Churon Winery Review — January 6, 2016 (Scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the MOST family-friendly and 1 being the LEAST) Quality & Location of Parking Lot — 3.14 Quality of picnic or play area — 1.86 Quality & Cleanliness of the bathrooms — 3.00 Level of entertainment for kids — 1.57 How family-friendly is the winery? — 1.00 How easy was it to move around with a stroller? — 1.00 OVERALLRATING — 1.93 Mommy Reviews: «The staff, mainly the hotel manager had horrible customer service and was outright rude to paying customers. She made the adults and children very uncomfortable and each mom paid at least $ 40 for wine/bottles. I will never go back with or without my children and I have already and will do so from now not recommend this winery to my friends and clients.» «The staff inside the tasting room was gracious and offered us discounts on bottles so we all decided to share rather than continue to got into the tasting room throughout our visit. We set up our picnic on the patio outside of the lobby and made sure the kids were not playing on the lawn area right outside the guest rooms. A woman who claimed to be a manager came out to the patio and told us that we could not „just take over the entire patio because it was for guests“ and she made a point to say that we were „not doing a very good job supervising our children“, so we asked where she would like us to drink our wine we had just purchased from her winery and she suggested a smaller patio. We kindly suggested that we would just move our picnic down to the lower outdoor patio(despite there being no chairs or tables) but it was closer to the lawn area where the children were playing so we moved our food and wine to the outdoor bar area down there where we could „better supervise“ our children. Not long after that she reappeared and began screaming that we all just had to „leave right now or she would call the police“. We were shocked, several children overheard her comments and burst into tears out of fear, worried that their mommies were going to get arrested! We told her to go ahead and call the authorities but we were unaware of any laws we might be breaking. She did make sure to point out that „this was a winery and not a day care“ noted! She got into her car and drove away. Her behavior was less than welcoming and I’m afraid I might never go to this winery again for tastings, much less stay the night for a romantic evening. She made it very clear that she does not feel her winery is family friendly. Again, noted!» «What a terrible experience at Churon winery with one of their staff members! I have never been treated with such disrespect as a paying customer and guest. Not only were we told to move to another patio because we had children with us, we were yelled at and told that Churon wasn’t a daycare and she threatened to call the police!!! Never will I take my children to Churon and I will never go there again!!!» «We had a terrible experience at Churon. We’ve gone there with the kids many times in the past and always had a great experience but this time we were treated like criminals. It started out fine as the lady working in tasting room offered our entire group a 20% discount on bottles. Many of the moms went in on a bottle or bought some to bring home. We had emailed a few weeks prior to let them know we were coming and they were nice enough to offer our group this discount. We were on the main patio which overlooked the wedding grounds, where the kids were really enjoying playing, for about an hour when the hotel manager came out and told us we couldn’t «take up» the whole patio. We were really confused because we had all just bought bottles. She said we needed to make room for the hotel guests and that we should move to another patio! She also accused us of not watching our kids even though we could see them from where we were sitting and we were taking turns going down to where they were. So we packed up all of our things and we all moved down to the wedding area where the kids were playing. We weren’t down there more than 10 minutes before she came back out screaming at us, telling us we needed to leave and that she would call the police on us! We were all astounded. We asked her what she could possibly call the police about and she couldn’t even give us an answer. She just kept yelling at us that we needed to leave. She was acting like we were tresp
Joshua K.
Tu valoración: 3 Corona, CA
My cousin got married here the other day. That’s nice… Now…when it comes to winery tastings, especially when they are $ 2.00 more than the average in Paso Robles, I would expect that my glass would be half full #seewhatididthere Unfortunately, this winery left me wanting for more… literally…like an extra glass or at minimum a little more in the glass. The glass was not half full, rather it was very skimpy, not even a quarter full. Maybe the local casino scene has a lot of traffic into this winery compared to Paso Robles wineries, but the glass in Paso wineries certainly has more in it than what this place offered. Admittedly we haven’t been to any other Temecula based wineries, but I would expect more in the glass. Kinda disappointed. We were hoping for more… in the glass.
Eloi R.
Tu valoración: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Checked out today after a one night bday stay for my wife for sure coming back!!! Just what you need… clean. great staff… centrally located and spacious rooms.
Tania R.
