We had the good fortune of connecting with Carrie Peltzer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carrie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind our success and our brand is two-fold: creating an experience and diversification. When Charlie and I started our farm in 2006 in Temecula, we came with ten years of experience from Orange County. We had a farm there that did well because we were creating an experience for our guests. Anyone can sell pumpkins but not everyone can create a farm which included a hayride, pony rides, petting farm, corn maze and a train. Our customers visited us each Fall to get their family photo in front of their favorite prop and create a tradition. When we moved to Temecula, the demographic was very similar, we just had to get the name out there. But since there were so many transplants from OC, many had heard the name Peltzer. Now it was up to us to continue the experience and creating traditions. The plan succeeded and was expanded on when we opened our Tasting Room 10 years later. All of our loyal guests were ready for the next experience which became wine tasting or just enjoying a bottle on the front porch of the winery. We then expanded that to the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree, visits from Santa and an Ice Rink. Suddenly these loyal guests were coming back multiple times a year to continue their experience. This leads me to the other important factor, which turned out to be diversification. We didn’t only sell pumpkins. We sold all the ancillary activities that I have spoke about, making us diverse in our business model. In other words, not having all your eggs in one basket which has proven to make Peltzer what it is today!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started in the interior design field, designing high end residential homes, model homes and healthcare buildings. When we moved to Temecula, I designed Europa Winery Prelude and got involved with some others as well. I quickly learned about the business and thought it would be a great fit for Charlie and myself. I really yearned to design and build something for us personally, which ended up being our Tasting Room. It was a magical experience designing a building that would fit in with our farming history, picking local repurposed materials and making our story come alive! It was truly a labor of love for the both of us. For years we were ‘pickers’ (before pickers was actually a thing) We would travel to different places and always come home with ‘rusty gold.’ This is Charlie’s term for all the rusty things that have been repurposed around the property and buildings. When you walk with one of us around the property, everything has a story behind it. It makes us different from the rest of the wineries out here and sets us apart in a fantastic way! I urge everyone to come visit Peltzer Farm & Winery. We are unpretentious, creative and make incredible wine!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
After having a little sip at Peltzer, we would hit Grapeline Tours for a winery tour in Temecula. A few favorite spots to eat would be 1909, The Goat and Vine, Gambling Cowboy and Gourmet Italia. My girlfriend would enjoy the patio at her airbnb, being either peltzerwineryguesthouse or roadhousewinecountry. The trip would not be complete without a day at Murrieta Hot Springs Spa! We would soak and get massages all day! For a late night, we would hit The Cellar at the Ponte Inn in Wine Country!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband, Charlie, the farmer, deserves some love for sure! His family roots in farming opened our eyes to pumpkins, which opened our eyes to grapes! The rest is history!

Website: https://www.peltzerwinery.com

Instagram: peltzerwinery

Facebook: peltzerwinery

Image Credits
Taken by Twon (image 1,2,6), American Portra (image 3), Paige Creative (image 4,5,7,8)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.