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Linda Kissam read "Wine for Dummies" in one weekend after being hired as executive director for the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association in 1999.

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Photo By Dan Elliott

Temecula vintners toast the region's growth.

A former junior high special education teacher, she had worked as a director of several private, nonprofit schools after quitting her teaching career, but had no experience in wine growing or winemaking.

"That was our only reservation about her," said Joe Hart, owner of Hart Wineries, one of the four founding wineries in the Temecula Valley.

Since her arrival at the association, Kissam has implemented several new marketing strategies adopted by the board of directors and increased the number of events drawing people from other states to the wineries.

"She learned quickly," Hart said. "She's done a remarkable job."

When she was hired, the association promoted only barrel tasting. Today the association hosts up to six events each year and Kissam has plans to add more.

Twenty-two wineries and 45 growers of grapes operate in the valley.

Kissam expects the Ultimate Regional Wine Tasting March 24 to bring recognition to the area as a wine destination.

Hosted by the association for the second year, the event has attracted 14 regional winegrowers that will participate in a wine-tasting event from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Callaway Vineyard and Winery Barrel Room at a cost of $58 a person. More than 100 wines from British Columbia, Canada to Baja, Mexico, will be featured.

New this year is an "ultimate regional dinner" at Pinnacle Restaurant. The meal will be paired with regional wines chosen by a committee and costs $135 a person. The restaurant is on the premises of Falkner Winery.

"Our goal is to have 150 people at the dinner, but we can accommodate 168," said Ray Falkner, 2007 president of the Temecula Valley association and owner of Falkner Winery. "It'll be spectacular. It's a very exciting, one-of-a-kind event."

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Photo By Dan Elliott

Executive Chef Dennis Van Rudund prepares lunch at the Pinnacle Restaurant at Falkner Winery.

Kissam expects 1,000 tasters to attend the event. Last year's wine tasting attracted nearly 1,000 visitors from all over the state, she said.

The association hopes to raise awareness among new wineries about the group's efforts "to get our quality wine out in front of people," Falkner said.

"We think we produce award-winning quality wines," he said. Kissam has been "tremendous in the progress of our growth."

An informal survey by the association last year reported there were about 300,000 visitors to the wine country in 2005.

"I'm hoping to see 1 million here," said Falkner. "We can support that many visitors on an annual basis."

But with the majority of those coming on the weekends, Kissam is looking for ways to include more events that will lure wine lovers to the valley on weekdays.

She talked to managers at Temecula Creek Inn about holding cooking classes at the hotel in conjunction with wine tours.

"We're always looking at what new experience we can bring to the association," said Kissam. "We'd like to create a food and wine experience."

The region can't survive on just wine anymore, Kissam said. "We need events to bring people in."

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Photo By Dan Elliott

Falkner Winery in Temecula will be the site of the "ultimate regional dinner" March 24. The meal will be paired with regional wines.

Touring Italy in September, Kissam attended a week-long cooking school.

"I chopped parsley all week and learned about the wines of Italy," she said. "Our goal is to have visitors experience a long stay through those types of events."

This year, she has helped wine growers and winery owners produce podcasts for the association Web site.

"They each had three minutes to say anything they wanted about their winery," she said. "It's eclectic. We didn't give them a script."

About 95% of the winery owners participated in the podcasts.

Kissam guides a budget that grew from $250,000 to $500,000 this year, with $176,000 allocated for marketing.

An additional $35,000 grant from the Riverside County Economic Development Agency goes toward print marketing.

In 1999, the association's board of directors decided it needed to hire a full-time director as new wineries evolved.

"Before Linda was hired we only had a part- time director and we had no focus," said Hart, who was on the board that hired her and has served as president of the association three years since Kissam was hired.

There are 33,000 acres in the valley, of which 1,300 are commercially planted, according to the Federal Register .

Each year, two to three new wineries open in the Temecula Valley, Kissam said. Currently there are 11 applying for permits from the Riverside County Planning Department.

"I have a few more than the 11 applying for permits that aren't on my spreadsheet yet," said Alisa Krizek, Riverside County project planner.

"The association is a powerful lobbying tool," said Les Linkogle, owner of Briar Rose Winery, which has been seeking a permit from Riverside County for five years. "Linda has been a help to us. She's on top of things and knows everything."

"We've come a long way," Hart said.