Tu valoración: 1 Temecula, CA
I visited Churon for the first time with a group of moms we all live in the area, and about once a month we’ll visit a winery on a weekday with our children as an outing. We’ll also get together for other community events centered events. On our outing to Churon, we all arrived with our children and took turns going downstairs to buy our wine to ensure were adults to supervise playing children. I was one of the last to go down to get wine. I came back fro my wine to a confrontation between members of our group — and management threatening to call the police if we didn’t leave. As I had just poured my glass of wine — I figured I would see how it played out. No one bothered us again, but needless to say — my first visit will be my last. I’m actually pretty upset I spent money only to not only be asked to leave, but threatened with police! She had no response to what we should do with the(hundreds of dollars) in wine we had just purchased, but were apparently not welcome to enjoy. If she had any issues with us or where our children were playing, she should have handled it in a MUCH different way… she had children crying and afraid the police were coming. My own children we trying to find hiding places for«when the police come’! Her behavior was completely unacceptable. There were a small number of guests in the wine tasting room, two in the lobby by the fireplace and a couple of hotel guests on their balconies. There were no other guests in the area we had our group, we had emailed the winery a couple of weeks before our outing, no one indicated that our visit would be un-welcomed. With over 40 wineries in the area — skip this one and move on to friendlier venues; Ponte, Wilson Creek, Robert Renzoni… to name a few.
Chris M.
Tu valoración: 1 Irvine, CA
Wine tasting untill 430, but if you come at 420 they wont take you… So do you close at 430 or 420? Dont post times unless you actually follow it. Dont go here
Darby R.
Tu valoración: 4 Huntington Beach, CA
Had two wine tasting here. One using a 2 for 1 coupon(or 50% for inn guest) costing $ 6 per person for 5 tastings. The staff was friendly and nice at recommending wines to try and wines that might not suit your palate. You can also purchase cheese and boxes of crackers to pair with your wine. What was even greater was the hour wine tasting for inn guest that was FREE! It included a predetermined menu(which you can see to avoid doubling up if you do a paid tasting). This tasting is more relaxed and we were able to taste the entire list(~ 7 – 9 options) within the hour. It was really great! We purchased 2 bottles. They mischarged us for 3 and rang us up again for 2. However, they forgot to take off the 20% discount given to inn guest. I called the next day and the Inn staff(Ened and Doreen) were really great at helping to give us our discount. I really appreciated their customer service. Overall it was a fun weekend getaway!
Terri N.
Tu valoración: 3 Laguna Niguel, CA
Beautiful tasting room and very friendly staff. Unfortunately, the wine tasting was a big disappointment. We sampled six reds and all were harsh. They definitely need to age more. At $ 30 a bottle, we expected much better.
Shae L.
Tu valoración: 4 Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Of the 3 wineries(Churon, Oak Mountain & Bel Vino) my husband and I visited over the July 4th weekend, this one wins for the best customer service hands down! Todd, our server, was exceptional. He was friendly and easy to talk to. Our favorite wine was the 2013 Rose of Syrah. It’s a must try! I only wish that this winery had outside seating, that’s the only reason I am giving it 4 stars as opposed to 5 stars. P. S. — They have $ 5 tastings between 10am — 2pm!
Alejandra J.
Tu valoración: 5 Chino Hills, CA
Two night stay in room 105… gorgeous views from our private patio. The patio has a small table with 2 chairs so that you can relax and enjoy the view of the beautiful property and other vineyards at a distance. The room was perfect size, not big and not too small. Has a fireplace and the bed was very comfortable. There is a mini fridge and coffee maker but no microwave. The bathroom is very nice size, double sinks, shower and separate corner jacuzzi tub. Only negatives for our room was that the a/c makes an awful noise and the phone doesn’t seem to work. Our room came with a bottle of wine and it wasn’t in our room when we arrived, we tried calling the front desk but the phone wasn’t working. As I began to walk to the front desk we came across the housekeeper and asked her about the wine… she promptly put it in our bedroom and problem solved. Another plus, we arrived early, 2 out of 3 rooms that we booked were ready so they let us check in early. Our friends hung out with us in the meantime. They have their winery in the basement part, very nice size and Dani and Laura were very friendly and accommodating. The wines are OK, not the best, but guests get complimentary tasting for an hour everyday. They also have a very nice selection of gifts. As guests we had complimentary breakfast with a mimosa every morning. I had the omelet and my friend had the croissant sandwich, both were very good. There are about 6 – 8 different choices and for a small fee you can also order the breakfast to come to your room instead. Our housekeeper Paula(I believe is her name) was also our server. She was the nicest and friendliest I’ve ever encountered. Another negative was there is no pool, I like to lounge while the husband golfs in the morning. A nice alternative would’ve been some lounge chairs in our private patio. Overall very nice place, friendly staff and the negatives wouldn’t keep me from staying here again.
