These values have guided us for over 28 years. Our wines and the entire Wiens’ Cellars team uphold those standards, offering a unique narrative of the winemaking journey and our distinctive terroir.
The legacy of Wiens lives on, bigger and better than ever before.
We began with a vision—to craft high-quality, hand-crafted Southern California wines that would weave a unique narrative from vine to glass. Planting our first vineyard by hand in 1996 marked not just the beginning of Wiens Cellars but the deepening of our connection to the viticultural and winemaking process. The initial five varieties laid the foundation for what would later become a diverse portfolio of over thirty, and a modest 14-acre vineyard expanded into an expansive 70+ acres of Southern California hand-cultivated vines.
Amidst this growth, a unique extended family formed from the business. The legacy of Wiens Cellars became a testament to the power of shared dreams, unwavering commitment, resilience, and perseverance. This foundational chapter, written with the toil of many hands and a continuous, collective effort, laid the groundwork for the legacy we uphold today—an enduring commitment to family, quality, and integrity.
In 2022, a new chapter unfolded as Mark and David Steinhafel, a father-and-son duo, discovered Wiens Cellars while searching for a shared business venture. As a wine lover, David was impressed by the range and quality of the wines, the expertise and passion of the staff, and the state-of-the-art facilities – so impressed the Steinhafel family acquired Wiens Cellars. Today, we stand at the intersection of legacy and evolution, building upon the strong foundation laid by the Wiens family over two decades.
As we look ahead, the road mapped out in 1996 extends to new horizons. With the Steinhafel family at the helm, we embark on a mission to share our premier award-winning wine with the world. We honor the legacy of Wiens and its place in the story of Temecula Valley Wine Country. It is a living testament to respect for Old World winemaking traditions blended with Temecula’s unique essence. The future is a canvas, and we are eager to paint with more stories, more connections, and more mastery, one bottle at a time.
At Wiens Cellars, we pride ourselves on producing wines that showcase the region’s diversity and embody the essence of craftsmanship and tradition.
Well known for our bold, Proprietary Reds, crisp, refreshing whites, sparkling wines, and a variety of blends, we are continuously experimenting with over thirty different grape varieties.
In a world awash with varietal specialties, our artisan production team remains constant in one thing: Quality. This unwavering commitment is a testament to our dedication to creating authentic, approachable wines for all.
Our limited production & reserve wines showcase our dedication to the vineyard and selecting only the best fruit. Each note, each characteristic, skillfully crafted into its own perfect blend…
Part of the winery’s founding family, Joseph Wiens is a second-generation winemaker and has been making wine at Wiens Cellars since 2010. He and the team source grapes from the estate vineyards and other family-owned vineyards throughout the Temecula Valley, focusing on small vineyard sites that showcase unique expressions of the Temecula terroir. Joe makes learning about wine approachable while crafting wines that appeal to a variety of palates.
Born and raised in Southern California, Winemaker Brian Marquez has been in the Temecula Valley for over 30 years. Brian’s journey into wine began with hard work and persistence as he labored to support his son. As Brian progressed from tending bar at events then helping as a vineyard hand, he discovered a new passion in the cellar. Thanks to the founding family’s mentoring combined with Brian’s willingness to learn, he has earned his position as master winemaker. Today, Brian likes to approach classic wines with a Southern California flair, pushing the boundaries without sacrificing quality.
Since planting our first vines by hand in 1996, we have continually managed all of our own vineyards.
Our goal of producing world-class wines would be lost without the singular idea that great wine begins in the vineyard. Starting with roughly 10 acres of land and expanding to nearly 100 acres, this growth has motivated us to perfect our craft. New soil and new growing environments influence our constant experimentation and drive our passion.
For over 20 years, our relationship with the land has grown into an even more profound respect for our unique terroir & all that it offers. The Temecula Valley supports a rich diversity of soil types and vineyard settings. Our La Cresta Vineyard, for example, sits at a higher elevation where cool maritime morning breezes ensure slower ripening of the fruit and delicious, varietal expression. Vineyards on the valley floor are subject to higher summer temperatures, resulting in richer, deeper, and more concentrated fruit.
This luxury, specific to Southern California, allows us to create wines that offer you the best of both worlds.
Gently resting in the center of Temecula Valley Wine Country lies our Winery Estate Vineyard. Established on the valley floor at 1350 ft above sea level, the vineyard supports five grape varieties ranging from Chardonnay to Syrah. Our proximity to the ocean and the moderating effect of the evening breezes flowing through the nearby Rainbow Gap result in warm, sunny days and cool nights. This significant diurnal shift is ideal for grape growing. Although we manage several surrounding vineyards up to 10-15 miles away, the Heritage Estate Vineyard remains at the heart of it all. Surrounded by beautiful views of our Southern California valley, it’s the quintessential stage for Wiens Cellars.
Located on the outskirts of the Temecula AVA & perched high above the valley floor, our La Cresta Vineyards hover. The Mediterranean-style climate, with its misty mornings and late afternoon sunshine, provides an ideal growing environment for our grapes. The hills of La Cresta support twelve grape varieties and yield the majority of our fruit each harvest.
Home to five of our single-vineyard bottlings, the Vineyard Designate Collection, these lovingly tended vines consistently produce premium fruit & award-winning wines.
Floating at an elevation approximately 1000 ft higher than our Winery Estate, you will find our illustrious Sage vineyard. Spanning approximately 15 acres, nine unique varieties grow proudly in fine sandy loam soil mixed with decomposed granite. With similar daytime temperatures & afternoon breezes as our Valley floor vineyards but with less Maritime influence, the vines produce smaller, more concentrated berries.
Perched on a hilltop, nine miles Northeast of the winery, San Ignacio Vineyard is home to four Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Malbec & Merlot. Sandy loam over decomposed granite subsoil combined with persistent breezes and limited well-water irrigation produces reduced quantities of small, ripe berries, creating big, bold and intense age-worthy wines.
