Gird Valley winery was previously the Fallbrook Golf Course for more than half a century. Jade Work, erstwhile professional golfer and golf course developer, and his wife Julie, purchased the 116-acre property in 2016 with a vision to create a winery that would sustain and preserve the land, with its lakes, sycamores, and great oaks. Monserate Winery is a family affair, with all children involved. Justin Mund, native of Sonoma Country, is the winemaker and manager of the vineyard, which consists mostly of Italian wine grape varietals.
We met in the winery’s beautiful tasting room and were greeted by Tristan, who guided us through our wine tasting experience. All Monserate wines are made from estate grown grapes, which include twelve Italian varietals and three French varietals. Our first tasting was a 2023 Malvasia Bianca, a sparkling white wine, which Tristan referred to as “vacation is a bottle.” With its tropical aromatics and fruit forward lychee nut and apricot flavors, this wine would be an excellent choice to sip, relax, and celebrate.
Fiore (which translates to flower in Italian) is Monserate Winery’s flagship white blend. The majority varietal is Falanghina, followed by Vermentino, Greco, and Fiano. This bright acidic wine has a lovely flavor combination of citrus and apple, with a touch of spice.
Our sampling of red wines included Ruscello, a savory blend of Grenache and Sangiovese (like the novel, “a river runs through it” or in this case a river runs through this area of the vineyard, contributing to the wine’s earthiness) and Sagrantino, a bold and leathery wine with intense tannins that awaken your palate. I especially enjoyed the winery’s late harvest Port, which has a smooth, silky mouthfeel and chocolatey, fig jam characteristics.
The Old World theme continues in Monti’s Restorante, which includes an extensive menu of impressive Italian dishes, and a casual alfresco courtyard that offers a more informal menu. As food writers, we enjoyed sampling many delicious dishes — burrata with a caramelized garlic confit, bruschetta on house-made focaccia, prosciutto and goat cheese pizza, pizza con patate (a tasty Yukon gold potato topped pizza), and a creamy pasta aptly titled marry me pasta.
Three beautiful event venues, ideal options for weddings or celebratory events, are located on the scenic winery property. The Tuscan Estate, whose architecture is Old World Italian, has a lakeside setting, shaded by olive trees. The grand, romantic Villa de Fiore is also set beside a lake, and the Hideaway, as its name suggests, is tucked away among sycamore and 100-year-old oak trees in scenic rolling hills.
Monserate Winery and Vineyard has what they call their Three C Motto:
Commitment: Strive for excellence in everything we do.
Conservation: Preserve the beauty and integrity of the land.
Community: Enrich the lives of our neighbors, near and far.
Monserate Winery’s trifecta of commitment, conservation, and community shines through in every aspect of their vineyard, from sipping their wine, savoring their food, or strolling through their vines to experience an event at one of their venues.
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