Chapin Family Vineyards

By the 1969 Caddy team · Updated November 7, 2026

Chapin Family Vineyards sits at the eastern end of the Rancho California Road wine area, on Summitville Street, a short detour from the main trail that rewards visitors with a warm, family-run welcome. Its own motto captures the spirit: every pour is shared for the love of friendship.

The story of Chapin Family Vineyards

Chapin Family Vineyards was established in 2002 and is owned by Steve Chapin, who is also the winemaker. Production runs to about 4,300 cases a year. As a family winery led by the person making the wine, Chapin offers the kind of continuity and personal touch that larger estates find hard to match — the wines reflect one winemaker’s vision from vineyard to bottle.

The winery has grown into a community gathering place, with live music, events and a relaxed patio culture that keeps regulars coming back.

What to taste at Chapin

Chapin’s list spans several wine traditions. The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association lists Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Montepulciano and red blends; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino and Viognier among the whites; and sparkling wine. That combination of Bordeaux, Rhône and Italian varietals makes Chapin a good place to compare styles side by side.

Try Vermentino and Viognier as a pair of whites — one crisp and citrusy, one aromatic and round — then compare Montepulciano with Syrah to see two very different takes on a rich red. Finish with Cabernet Sauvignon or a red blend if you like more structure.

The Chapin experience

Food is casual and good: deli meats, cheese and crackers are available, and Napoli-style pizza from Lalu catering is served on Saturdays and Sundays. Chapin offers guided tours, picnic areas, live music, wedding and event spaces and a gift shop, and it is dog friendly and family friendly — an easygoing stop for a mixed group.

Large buses and limousines are asked to call ahead for a reservation time, which we arrange as part of planning your chauffeured visit.

Who will love Chapin

Friends’ groups, families and anyone who enjoys meeting the people behind the wine will feel at home at Chapin. Its position near Doffo Winery, just across Summitville Street, makes for an easy two-winery pairing at the far end of Rancho California Road. Weekend pizza on the patio, a bottle to share and a classic Cadillac waiting outside — it is a simple recipe for a great afternoon.

For the smoothest visit, plan Chapin for a weekend lunch window when the pizza is on, and let your chauffeur handle the short hop from Rancho California Road onto Summitville Street. It is an easy turn to miss, and one of the small ways a driver who knows the valley makes the day feel effortless.

The grapes behind Chapin Family Vineyards’s wines

A quick guide to the varieties on Chapin Family Vineyards’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.
• Merlot — a softer, rounder Bordeaux variety with plum and chocolate notes — an easy, food-friendly red and a key blending partner.
• Montepulciano — a central Italian red with deep color, plush dark fruit and soft tannins.
• Red blend — proprietary blends that let winemakers combine varieties into a house style; ask which grapes are in the current release.

Chapin Family Vineyards 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 Chapin Family Vineyards in a 1969 Cadillac

Rancho California Road is where most chauffeured days begin, and it is the easiest stretch of Temecula wine country to string together in a classic car: the big estates sit close to one another, the road is wide and gently rolling, and the vineyards open up on both sides once you pass the first hill east of the freeway. With the top down on the '69 DeVille, it is a short, unhurried glide between tasting rooms, and your chauffeur handles the turns into busy weekend parking lots so you can step out right at the door.

Chapin Family Vineyards is at 36084 Summitville Street. 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 Chapin Family Vineyards with two or three nearby wineries in a four- to five-hour booking.

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Wineries near Chapin Family Vineyards

Pair your visit with these neighbors on the Rancho California Road:

• Carter Estate Winery and Resort — 34450 Rancho California Road
• Churon Inn Winery — 33233 Rancho California Road
• Callaway Vineyard & Winery — 32720 Rancho California Road
• Bottaia Winery — 35601 Rancho California Road

See all 45 Temecula wineries →

Frequently asked questions