Pour Temecula: A Local Wine, Beer, and Beverage Podcast

Review: Miramonte Winery Mencia 2021 (Temecula Valley)

Rick and Shannon taste Miramonte Winery’s 2021 Mencía, a Spanish red grape known for its bright fruit and earthy complexity. Does this land as a Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It?

In this week’s bonus mini-episode of Pour Temecula, Rick DeLucio and Shannon Cole follow up on their recent Spanish Varietals episode by opening a bottle of Miramonte Winery’s 2021 Mencía. Originally from northwestern Spain—especially Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra—Mencía is known for its vibrant red fruit, floral notes, and savory edge. Rick and Shannon talk about the grape’s Spanish roots before sharing their tasting notes and final rating on the show’s Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It scale.

Review: Somerset Amphorae Blanca 2020 (Temecula Valley)

Rick and Shannon taste Somerset’s 2020 Amphorae Blanca, a Temecula white blend fermented and aged in clay amphorae. Does this land as a Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It?

In this week’s bonus mini-episode of Pour Temecula, Rick DeLucio and Shannon Cole explore Somerset’s 2020 Amphorae Blanca, a white blend crafted in ancient clay amphorae rather than traditional barrels or stainless steel. Amphorae fermentation can bring added texture, subtle earthiness, and a different expression of fruit, making it one of the more intriguing winemaking approaches in Temecula Valley. Rick and Shannon discuss what amphorae aging does to a wine and how it influences flavor and structure, then share their tasting notes and final rating on the show’s Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It scale.

One Year Anniversary Show

One year. Countless pours.

In this special anniversary episode, we reflect on our favorite shows and standout beverages, thank the incredible guests and listeners who made it all possible, and share what’s ahead for Year Two, from new conversations to deeper dives.

Then we put our palates to the test. Rick takes on sweet wines. Shannon tackles red wines in the Pour Temecula Tasting Challenge. Cheers to Year Two!

In this episode, we taste:

• 2020 Bella Vista Rozmaring, Temecula, CA
• 2018 Chateau Megyer Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Tokaj, Hungary
• 2019 Cougar Estate Aglianico, Temecula, CA
• 2020 Elena Fucci 'Titolo' Aglianico del Vulture, Campania, Italy

Spanish-Inspired Wines featuring Raúl Ramirez Bodegas y Viñedos

In this episode of Pour Temecula, we taste through Spanish-inspired wines made locally, featuring Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Albariño, and Verdejo. We also visit Raul Ramirez to sample their lineup and explore the character, structure, and flavor profiles of each varietal. If you’re curious about these classic Spanish varietals and how they’re showing up locally, this episode is for you.

 

In this episode, we are tasting:

2016 Raúl Ramirez Estate Gran Reserva Brut Cava Style Sparkling Wine

2022 Raúl Ramirez Estate Albariño

2022 Raúl Ramirez Estate Tempranillo Reserva

Fall Beer and Cocktails

Fall is in full swing on Pour Temecula, and we’re back with Heather Rankin (HB) for Part 2 of our seasonal series (don’t forget to check out Part 1: Thanksgiving Wines!). In this cozy, autumn-themed episode, we taste our way through four pumpkin and harvest-inspired beers—including Shannon’s first-ever pumpkin beer—and mix up two fall cocktails: one straight from Trader Joe’s and one crafted by ChatGPT using Kompocha Brewing’s Cinnamon Pear Kombucha. We share honest feedback, plenty of laughs, and maybe even a few surprises along the way. Grab your favorite sweater and join us for some deliciously seasonal sipping!

In this episode, we drink:

Trader Joes "Howling Gourds" Pumpkin Ale

Southern Tier Brewing PumpKing Imperial Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Maple Warlock Imperial Stout

Brewery Ommegang "All Hallows Treat" Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout

Trader Joes Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

Harvest Spritz featuring Kompoocha Cinnamon Pear Kumbucha

Thanksgiving Wines

It’s Thanksgiving on Pour Temecula, and Rick and Shannon are joined by the fabulous Heather Rankin (HB) for a crash course in perfect holiday pours.

This Thanksgiving, we’re putting the “pour” in “pour another glass.” In this festive episode of Pour Temecula, Rick and Shannon are joined by the always-wonderful Heather Rankin—aka HB—to tackle one of the season’s biggest questions: What should you drink with Thanksgiving dinner? From bubbles to bold reds, we explore the best bottles to pair with turkey, stuffing, and all the cozy sides. But the real twist? Shannon brought a mystery flight of wines for us to blind taste—and let’s say, Thanksgiving may never taste the same again. Whether you’re hosting, guesting, or just drinking, this episode will help you build the perfect holiday lineup.

