When Ray Falkner invited Frank and me to Falkner Winery to explore their new spring/summer Mediterranean menu at their Pinnacle Restaurant, our answer was an easy yes. I was especially excited to try their new plant-based items. A bonus was that Frank’s son, Ron Mangio, was visiting from Dallas and was able to join us. Our trip also included a visit to Wiens Cellars.
We started our Falkner visit progressing through their latest wines. Wine server Andy Sanchez and winemaker Duncan Williams took us through the VIP Experience with a few extras on either end.
First up was the 2023 Chardonnay and Viognier. The Chardonnay had ripe apple, honey dew melon and guava on the palate. The Viognier had nice floral notes including honeysuckle and orange blossom with peach and melon tickling my taste buds.
The VIP Experience started with 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, a 2022 Wine Enthusiasts Editor’s Pick, with lime, kiwi and a hint of pear that was super refreshing. The 2022 Dry Rose, blending 85% syrah and 15% malbec and a splash of zinfandel, was second in the lineup.
Photo by Rico Cassoni
The 2020 Sangiovese Estate Vintner’s Reserve was next with medium body and tastes of cherry, raspberry and hints of licorice and cardamon on the finish. The 2021 Amante Super Tuscan-style blend with sangiovese, merlot, cab franc and cabernet sauvignon and 2021 Meritage Bordeaux blend with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cab franc completed the VIP tasting.
We also had a pouring of the 2021 Syrah. The final three we tasted, Amante, Meritage and Syrah were my favorites of the day.
After our wine tasting, we sat down for lunch at Pinnacle. Having been voted Best Restaurant for 2007-2024 by readers of Inland Empire Magazine, Pinnacle Restaurant at Falkner Winery continues to impress and improve.
Healthy food highlights Pinnacle’s new spring/summer menu. Mediterranean cooking involves olive oils, fruits, nuts, seafood and wine and was an objective for the new menu. Executive Chef Ever Fuentes and his staff along with Ray Falkner introduced numerous and unique new items to the menu while retaining guest favorites.
The new menu incorporates some new and revamped offerings organized as small plates, large plates, entrées, plant-based and desserts. Chef Ever reintroduced a previous Pinnacle favorite: the BLATT — bacon, lettuce, tomato and turkey on ciabatta bread served with homemade potato chips.
The new plant-based menu includes Eggplant Parmigiana, Linguini alla Bolognese, Portobello Mushroom Risotto, Grilled Vegetable Napoleon and Rotini alla Puttanesca. We started lunch with the rotini and linguini entrees and then we had the eggplant and napoleon entrees.
These entrees were impressive. Falkner commented, “We wanted to create fundamental dishes that are health conscious that don’t sacrifice flavor.” He added, “Our goal was to create complex dishes outside of what many would attempt at home.” Ever and Falkner checked both boxes.
Our third round of entrees included meat-based protein plates, specifically the reintroduced BLATT, new Pinnacle burger served with seasoned fries and new sea bass with grilled artichokes. These carnivore delights were amazing.
Guests can pair a glass or bottle of any Falkner wine for a delicious meal whether you want a lighter, plant-based Mediterranean meal or indulge with a meat-based entrée. Additionally, guests can enjoy five craft beers and a wide variety of cocktails made with high-end spirits.
Save room for dessert to enjoy one of their new special desserts including Creamy Chocolate Cake and house-made Tiramisu. We had the chocolate cake along with an extravagant Espresso Martini for dessert. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the restaurant at 951-676-8231, online on their website or using OpenTable.
Hats off for an outstanding day of wine tasting and exceptional cuisine. Thank you Ray, Duncan, Andy and Chef Ever. For those heading out to Temecula, put Falkner/Pinnacle at the top of your list. More info at falknerwinery.com.
Wiens Cellars
Our second stop of the day was Wiens Cellars. Wiens started with a vision to create high-quality, hand-crafted Southern California wines that tell a unique story from vine to glass. They planted their first vineyard by hand in 1996. The initial five varieties laid the foundation for a diverse portfolio of over 30, and a modest 14-acre vineyard grew into more than 70 acres of hand-cultivated vines.
Tasting room sales manager Donna Weisbruch paired our trio with wine specialist Tim Llorico for a four-pour tasting. We started off with 2020 Reunion, an Estate Syrah (64%) and La Cresta Cabernet Sauvignon (36%) blend with red cherry and hints of white pepper and fennel flavor profile. Next, we had 2019 Primitivo (100%) sourced from Lodi. Strawberry and plum dominated the palate.
The third pouring was 2020 Bare Knuckle Petite Sirah blended with 14% zinfandel to elevate the fruit and spice notes. This was a heavy hitter with a classic blueberry palate expected of the concentrated petite sirah berries.
Our final pouring was the 2021 Red Blend, with the best of the best Wiens fruit comprised of 50% cab sauv, 35% malbec and 15% syrah all sourced from the La Cresta vineyard and aged for 24 months in 25% European oak creating a ripe black fruit palate and powerful tannins. Get more information at wienscellars.com.
— Story by Rico Cassoni
Rico Cassoni is executive producer for Taste of Wine and Food. He and founder/adviser Frank Mangio, a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator, are two of the leading reviewers on the web. Reach them at [email protected].
