More than 30 wineries in the Temecula Valley will open their cellars to visitors during Barrel Tasting Weekend. The annual event will take place Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1.

Tastings include unfinished barrel and tank wine samples as well as finished and newly released wines, according to Temecula Wines, the local winegrowners association. Wineries will also offer food and wine pairings.

Tickets are $92 per person per day. Tickets for designated drivers are $52 per day.

The event is self-guided, and most people visit five or six restaurants. But some attendees try to make it to all of them, according to representatives.

Grapeline Wine Tours, at gogrape.com, is offering a Barrel Tasting package with transportation for $169 per person with pickups at Temecula-area hotels. The tour will visit seven or eight wineries

Hours will be 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, with check-in starting at 10 a.m. Saturday check-in will take place at Europa Village Wineries & Resort, 41150 Via Europa. Sunday’s check-in will be at Cougar Vineyards & Winery, 39870 De Portola Road.

The event will happen as Wine Country enters its “month of romance” as wineries and resorts offer Valentine’s and Galentine’s Day promotions.

Tickets and information: temeculawines.org

Other doings in southwest Riverside County include a series of tastings at Bluewater Grill on second Tuesdays through June. The first will be “Sexy Food Sampler” on Feb. 10. Meals will cost $55 or $75 per person, according to a news release. The restaurant is marking its 30th anniversary this year. bluewatergrill.com

A steakhouse called Archive opened at 28544 Old Town Front St., Temecula, replacing Espadin. archivetemecula.com

The brunch spot Toast Murrieta remains closed after a kitchen fire in early December. Sister restaurant Toast Temecula at  31093 Temecula Parkway D6, is open. toastbrunch.com

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