Tori and I took Friday off from work and drove out to Fallbrook to hike the Santa Margarita River Trail and avoid the June Gloom. It was a hot day in the high 80's but most of the trail is covered by a canopy of live oaks, sycamores, and willows. The preserve is managed by The Wildlands Conservancy and helps protect one of the last un-diverted, un-channeled, and un-dammed rivers remaining on the Southern California coast. After leaving the preserve in Fallbrook, the Santa Margarita River flows across the protected, undeveloped lands of Camp Pendleton and empties into the Pacific Ocean just north of Oceanside. The river flows year-round and connects the inland Santa Ana Mountains to the coast, supporting over 1,000 species of plants and animals, including the endangered Southern California Steelhead Trout. Along the trail we saw one of the rusted remains of the old cars from the 1940s/50s that was probably washed down the canyon during a flash flood.
Despite the tree shade and staying hydrated, we were overheated after the hike so it felt great to cool off in the AC on the short drive to the Monserate Winery. This location used to be a public golf course for over 50 years before it went out of business. The land was saved from being a massive housing development by the new owners who transformed the fairways into a vineyard, planting over 85,000 vines and replacing old golf cart paths with walking trails, lakes, and scenic groves. We purchased the premium wine tasting for $25 and enjoyed six different wines. Only the Cabernet Sauvignon was made with grapes not grown on the property. Our favorites were the 2024 Fiano (White), the 2024 Monte Luna (Rosé) and the 2023 Fedele (Red). We loved the last one so much that I bought a bottle for home. The Truffle Fries were delicious, perfectly seasoned and pillowy soft inside! I wish we were hungry enough for a meal at their restaurant but we were still full from our big breakfast.
