Sunday Special Wine Tour in Temecula Valley with Lunch

Temecula’s Sunday Special wine tour is built around a smart idea: see two wineries, enjoy lunch, and still have much of Sunday left. You travel by party bus through the wine country, receive tastings at each stop, and avoid driving after sampling wine.

I like the short 3.5-hour schedule, which suits anyone who wants a taste of Temecula without giving up the whole day. I also like the $20 lunch credit, bottled water, and included transportation. The main caution is important: the published details name Danza del Sol and Lorimar, while the inclusions mention South Coast and Maurice Car’rie. Confirm the actual stops before you pay.

Key points at a glance

• Two winery stops: The Sunday Special is designed for two wineries, not three.
• Six pours at the first stop: Danza del Sol includes a sparkling wine welcome and six one-ounce tastings.
• $20 lunch credit: Lorimar’s menu includes Mediterranean dishes, steak and rice, charcuterie, and desserts.
• Short Sunday timing: The full outing lasts about 3 hours and 30 minutes, with roughly 30 minutes of total travel.
• Third stop costs extra: An optional winery and production tour can be arranged separately for $25 per person.
• Meeting details need checking: The listed starting point is Maurice Car’rie Vineyard, even though the itinerary names other wineries.

A short wine-country outing with a useful finish time

This tour is aimed at people who want a pleasant introduction to Temecula Valley rather than a full day of winery hopping. The bus route takes about 30 minutes in total, and bottled water is provided during transportation. That leaves most of the time for tasting and lunch instead of sitting in traffic.

I like the pace. A longer wine tour can turn into a tiring sequence of tasting rooms, especially for anyone who is new to wine or wants a relaxed Sunday afternoon. Here, you taste at two wineries and finish at a reasonable hour.

The tour currently carries a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 11 reviews, with 91 percent recommending it. The strongest praise centers on the friendly service, pleasant scenery, and guides who keep the mood easy. Brow Sugar is singled out as a particularly good guide, while Calvin is praised for being kind and accommodating.

Still, do not confuse short with simple. The published information is not fully consistent about the winery names. One section describes Danza del Sol and Lorimar, while the included tasting description refers to South Coast Winery and Maurice Car’rie Winery. The meeting point is Maurice Car’rie Vineyard. Ask for the exact route and pickup instructions before the day begins.

Meeting at Maurice Car’rie and getting on the bus

The listed starting point is Maurice Car’rie Vineyard at 34225 Rancho California Road in Temecula. The activity ends back at the meeting point, which makes the arrangement easier if you are staying nearby or arranging a ride there.

Give yourself extra time to find the meeting location. One person arrived an hour early but still got lost because the meeting point was not immediately clear. That is useful advice, especially if you are relying on a map app or coming from outside Temecula.

The tour includes a driver, guide, transportation, bottled water, fees, and taxes. The vehicle is described as a party bus, so you should expect a social group setting rather than a private car or small family van. The maximum group size is listed as 99 people, though the actual Sunday group may be smaller.

Transportation matters here for one simple reason: tasting wine and driving yourself do not mix. The bus also lets you look out at the vineyards along the 15-minute scenic route instead of worrying about directions and parking.

Danza del Sol: a strong opening tasting

The published itinerary gives Danza del Sol about 90 minutes. It describes the winery as the first winery built on De Portola Road, with vines more than 30 years old and a reputation for red wines.

You begin with a complimentary sparkling wine tasting, followed by six one-ounce pours. That is a generous start for a short tour. Six ounces is three-quarters of a standard five-ounce glass, although tasting pours are usually sampled at a slower pace and are not meant to be consumed like dinner wine.

The stop should suit you if you enjoy red wine and want several samples rather than one or two token pours. The older vines also give the visit a sense of place, even if the schedule does not include a formal vineyard or production tour at this stop.

Ninety minutes gives you enough time to taste without rushing, but it does not leave much room for lingering over every bottle. If you want detailed winemaking explanations, ask the guide or tasting-room staff directly. The optional third stop is the one specifically described as including a 20-minute wine and production tour.

One thing to watch is the wording around the total number of tastings. The itinerary lists a welcome sparkling wine plus six one-ounce pours at Danza del Sol. The inclusions list says the tour provides 14 ounces of wine in total at two wineries. Those figures may reflect different pours or an updated route, which is another reason to confirm the final winery plan.

Lorimar Winery and the $20 lunch credit

The second listed stop is Lorimar Vineyards and Winery, with another 90 minutes. This is where the tour becomes more than a tasting crawl. Each person receives a $20 credit toward lunch from the Lorimar menu.

The sample menu leans Mediterranean. You might choose an artisan charcuterie platter with meats, cheese, egg, olives, pita, hummus, crostini, and raw vegetables. Main dishes include shish kabob steak with saffron rice, cucumber yogurt, Shirazi salad, and dolma, or a vegetarian Mediterranean medley with eggplant, tomato, olives, feta, mixed greens, garlic oil, and rice.

Dessert options listed are baklava and chocolate cake. The menu gives you a real meal rather than a few crackers between tastings, though the $20 credit may not cover every possible combination or extra charge. Check the menu and prices when you arrive if you want to keep your spending close to the tour price.

I like the lunch setup because it creates a natural pause after the first tasting. Food also helps make the day more comfortable. You should still pace yourself with the wine, drink the provided water, and treat lunch as part of the tasting day rather than an afterthought.

