Altisima Winery

By the 1969 Caddy team · Updated November 7, 2026

Altisima sits on the De Portola Wine Trail, the quieter and more rural half of Temecula wine country, and it rewards the short drive with one of the trail’s most complete experiences: a tasting room, a members’ lounge, a restaurant, picnic space and wedding venues, all set among the hillside vineyards that make De Portola Road so beautiful. Its name suggests altitude and ambition, and the winery has quickly become one of the trail’s anchor stops since opening in 2017.

The story of Altisima

Altisima Winery was established in 2017 and is owned by DPW I, LLC, with Chris Johnson as winemaker. Production runs between 10,000 and 15,000 cases a year, which places Altisima comfortably in the mid-size range for Temecula — large enough to offer a long tasting menu and a full-service restaurant, small enough that the experience still feels personal.

From the start, Altisima was built as a destination rather than a quick stop. The property brings together tasting, dining and events in one place, and the restaurant’s Spanish-leaning menu gives the winery a distinct personality on a trail where many neighbors lean Italian or French in style.

What to taste at Altisima

The varietal list is unusually wide. The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association lists Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and red blends among the reds, and Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Grigio and white blends among the whites. That range makes Altisima a good place to explore Temecula beyond Cabernet.

Given the restaurant’s Spanish flair, Tempranillo and Grenache are natural picks — both are Mediterranean grapes that handle Temecula’s sun gracefully and pair beautifully with the food. Viognier is another highlight to look for: an aromatic white that thrives in warm valleys and shows off the region’s floral, stone-fruit side. Finish with Petit Verdot or a red blend if you enjoy deeper, more structured wines.

The Altisima experience

The centerpiece for many visitors is Gaspar’s at the Vineyard, Altisima’s restaurant, described as modern cuisine with a Spanish flair. Planning a long lunch here turns a tasting into an afternoon, and it is one of the most comfortable places on the De Portola trail to sit, eat and look out over the vines. The winery also offers picnic areas, guided tours, live music, a gift shop and wedding and event spaces.

Altisima runs a members’ lounge with its own hours, and the winery works with transportation companies within set daytime windows, with special tasting arrangements for partnered tour companies. When you book a chauffeured visit with us, we coordinate timing so your arrival fits those windows.

Who will love Altisima

Altisima suits food lovers, couples looking for a long, unhurried lunch, and anyone who wants to taste a wide range of varietals in one sitting. It works well as the midday anchor of a De Portola itinerary: one tasting before, lunch at Gaspar’s, and one or two smaller neighbors afterward. The De Portola road itself is the bonus — few drives in Southern California suit a top-down 1969 Cadillac better.

The grapes behind Altisima Winery’s wines

A quick guide to the varieties on Altisima Winery’s list, and how they tend to show in Temecula:

• Cabernet Franc — Cabernet Sauvignon’s aromatic parent, lighter on its feet, with red fruit, herbs and a hint of spice; it performs especially well in Temecula.
• Cabernet Sauvignon — the king of Bordeaux grapes; in Temecula’s warm days and cool nights it ripens to dark cherry and cassis with firm, age-worthy tannins.
• Chardonnay — the world’s most popular white grape, made in Temecula in styles from crisp and unoaked to round and creamy.
• Grenache — a heat-loving Mediterranean grape with bright raspberry fruit and gentle spice, at its best in sunny valleys like Temecula.
• Petit Verdot — usually a small part of Bordeaux blends, it is deeply colored and structured, with violet and dark-fruit aromas when bottled on its own.
• Pinot Grigio — a light, crisp Italian-style white with pear and citrus.

Altisima Winery fact sheet

Details from the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association directory. Hours, menus and policies change, so confirm on the winery’s website before visiting.

Arriving at Altisima Winery in a 1969 Cadillac

The De Portola Wine Trail is the most scenic driving in Temecula — a winding two-lane road through hillside vineyards, horse properties and oak-studded slopes on the valley’s southern side. It is the stretch our guests most often remember from the back seat of the '69 Cadillac, with long views opening at every curve. Wineries here are spread a little farther apart than on Rancho California Road, which makes a chauffeur especially useful.

Altisima Winery is at 37440 De Portola Road. We plan the route, confirm any reservation or group policy with the winery, and time the drive so you arrive relaxed — and leave without anyone in your party needing to drive after tasting. Chauffeured hire is $325 per hour with a three-hour minimum; most guests pair Altisima Winery with two or three nearby wineries in a four- to five-hour booking.

Book the '69 Cadillac on DriveShare

Wineries near Altisima Winery

Pair your visit with these neighbors on the De Portola Wine Trail:

• Cougar Vineyard & Winery — 39870 De Portola Road
• Danza del Sol Winery — 39050 De Portola Road
• Fazeli Cellars — 37320 De Portola Road
• Frangipani Estate Winery — 39750 De Portola Road

See all 45 Temecula wineries →

Frequently asked questions