Charita A.
Tu valoración: 3 Murrieta, CA
I enjoy the wines here. They have a good selection of sweet wines which is what i like. I bought a bottle of the sparkling peach wine. The tastings are only five dollars before 2pm. The wine club membership seems very enticing.
Jennifer S.
Tu valoración: 5 Oceanside, CA
My favorite winery in Temecula! I’ve stayed at the Inn and joined the wine club because of how great their wines are. I especially have loved their Sangiovese and Pinot Nior. Their staff is suberb and I always feel so comfortable when visiting. Beautiful property and yummy wine, can’t ask for more!
Anthony C.
Tu valoración: 4 Glendora, CA
Very friendly staff … Cool place to chill and relax on the patio … Wines are ok … Enjoy
Donna B.
Tu valoración: 4 Los Angeles, CA
Fabulous people work here, the rooms are beautiful, and of course the wine is superb! Excellent!
Nathaniel F.
Tu valoración: 2 Irvine, CA
I’m by no means a wine expert, but after 4 years of bartending and a case or two of wine per year, I’ve been around enough wine to know good from bad. We went to 4 wineries this past week with Churon being first on the list. All of their wines smell like compost and manure. The flavors were flat without the complexity of balance one would expect from a good wine. I shy away from late harvest in general. However, the one dessert wine they had was actually very pleasant. Would not return. The inn looked nice and the shop adjacent to the tasting area had some nice items.
Kelly C.
Tu valoración: 5 Ontario, CA
Prior to our Temecula wedding venue hunt, we had not visited Churon winery — and are so glad we did! It was absolutely beautiful! I remember feeling hesitant to book due to the lack of reviews on this venue out there, so I’ll break down my experience for future brides & grooms, or anyone holding a large event. Venue Location: Being located at the beginning of Temecula’s wineries on the main road makes it incredibly convenient for you and your guests. The backdrop is GORGEOUS, especially since it is situated on a hill overlooking the city. It was a bit hot for our wedding but absolutely perfect at night. The day view is beautiful, the sunset view is breathtaking, and at night it’s just perfect. So, if you’re looking for an outdoor venue for your wedding and reception, with the view of Temecula’s rolling hills and wineries, this is a great choice! Venue: The winery itself has a tasting room downstairs and is a 24 room bed & breakfast type of inn. This provided such an intimate feeling, as we ended up booking all the rooms at the winery — so we had the WHOLE winery to ourselves.(Note: this is one reason we booked here, because other wineries have up to 5 going on at the same time) The convenience of being up to walk up to your room to freshen up was so worth it(from freshening up in your own bathroom to having someone put the kids to bed at a certain time). So, although the wedding ended at a certain time, we were able to still have wine with friends and family. What was even better was that breakfast for our guests was included. Food: Okay, so we hate that wedding food has a bad rap & it was important to us to have good food. Our food was just as delicious as the day we tasted it. It came out hot AND was pretty! My only sadness was that I didn’t get to taste our other appetizer we had chosen — so make sure someone brings you a plate! The service was great the entire experience through. Chef: For our rehearsal, he put together a special(affordable) menu for our bridal party and set up tables, service and wine with lunch. He made sure he had room in his fridge for the cake and even came to us that night to ask us how things were and if we needed anything. Breakfast, the morning after, was made to order and included with all of our guests’ stays. Seriously, we were happy campers and he is awesome. Recommendations: Make sure you book a room the night before to ensure you have somewhere to get ready the next day — because our rooms weren’t ready as early as we’d like them to be and this was out of their control. Also, I do recommend that couples consider hiring someone to do things that are not included(like putting out any extras you may have & coordinating the actual wedding ceremony). Consider the«first look» photos. Because everything is together, which is a bonus for us, we didn’t want too much time taking pictures and missed out on a few because of this — but nothing major. Service: From Michelle(the coordinator), to the servers, they are there to ensure everything runs smoothly. Considering how beautiful it was, we were surprised that other wineries did not even include all the things Churon did. It was nice to have champagne or wine upon guest arrival(which we switched to the cocktail hour), butler passed appetizers, the toast, cake cutting, a great dinner, and an entire winery to ourselves. We had such a wonderful experience — hire a videographer, as the time will fly by!