The drawback is that a lunch credit is not exactly the same as a fully unlimited meal. The tour describes lunch as free up to a $20 value, so anything beyond that amount would be your responsibility. Gratuity is also not included.

Two wineries, not three

The most important planning point is the number of stops. The Sunday Special is a two-winery tour. A third winery, with a production tour and six additional tastings, is offered as an add-on.

The extra stop is described as costing $25 per person when arranged directly after booking. For a group of three, that becomes $75. The add-on includes a 20-minute wine and production tour plus six tastings, making it a reasonable option if your priority is variety and winery education.

If you expected three wineries in the base price, you could feel disappointed. The two-winery plan is clear in the detailed description, but the conflicting winery names and promotional wording can create confusion. Before booking, confirm three things:

• Which two wineries are operating on your date
• Whether the $139 price includes the $20 lunch credit at Lorimar
• Whether a third stop is available and what it costs

The tour price is $139 per person. That is not cheap for 3.5 hours, but the cost includes transportation, a driver and guide, tastings, lunch credit, bottled water, fees, and taxes. If you booked the same components separately, you would also need to arrange a safe ride between wineries.

The value depends on your priorities. If you simply want two tastings and can drive safely with a designated driver, this may feel expensive. If you want transportation, a guide, lunch, and a social bus atmosphere, the price is easier to justify. Booking directly with the operator may cost about 20 percent less than booking through a third-party platform, according to the company information. Compare the final prices before committing.

The people make the day

The best part of a short group tour is often the guide. Brow Sugar receives specific praise for creating a good mood and making sure the group had a pleasant time. Calvin is also described as nice and accommodating.

That kind of service matters on a wine tour because the schedule has several moving parts. A good guide helps you find the bus, keeps the group on time, explains what is included, and smooths over small delays. The overall praise for hospitality and friendly service suggests that the human side of this outing is one of its strengths.

You should expect a social day, not a private wine consultation. The bus format works well for couples, friends, and solo visitors who enjoy meeting people. It may be less appealing if you want quiet time, a private guide, or a carefully tailored list of boutique wineries.

The scenery is another repeated bright spot. Temecula’s vineyard roads give the bus ride a pleasant setting, and the short travel time keeps the route from becoming the main event. You get enough countryside to feel that you have left town, but not so much driving that the day becomes a transport exercise.

Sunday timing, group size, and practical details

The advertised duration is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes. Travel from start to finish is about 30 minutes, leaving around three hours at the wineries. Each listed stop receives about 90 minutes.

That timing works best if you prefer a compact outing. You can taste, eat, and return to the meeting point while still having time for another Sunday plan. It is not the right format for a slow afternoon spent browsing every bottle, ordering multiple glasses, or visiting several tasting rooms on foot.

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation is provided when you book. Most people can participate, and the meeting point is near public transportation, according to the supplied details.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The tour also requires good weather and a minimum number of people. If poor weather or low enrollment cancels the outing, you are offered another date, another experience, or a full refund.

Remember that gratuity is not included. Plan to tip the driver or guide if the service is helpful, especially when the guide handles timing and group arrangements.

Who should book this Temecula wine tour?

I would recommend the Sunday Special to you if you want:

• A half-day introduction to Temecula wine country
• Safe transportation between two wineries
• A lunch stop built into the schedule
• A friendly party-bus setting
• A finish time that leaves the rest of Sunday open
• A simple package with tastings, water, taxes, and transportation included

I would steer you toward another option if you want three or more wineries in the base price, a private vehicle, a formal production lesson, or a full-day tour. You can add a third stop, but that costs extra and needs to be arranged separately.

This is also not the best pick for someone who wants complete certainty about the route without making a follow-up call. The names Danza del Sol, Lorimar, South Coast, and Maurice Car’rie appear in different parts of the supplied information. That is a manageable issue, but you should resolve it before booking.

My booking advice

Book this tour if the two-winery format, lunch credit, and early finish match your plans. The included transportation is the main practical benefit, while the scenery, guides, and Mediterranean-style lunch add comfort and character.

Before paying, send one short question to the operator: Which two wineries will this Sunday tour visit, and where exactly should I meet the bus? If the answer matches your expectations, the $139 price can be fair for a compact, all-in outing. If you want three wineries, ask for the add-on price at the same time.

FAQ

How long does the Sunday Special wine tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, including about 30 minutes of total travel between the starting point, wineries, and return.

How many wineries are included?

The Sunday Special includes two winery stops. A third winery with a 20-minute production tour and six tastings is available as an optional add-on for an additional charge.

Which wineries does the tour visit?

The detailed route names Danza del Sol Winery and Lorimar Vineyards and Winery. Other included information names South Coast Winery and Maurice Car’rie Winery, and the listed meeting point is Maurice Car’rie Vineyard. Confirm the exact stops before booking.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Each person receives a lunch credit valued at $20 for the Lorimar Winery lunch menu. Items listed include charcuterie, steak and rice, a Mediterranean vegetable dish, baklava, and chocolate cake.

How much wine is included?

The inclusions state that the tour provides 14 ounces of wine in total, described as more than two glasses. The Danza del Sol description separately lists a sparkling wine welcome and six one-ounce tastings.

Is transportation included?

Yes. The price includes transportation by party bus, a driver, a tour guide, and bottled water during transportation and lunch.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The listed starting point is Maurice Car’rie Vineyard at 34225 Rancho California Road in Temecula. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted, and weather or minimum enrollment can also affect the schedule.