Vitagliano Vineyards & Winery

Where the Vineyard Meets the Water

Most people picture Temecula wine country and imagine vineyards first.

At Vitagliano, the water may be what catches the eye.

The winery occupies a little over ten acres of rolling landscape with panoramic views, and the property has a distinctive lakeside setting that separates it visually from the more conventional vineyard-centered experience. The lake, greenery and outdoor spaces give Vitagliano a character that feels closer to a garden estate than a traditional tasting room.

The setting has roots that predate the winery itself.

The property was developed as Lake Oak Meadows, an event and wedding destination, and that history remains important to the way the landscape is organized. Earlier descriptions of the property centered on its roughly one-acre koi lake, paths, lawns and terraces, while current wine-country sources continue to identify the lake and surrounding gardens as distinctive features of the Vitagliano experience.

That is a significant difference.

At many wineries, the vineyard is the visual centerpiece.

At Vitagliano, the vineyard shares the stage with water.

The effect can be surprisingly peaceful.

The greenery surrounding the lake softens the property, while paths and outdoor areas encourage visitors to move beyond the tasting-room concept and experience the grounds themselves. The combination of water, vegetation, vineyard hills and open sky creates a setting that changes throughout the day as light moves across the property.

The wine has its own distinctive identity.

Vitagliano draws heavily on the Italian heritage of the family and specializes in Super Tuscan-style wines. Its estate vineyards include varieties such as Dolcetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio and Muscat Canelli, while its current wine collection extends into additional reds, whites, rosé, sparkling wine and sangria.

That Italian influence extends naturally into the food experience.

The winery’s current bistro describes itself as a farm-to-table dining experience, with a menu that ranges from shareable dishes to more substantial entrées and desserts. Outdoor dining is an important part of the setting, and the property accommodates families as well as larger groups.

This makes Vitagliano particularly interesting for visitors who don’t necessarily want a formal tasting-room afternoon.

The experience can be more relaxed.

Wine can be accompanied by a meal.

A glass can become lunch.

Lunch can become an afternoon beside the water.

And an afternoon can stretch toward evening when live entertainment or special events are taking place.

The property also maintains a family-friendly identity, with children and dogs welcome under its stated policies and regular events that broaden the audience beyond the traditional wine-tasting crowd.

That doesn’t mean every visit will feel the same.

A quiet afternoon beside the lake can have an entirely different character from an event day, wedding or evening with live music. Because Lake Oak Meadows remains an event venue, certain areas can occasionally be occupied by private celebrations, and the energy of the property can shift accordingly.

Rather than seeing that as a drawback, it is better understood as part of what Vitagliano is.

It is a winery.

It is an outdoor gathering place.

It is a dining destination.

It is an event property.

And it is a landscape built around water as well as vines.

That combination is unusual enough to give Vitagliano a personality all its own.

The Italian influence helps define what is in the glass.

The lake and gardens help define what surrounds it.

And the relaxed outdoor setting ties the two together.