In this episode we drink:

2022 Mie Ikeno Pinot Noir, Yamanashi, Japan

Moselland Cat Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany

2021 Hirsch Vineyards The Bohan-Dillon Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California

Kompoocha Brewing: Temecula’s Craft Kombucha Bar

Temecula might be known for its vineyards and IPAs, but there’s another kind of fermentation bubbling up downtown. In this episode of Pour Temecula, we sit down with the owners of Kompoocha Brewing, Temecula’s craft kombucha bar that’s redefining what a “local pour” can be. From the art of fermentation to their non-profit donations to No Kill Shelters, we dig into how they blend health, flavor, and fun—one fizzy glass at a time. Plus, Rick takes on a different kind of tasting challenge, discovering some tasty new drinks along the way!

The Haunt Ghost Tours Temecula

It’s spooky season in Temecula, and we’re trading wine glasses for EMF detectors! In this episode of Pour Temecula, Rick and Shannon sit down with Aedan and Becca from The Haunt Ghost Tours: Temecula, ghost-hunters who blend local history with paranormal chills. From haunted landmarks and eerie encounters to tarot readings and ghost stories with a wine country twist, this episode is part history lesson, part haunted happy hour. Grab a glass, dim the lights, and join us as we uncover Temecula’s spirited side.

Pour Temecula listeners get $12 off a drinking tour ticket with code POUR at checkout: thehauntghosttours.com/tours/temecula

What we're drinking:

• Lorimar Winery and Vineyards 2019 Zinfandel, California (https://www.lorimarwinery.com/)
• Gnarly Head Grateful Dead Old Vine Zinfandel (https://gnarlyhead.com/wines/old-vine-zinfandel/)

Had a paranormal experience in Old Town? Leave us a voice message on Speakpipe, and you might hear yourself on a future episode! Contact us on Instagram (@pourtemecula) or message us (info@pourtemecula.com)—we're always excited to connect with fellow wine, beer, and beverage lovers!

Review: Cougar Vineyards Ciliegiolo 2021 (Temecula Valley)

Rick and Shannon taste Cougar Vineyard & Winery’s 2021 Ciliegiolo, a rare Italian red grape with deep Tuscan roots. Does this land as a Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It?

In this week’s bonus mini-episode of Pour Temecula, Rick DeLucio and Shannon Cole pour a glass of Ciliegiolo—a cherry-scented red from central Italy that usually hides in blends but shines brightly on its own at Cougar Vineyard & Winery. Their pick is Cougar’s 2021 Estate Ciliegiolo, a small-lot Temecula bottling that’s hand-picked, basket-pressed, and aged in a mix of American and French oak. Rick and Shannon dive into the grape’s history, its fresh, fruit-forward personality, and how Cougar became the first winery in the U.S. to earn varietal recognition for it before sharing their tasting notes and final rating on the show’s Dump It, Try It, Pour It, or Buy It scale.

Italian Reds in Temecula: From Tuscany to Socal

Temecula isn’t just Cab and Almond Champagne—discover how Italian reds like Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Aglianico are thriving at Bottaia Winery and other local producers. Bold, unexpected, and so pour-worthy!

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Think Temecula is all about Cab and Almond Champagne? Not so fast—Italian reds are staking their claim, and they’re every bit as bold and complex as their Old World counterparts. In this episode of Pour Temecula, Rick DeLucio and Shannon Cole visit Bottaia Winery, one of Temecula’s premier producers of Italian varietals, to explore how classic grapes from Tuscany and the south of Italy are thriving here in Southern California.

Italy has hundreds of native red grapes, and Temecula’s warm, Mediterranean climate makes it a natural home for varieties like Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Aglianico, and Sagrantino. From the elegance of Sangiovese to the dark power of Aglianico and the tannic grip of Sagrantino, these wines highlight Bottaia’s commitment to honoring Italian heritage while giving it a distinctly Temecula accent. Along the way, we’ll dig into each grape’s origins, why they work so well in this climate, and what these wines say about Temecula’s future beyond the familiar.

Expect candid takes, stories about farming and winemaking in the heat, and of course, tasting impressions of some standout bottles. By the end, you just might rethink what Temecula should be known for when it comes to red wine.

What we tasted in this episode:

• 2020 Bottaia Montepulciano (https://www.bottaiawinery.com/product/2022-montepulciano)
• 2018 Bottaia Aglianico (https://www.bottaiawinery.com/product/2018-aglianico)
• 2019 Bottaia Sagrantino (https://www.bottaiawinery.com/product/2019-sagrantino)

Have a favorite Italian white wine from Temecula? Leave us a voice message on Speakpipe, and you might hear yourself on a future episode! Contact us on Instagram (@pourtemecula) or message us (info@pourtemecula.com)—we're always excited to connect with fellow wine, beer, and beverage lovers!