Akisha B.
Tu valoración: 5 Long Beach, CA
OHMYSTARS!!! Where do I begin? ! Hands down, Valerie is awesome!!! We came for my seesther’s 30th birthday(a party of 8), and customer service was amazing. We had reservations at 12:15pm– 5 tastings for $ 10. We were the only people there so we had Valerie all to ourselves. I’m not a huge drinker, but I will definitely sip on some wine here and there– Moscato to be exact. Ooh their Moscato was so good! I prefer sweet wines over dry wines. However, I was quite surprised that I liked one of the dry white wines, Viognier 2011. Another one of my favorites(that I wish I would have also purchased) was the Gold Nectar, a blend of Chardonnay and Muscat. As mentioned, the tastings were $ 10 but we ended up paying $ 5 for the 5 tastings. We were a happy camper. Valerie told us about their wine club which actually had some great benefits(check out their website to view the benfits). To join the club, I just needed to purchase two bottles of wine. In addition to purchasing the wines, I got 20% off. Lovely! So for two bottles(Moscato and Viognier) I paid $ 27. Both bottles were $ 20 each. The winery is so breathtaking. They have a restaurant and it is also a bed and breakfast. While we were there, they had live entertainment, a jazz singer. I most certainly will return especially since I get 50% off the rooms as a wine club member.
John O.
Tu valoración: 4 Temecula, CA
Churon Winery is easy to find if entering Temecula Wine Country off the 15 Freeway at Rancho California Road. After the short drive through town and a residential zone, you know you are in wine country as you pass the large stone monuments. Churon Winery and Inn is the 2nd winery on the right. Keep your eye open, the sign is easy to spot if you are looking for it, but the contour of the road may be misleading. Once you wind your way up the winding road you find yourself at a very French Provincial looking building that serves triple duty as the Inn check in as well as the restaurant and wine tasting room, down the winding stairs. I’m not going to get into the quality of the wine discussion because I feel as if wine is a very personal issue and what one person likes is not important to another’s tastes — if you don’t believe me, try a blind tasting with a ‘Two Buck Chuck’ in the mix and you might be surprised at how well it compares to $ 50 bottles. What I can say is that the ambiance is different from most wineries in Temecula — while not my style, it is very nice. It has a formal-casual vibe. The grounds are well designed and I’m sure when they’ve been manicured, they are beautiful. When I was there, the shrubs were looking overdue and there were some weeds in what was supposed to be an impressive garden by the front door — so points off there. It would have been nice to have more outdoor space — more casual space. The tasting room is downstairs — a long windy staircase to get down and the tasting bar is situated under a loft — that definitely gives it the cellar feeling. Most of the tasting room is scattered with gift shop items, urging you to oooh and ahhh and ultimately buy. So, not the best Temecula Wine Country experience — but certainly not the worst either. If you want to enjoy the ambiance in a very French setting, the Churon Winery just may be the place for you.
Quisha H.
Tu valoración: 2 Hawthorne, CA
The wines here leave much to be desired. If you are coming here on a tour I suggest making this your first stop. Coming after a day of drinking quality wines will make you very disappointed. My bf and I came on a Sunday afternoon for the free wine hour they have for guests. Tried the Zinfandel and White Merlot both were weak so I skipped on to the reds. The Malbec was alright but the Syrrah was the best of the 10 wines we tried. The Chocolate Bliss was terrible, would recommend staying away from that one. If you’re staying here it’s worth coming for the free hour, but it’s not worth any time or gas otherwise.
Melissa C.
Tu valoración: 5 San Diego, CA
Visited on a Sunday afternoon to do some wine tasting. Tried the Sangiovese and really enjoyed it, wasn’t too sweet and the grapes are grown locally. Love it! The Pinot was alright. They also have a very cute looking hotel. I would definitely return, the price is right, wine is tasty, and the location is convenient. If you go before 2 on Sunday it’s only $ 5!
Jeff L.
Tu valoración: 3 Newport Beach, CA
2011 Zinfandel was very weak 2011 Petite Syrah — very nice. Full bodied, good acid balance All the wines are young and could age Way understaffed