Exciting news! Two of Temecula Valley’s most prolific winemakers have been included in the “Top 100 Most Influential U.S. Winemakers” list, recently compiled by IntoWine.com.
Here are the highlights on the celebrated Temecula Valley winemakers, Joe Hart (Hart Winery) and Jon McPherson (South Coast Winery) — by Michael Cervin
80-Joe Hart. Quiet and unassuming, Hart Winery is an earlier pioneer of the Temecula Valley, outside of San Diego, and Hart was only the fourth person to start a winery here. He has spent over 30 years as a champion for the Temecula wine region. Hart Winery capitalizes on the soils and climate at 1,500 feet above sea level to produce the premium varietals like Merlot, Fume´ Blanc, Viognier, Grenache Rose´, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.”
67-Jon McPherson of South Coast Winery in Temecula oversees a dizzying portfolio of red, white, sweet and sparkling wines, helping to elevate the image of the Temecula wine region and Southern California. Named California Winery of the Year for three years by the California State Fair, he has affected the perception of Southern California winemaking, and in the process has become one of the regions most awarded, and popular wineries in Temecula.
Check out IntoWine.com’s full list of Top 100 Most Influential US Winemakers here.
About the list – “This list is all about winemakers, those currently making wine here in America – not the great ones who have come before, but folks who make wines you can find now. There are some 7,000 bonded wineries in the U.S., and there’s a lot of forgettable wine being made. And in a world of homogenization of wine styles and a sense that our domestic wine industry is not legitimate without a French or Italian flair, we desire to promote regional flavor profiles of all American wine craftspeople. There are names here you’ll know and recognize, and names you never heard of but everyone on this list is influencing the public, fellow winemakers and the media in large and small ways.” – Michael Cervin, wine writer
IntoWine.com is a comprehensive site for the wine enthusiast, with sections on wine regions, varietals, wine recommendations, wine storage, wine & food pairings and much more.
Pictures sourced from John Hunneman, Press-Enterprise: http://blog.pe.com/2013/07/29/temecula-two-local-winemakers-among-the-u-s-s-most-influential/