“I let Beside answer every single call. I’ve got three kids, a 40-acre property, and a tasting room to run. It’s life changing.”
About the Business
Before developers ever discovered Temecula, the valley was a patchwork of small family farms, orchards, and vineyards. In the 1970s, Disney Imagineer Beldon Fields bought a piece of that land and built a fairy-tale cottage for his wife — a meticulous replica of Snow White’s home, inspired by his work on Disneyland’s Fantasyland and Toon Town.
That cottage became the heart of what is now Briar Rose Winery. In 1984, it was the first home featured on the Temecula Valley Women’s Club Holiday Home Tour. An ancient olive tree still stands out front — a gift to Fields from veteran viticulturist John Moramarco, transplanted from Callaway Winery and believed to be one of the oldest olive trees in the state of California.
In the early 1990s, the estate was purchased by Les and Dorian Linkogle, who promised to preserve Fields’ architecture. They wanted open space for their son, Larry “Link” Linkogle, to ride his motorcycle. Larry would go on to become a pioneer of freestyle motocross — a world record holder, X Games competitor, and even Vin Diesel’s stunt double in Triple XXX.
The property evolved naturally from dirt jumps to grapevines. The Linkogles planted Viognier, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling, eventually selling grapes to local winemakers. When those wines began winning awards, family friend Carl Key (owner of Keyways Winery) convinced them to bottle their own. By 2007, Briar Rose Winery officially opened its doors, blending Disney magic, motocross grit, and family hospitality.
Today, the Linkogles still run Briar Rose as a small, family-owned estate winery that welcomes everyone from locals to travelers seeking Temecula’s hidden charm.
The Challenge
Before Beside, the phone ruled their lives. The winery had three desk phones, all in the main building. If no one was nearby, calls went unanswered. On Fridays, the family would face a mountain of messages.
With the tasting room only open a few days a week, unanswered calls piled up when they were closed. Guests had the same questions over and over — business hours, reservations, pet policy, tasting fees, directions. Meanwhile, life was already full.
“We’d come in and there would be a minimum of thirty messages, sometimes over sixty. You’d sit, listen twice, write things down. Nobody’s favorite task.”
The Switch
Katie discovered Beside on Instagram. She forwarded the winery’s long-held number (from the 1990s) to her new Beside line, set up the receptionist, and tested it with her family. Since then, every single call has been handled by Beside.
“I programmed everything ahead of time and had them call. They were floored. Professional. Efficient. They said yes right away.”
The Transformation and Impact
The first week felt like a breath of fresh air. The phones stopped interrupting conversations with guests. People got instant answers, and Katie could finally manage the business on her own time. The endless voicemail backlog disappeared. And the quality of the customer experience rose immediately.
“People don’t always realize it’s AI. The ones who do can ask for a callback or a person. We ask how they want to be contacted — text, call, or email — and Beside works with them.”
How Katie Personalized Beside
She tailored the receptionist to sound human, warm, and specific to Briar Rose Winery’s needs. The app runs on her phone and tablet. She can check summaries and delegate instantly.
- Business hours & boundaries – clear expectations and friendly responses.
- Concise ‘About Us’ – callers learn they’ve reached a small, family winery on historic Disney-built grounds.
- FAQ coverage – hours, reservations, pet policy, pricing, directions, what to expect.
- Smart follow-up options – Beside asks whether guests prefer a text, call, or email.
- Name training – unique names like “Cecily” pronounced correctly.
- Quick text responses – she replies instantly from her phone when needed.
The Human Story
Briar Rose Winery embodies what makes Temecula special — a mix of craft, heritage, and family. Katie married into that legacy, raising three kids while helping the family run one of the most recognizable wineries in the valley.
“Beside let us stop choosing. It improved the customer experience and made our lives saner.”
Before Beside, every ring was a potential disruption — a choice between answering the phone or giving guests her full attention. Now, both can happen.