Filsinger - Temecula

I want to like Filsinger. The people are nice, the tasting is cheap, and the wines are among the cheapest in Temecula.

Unfortunately, I don't. Neither does Patty. The wines all have this weird funk to them, something that says "this isn't right" and I can't get away from it. The two cabs they were pouring were the best of the bunch, but cost about twice what I would pay for them. They have a sweet zinfandel called "sweet desire" that isn't bad if you like that sort of thing.

Not a bad stop simply because the tasting is cheap and the people are nice, but if you are crunched for time you have better options.

Joel

Falkner - Temecula

A bigger winery, with a very nice tasting room and restaurant etc. The last time I bought a bottle of Falkner I believe I called it "twelve buck chuck" although that might have been a LITTLE harsh...

We've never tasted there, so we decided to head there first. First off, it's expensive. $8 minimum, up to $16 for eight tastes of their regular and premium wines. We bought the $8 tasting, because it seems very obscene to pay $16 to taste wine unless you are at a world class winery, which Falkner is not.

They had four reds and some sweet nonsense. We tasted the four reds, and they were unremarkable. Patty wasn't as disappointed as I was, but we weren't impressed. Then I asked if they could pour me something red other than the sweet wine, and was told "that's all we have" which is a blatant lie. They had lots of other reds, but they want to charge more to taste those and were unwilling to accommodate even one taste. News flash: If you want me to buy wine, you should probably let me taste it first.

People who pour more wine, sell more wine. We left Falkner and won't look back. $8 to taste four mediocre reds definitely is one of the worst deals anywhere.

Pass on this one.

Joel