Fazeli Cellars

By the 1969 Caddy team · Updated November 7, 2026

Fazeli Cellars is proof that a single day in Temecula wine country can change a family’s life. What began as a relaxing day trip became a vineyard, then a winery, and today a well-known stop on the De Portola Wine Trail, with its own kitchen and a lively calendar of events.

The story of Fazeli Cellars

In 2001, the Fazeli family visited the Temecula Valley for what was meant to be a relaxing day exploring wine country. Nobody realized it was the beginning of a life-changing adventure. The family fell in love with the valley and bought land to grow some grapes and perhaps make a little wine. But, as the winery puts it, BJ Fazeli doesn’t know how to do anything little — the hobby quickly became a passion.

The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association lists the winery as established in 2015 under Fazeli Vineyards LLC, with production of about 10,000 cases a year.

What to taste at Fazeli

The association lists Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot and Zinfandel among the reds, and Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier among the whites. That list leans toward generous, full-flavored wines — a natural fit for the warm De Portola hillsides.

Start with the Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc, then explore the reds: Grenache for bright, spicy fruit, Malbec for dark plum and velvet, and Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc for structure. Zinfandel lovers should save room — it is a classic warm-climate grape that Temecula handles with gusto.

The Fazeli experience

Baba Joon’s Kitchen, the on-site restaurant, serves food Thursday through Monday, making Fazeli a strong lunch stop on the De Portola trail. The winery offers guided tours, live music and a gift shop, and it is dog friendly and family friendly. It occasionally stays open late for announced events and hosts corporate and holiday gatherings throughout the year.

Fazeli asks transportation providers to contact the winery for current requirements — one of the details we confirm before your chauffeured visit.

Who will love Fazeli

Fans of bold reds, food-focused groups and anyone who loves a good origin story will enjoy Fazeli. Its location on De Portola Road, near Robert Renzoni and Somerset, makes it easy to build into a scenic afternoon. And there is something fitting about arriving in a classic car at a winery born from a weekend drive into wine country.

Planning tip: Fazeli’s kitchen is closed midweek, so if lunch is part of your plan, visit Thursday through Monday. On those days it makes a satisfying midday stop between tastings on the trail.

The grapes behind Fazeli Cellars’s wines

A quick guide to the varieties on Fazeli Cellars’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.
• Malbec — best known from Argentina; in Temecula it gives inky color, ripe plum and a velvety texture.
• Merlot — a softer, rounder Bordeaux variety with plum and chocolate notes — an easy, food-friendly red and a key blending partner.

Fazeli Cellars 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 Fazeli Cellars 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.

Fazeli Cellars is at 37320 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 Fazeli Cellars with two or three nearby wineries in a four- to five-hour booking.

Book the '69 Cadillac on DriveShare

Wineries near Fazeli Cellars

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

• Frangipani Estate Winery — 39750 De Portola Road
• Gershon Bachus Vintners — 37750 De Portola Road
• Danza del Sol Winery — 39050 De Portola Road
• Cougar Vineyard & Winery — 39870 De Portola Road

See all 45 Temecula wineries →

Frequently asked questions