ArcaMax

There's a certain serenity to sipping a glass of fine sangiovese wine while watching the sunset when you're sitting beneath cascading wisteria vines in full bloom that pour from the entire 70-foot frontage of a wine-tasting patio pergola. The setting is the Palumbo Family Vineyards and Winery in Southern California's Temecula Wine Valley in southwestern Riverside County, just an hour's drive from San Diego and an hour and 45 minutes from downtown Los Angeles.

From the end of April through early June, it is well worth the drive for the wondrous spring show of wisteria blossom as well as the valley's award-winning wines.

Like grape vines, wisteria vines thrive in the microclimates of the area, which means the different varieties' blooms mature at different times throughout spring in the valley, extending the season longer than wisteria's typical peak bloom elsewhere.

"They're pretty fast-growing, hardy plants, and, like grape vines, they typically like to be a little stressed and grow better if you leave them alone in the high-nitrogen soil of the area," says winery owner Nick Palumbo.

Having Sicilian heritage on his father's side and his mom's being a farm girl from Illinois, he feels he was destined for growing vines -- grapes and wisteria. A former musician and chef, Palumbo says that like many artists, he likes to "dabble in different things.'' In 1998, his dabbling led him to purchase a home on 7 planted acres, which he and his wife, Cindy, developed into what is now a mainstay of the almost 50 wineries in the Temecula Valley. About 12 years ago, like many local vintners, the Palumbos planted the wisteria that now pours over the pergola on their wine-tasting patio.

On a springtime winery tour through the rolling hills and valleys of vineyards in Temecula, your nose can savor the notes of award-winning and artisan wines as you drink local cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah and zinfandel varietal wines -- plus take in the sweet-note heady scent of the wisteria blooms at many of the area wineries.

Here are just a few where you can savor the wine and drink in the picture-perfect backdrop of the magnificent perennial blossoms of the wisteria vines amongst the vineyards. Don't worry if you can't make it to Temecula this spring. Wisteria vines can live for 100 years or more, so they're sure to be in bloom whatever future springtime you visit.

Lorimar Vineyards and Winery: At this Tuscan-style winery in the heart of Temecula Valley, wonderful wisteria displays add a delicate elegance to the breathtaking views of the Santa Ana Mountains and Mount Palomar while you enjoy award-winning wine, gourmet food, live music and local artwork.

Miramonte Winery: Enjoy a glass of wine, a spring-menu charcuterie board and a decadent Belgian chocolate cake with fresh blackberry mash as you marvel at the vineyard views from Miramonte winery's bistro patio, which is covered with fragrant wisteria flowers.

Peltzer Farm and Winery: Set on 25 acres of vineyards and homestead, the Crush House tasting room is a local favorite for family outings, offering an industrial chic ambience with a vintage feel set in a charming farm atmosphere accented with the vibrant bluey-lilac colors of its wisteria blooms.

Ponte Vineyard Inn at Ponte Winery: This 90-bedroom elegant boutique inn boasts stunning wisteria displays in a serene setting, making it an elegant draw for a romantic weekend getaway or relaxing and peaceful retreat.

Robert Renzoni Winery: The winery was established 20 years ago, but the history of winemaking in the Renzoni family dates back to Robert's great-grandfather, Federico, in 1886 Italy. In Temecula, you can get a bird's-eye view of the estate's vineyard, olive trees and cascading wisteria from on high in the basket of the Robert Renzoni sunrise Grape Estate Balloon Ride Adventure.

Somerset Vineyard and Winery: Sharing good times is a cornerstone philosophy of founding brothers Kurt and John Tiedt, and you can certainly enjoy that at Somerset Winery, which exudes a friendly escape with a fine-wine experience after stepping through a stunning wisteria-covered archway bursting in bloom.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa: A long, picturesque pathway draped with the pale purple blooms of wisteria winds through the property of this rustic-chic resort, where a stroll beneath the blooms makes a perfect preamble for a visit to its indulgent spa, paired with a glass of the winery's Wild Horse Peak label wines.

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WHEN YOU GO

Lorimar Vineyards and Winery: lorimarwinery.com

Miramonte Winery: miramontewinery.com

Palumbo Family Vineyards and Winery: palumbowines.com

Peltzer Farm and Winery: peltzerwinery.com

Ponte Vineyard Inn and Winery: pontevineyardinn.com

Robert Renzoni Winery: robertrenzonivineyards.com

Somerset Vineyard and Winery: somersetvineyard.com

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa: southcoastwinery.com

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Nicola Bridges is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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