Cougar Vineyard & Winery

By the 1969 Caddy team · Updated November 7, 2026

If you love Italian wine, Cougar is one of the most rewarding stops in Temecula. On the De Portola Wine Trail, Rick and Jennifer Buffington have built an estate devoted almost entirely to Italian grapes — not just the familiar names, but rare varietals you will struggle to find anywhere else in Southern California.

The story of Cougar Vineyard & Winery

Cougar Vineyard & Winery is family owned and operated. Rick and Jennifer Buffington, who are both the owners and the winemakers, opened the winery after more than twenty years of making wine together. The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association lists the winery as established in 2004, and production is about 7,500 cases a year.

Across a 17-acre estate, the Buffingtons grow an unusually wide range of Italian grapes. Their approach is a labor of love: planting, farming and vinifying varieties that most California wineries never attempt.

What to taste at Cougar

The estate grows familiar Italian favorites such as Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Vermentino and Pinot Grigio, alongside lesser-known varietals including Aglianico, Arneis, Falanghina, Ciliegiolo and Negroamaro. The association’s directory also lists red and white blends and sparkling wine.

Use your visit to try something new. Falanghina, an ancient white from Campania, and Arneis, from Piedmont, are distinctive whites. Aglianico, sometimes called the Barolo of the south, is a powerful, structured red, while Negroamaro and Ciliegiolo offer darker and brighter takes on southern and central Italian fruit. Ask the staff which rarities are currently pouring — small lots sell out.

The Cougar experience

Sangio’s Osteria, the on-site restaurant, serves Italian-inspired food daily, making Cougar an ideal lunch stop on the De Portola trail. The winery offers guided tours, live music, wedding and event spaces and a gift shop, and it is dog friendly and family friendly.

Cougar accepts only limousines registered in the Responsible Partner Program, with advance reservations required, and accepts groups of seven or more based on availability. We coordinate those arrangements when we plan a chauffeured visit.

Who will love Cougar

Italian-wine enthusiasts, curious tasters and anyone who loves a long, food-centric lunch will find Cougar a highlight. It pairs naturally with nearby De Portola wineries for an afternoon of contrasts — Italian at Cougar, Spanish or French styles next door. The road there, winding through hillside vineyards, is one of the best top-down drives in Temecula.

A tip for the curious: rare Italian varietals often change from vintage to vintage, so if a wine you love is pouring, consider buying a bottle on the spot. Your chauffeur keeps purchases safely in the trunk while you continue the day.

The grapes behind Cougar Vineyard & Winery’s wines

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

• Arneis — a rare Piedmont white with pear, almond and floral notes.
• Montepulciano — a central Italian red with deep color, plush dark fruit and soft tannins.
• Pinot Grigio — a light, crisp Italian-style white with pear and citrus.
• Red blend — proprietary blends that let winemakers combine varieties into a house style; ask which grapes are in the current release.
• Sangiovese — the grape of Chianti — bright cherry, high acidity and an earthy edge that makes it one of the most food-friendly reds in the valley.
• Sparkling — bubbles made in several styles across the valley — a classic way to start a celebration tasting.

Cougar Vineyard & 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 Cougar Vineyard & 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.

Cougar Vineyard & Winery is at 39870 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 Cougar Vineyard & Winery with two or three nearby wineries in a four- to five-hour booking.

Book the '69 Cadillac on DriveShare

Wineries near Cougar Vineyard & Winery

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

• Danza del Sol Winery — 39050 De Portola Road
• Fazeli Cellars — 37320 De Portola Road
• Frangipani Estate Winery — 39750 De Portola Road
• Gershon Bachus Vintners — 37750 De Portola Road

See all 45 Temecula wineries →

Frequently asked questions