Small Group Wine Tastings Temecula
For anyone looking for small group wine tastings in Temecula, Uys Vineyards is built around exactly that format. Appointments are private, the setting is relaxed, and your group tastes directly with Dirk and Michelle Uys, the winemakers behind every bottle. The 90-minute vineyard and cellar tour is a natural addition for groups who want to turn a tasting into a full afternoon, covering the complete winemaking process with samples from the barrel and bottle. Priority access to limited releases is available through the Garagiste Wine Club, where members receive 6 bottles every 6 months. Schedule your tasting online or call 951-514-9826.
Uys Vineyards is built for small groups. Dirk and Michelle Uys run a garagiste operation where every tasting is by appointment only, every visit is unhurried, and the winemakers are present for every pour. There are no large crowds, no shared bar space, and no rush to clear your spot for the next booking. Your group tastes small-batch, natural wines inside a working production facility with the people who made them, which creates a setting that larger wineries in Temecula Wine Country cannot offer. The wines are natural, vegan, and produced with no additives, and the format is designed to give every group the time and attention to actually enjoy them.
The production facility doubles as the tasting space, putting your group inside the actual winemaking process from the moment you arrive. Depending on the season, you see different stages of production, from fermenting barrels to finished bottles, while Dirk and Michelle walk you through each wine and the thinking behind it. The atmosphere is relaxed and conversational, with no script and no timer. Dirk and Michelle both emigrated from South Africa in 2003 and brought with them a winemaking approach shaped by European palate and South African heritage. That background adds depth to every pour and gives small groups something to engage with beyond simply tasting wine. It is the kind of experience that works well for groups who want a genuine conversation, not a rehearsed presentation.
For groups who want to extend the visit, the 90-minute vineyard and cellar tour covers grape growing and winemaking from start to finish, with samples straight from the barrel and bottle. It gives your group a complete and structured experience that goes well beyond a standard tasting stop. Limited production means some releases are one-offs, bottled once and never repeated. If your group finds a wine worth taking home, buying it on the day is often the only opportunity. The Garagiste Wine Club gives members first access to new releases, with 6 bottles delivered every 6 months before anything reaches the general public.
Temecula has more than 40 wineries, but the small group format at Uys Vineyards is genuinely different. The winemakers pour every tasting themselves, answer every question directly, and give your group their full attention for the entire visit. Whether your group is made up of experienced wine drinkers or people new to wine, the experience is designed to meet everyone where they are.
