When we drove up our first impression was the vines seemed unkempt compared to some other vineyards in the area. We later found that the vineyards are farmed using green/sustainable techniques such as dry farming and permanent cover crops. So a big plus there. Coming up the drive to the winery, the impression was of a well kept and well run operation, very inviting.

A touch of humor greeted us, literally, at the door where a helpful sign assured us it was indeed the door (camouflaged as it was by the surrounding, matching wood, I can imagine more than one taster that was on their second or third winery had a bit of trouble finding it pre-sign.)

The tasting room feels friendly enough to be a family room and you, a new family friend. When we walked in the place was buzzing with happy people (always a good sign). A friendly dog greeted us and then parked himself on the beautiful oriental rug. There were several tables with room for tasting as well as a gorgeous copper topped bar (wish my picture had come out) with a patina that showed a history of fun wine imbibing.

The wines were top notch starting with the 2009 “Cadiz” Tempranillo (lovely fruit, nuanced with smoke, tobacco and a hint of spice) and ending with a late harvest Gewurztraminer (Pure sinful sweet lush fruit and spice). Notable too was the Cab Franc (we got one of the last two bottles) the Rosé (you KNOW how we love a good Rosé – this one made our hit parade) and a Moselle sourced Riesling that had that fabulous intense fruit balanced with plenty of that bright acidity that you expect from the best German Rieslings. One or two of their wines are made using dried grapes resulting in a delightful concentration of flavors and surprisingly, no “raisiny” taste. Tasting was $5, or free with purchase.

We enjoyed a leisurely tasting of the reds, then took a break and had a picnic on their lovely upstairs deck. Gorgeous views, some cheese-fruit-bread and a glass of the Rosé made for a memorable meal alfresco.

Late afternoon saw us trying the whites, buying a few favorite bottles, snapping some photos (Was especially intrigued by the circle of heads) and saying a reluctant farewell. What a delightful place! If you come tasting the Umpqua Valley, put Hillcrest on your “do not miss” list!

A recent example for us was the Paso Robles AVA. Several bottles from that area have convinced us the area needs exploring in depth. Our favorite was Paripaso Cabernet 2010.

A melange of fragrances from cherry candy and currants to mint and stewed fruit, this lovely wine managed to be both complex, and engagingly easy to drink. A chameleon in the glass its  nose changed with every sniff. We were delighted to note on tasting; gingersnaps, cherries, dried plums and allspice with a slight undertone of menthol. Finishing with velvety tannins this was just plain yummy. At a mere $10 from our wine club (probably closer to $12 on the open market) this was a slam dunk for our top 10 favorite reds of the year AND best value of the year. Going back to buy more I was sad (but not surprised) to see my supplier sold out of the 2010. There is some still out there however if you dig, and are willing to pay shipping.

The moral (for me) of this is that there is a treasure trove of amazingly delicious, and reasonably priced, red wine in California that doesn’t come from the better known wine regions, and certainly doesn’t come with the inflated price tag.

Here are five reasons that joining a (good) wine club is worth it.

1. Wine clubs allow you to experience a much larger array of wines than your local store, or even wine shop, may have. If, like us, you live far from any large wine shops a wine club is a godsend. A trip to the local chain store is not going to afford you the chance to find many of the great wines available from around the world. Nor are you likely to get a professional’s take on a selection at the local store as you will when using a wine club.

2. Wine clubs “force” you to widen your wine horizons. We all have our prejudices when it comes to wines. Even if you think you like to be adventurous and try new wines, often you may avoid certain wines based on a prior experience. Having someone else making  your selections gives you the opportunity to try a wider range of wines than you would likely try on your own, or to give another chance to a type you normally avoid. For example if you asked Craig three months ago if he’d like a glass of Sauvignon Blanc he would hold his nose and back away slowly keeping the bottle in sight before making his escape. But through the wine club we got to try a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that made him see SBs in a whole new light. Now he is eager to try more and we’ve found several he loves.

And Judy had had so many mediocre imports from the grocery store that she really had a low opinion of inexpensive French and Italian wines. Now we’ve had so many good, food friendly, imports we’re starting to go to the European wines first when ordering from a wine list.

3. Wine clubs offer great percs. Not only are you privy to bargains and special pricing, but their newsletters are a trove of information. What’s hot, what’s not, new releases, winemakers making news, etc.

4. Wine clubs save you money by removing bad choices. (And some just plain save you money by hunting down the best bargains.) How many people can say they’ve never bought a bad wine? We’ve glugged more than a few bad choices down the drain, and had some mediocre ones sit on the counter waiting to be applied to a pot of spaghetti sauce instead of our glasses. We can happily say we’ve never had to do that with a wine club offering. While not every wine we receive is our “style”, I can happily report that every bottle we’ve received has been of good quality, at least enjoyable and interesting, and a good representative of its type. Most have been just plain excellent. In addition, as we are in the “Best Buy Club”, the prices for the wines have been amazing. These are wines that generally taste like you paid twice or three times as much as you did for them.

5. Finally, and best of all, when that delivery van pulls up and the doorbell rings it’s just like Christmas… Every month of the year.

More info on our wine club…The Catz are members of the K&L wines Best Buy Club – and hope to add at least one more of the clubs one of these days (but how to choose?) K&L offers a Best Buy Club, Premium Club, Signature Red Club, Champagne Club, Club Italiano, and a personal Sommelier service. Check them out here. The Catz are NOT affiliates, and do not receive any free wine or perks for this recommendation. We just really like our wine club, and think you might too!

I know some wine lovers feel that a wine like Riesling’s ability to morph flavors from fruit and flowers to gasoline and floor wax is a positive thing, but don’t count me among them. I like my whites fresh and fruity, and hope that my palate never becomes jaded enough to go pleasure hunting in the garage for new experiences.

Nor would you think that touting the fact that the bottle of wine you bought tastes of oil refining byproducts is a good thing. Is it just me or does anyone else find it strange that advertising bad tastes and smells as good components of a fine wine is commonplace in the wine world.

Here are a few of our favorites

• Cat pee (why was Mom trying to wash it off the drapes if it smelled so good?)
• Road tar  (not the kind of hot summer day we like to be reminded of.)
• Petrol  (just try to sniff some of this tonight and see how you feel in the morning.)
• Green pepper (we don’t eat them unless force is used. Drinking them sounds even worse.)
• Barnyard (if you’ve been on a farm, or at the zoo, no explanation necessary.)

Some of these terms are in our Enolish to English translator, check ‘em out.

So I admit it. Even after all these years, my relationship with the wines I drink may be a bit shallow compared to people who hang out with the complex, well aged sophisticates of the wine world. I am the eonologic equivilent of a man going through a mid-life crises. I tend to look for something fresh and young that retains the flavors of it’s origins to snuggle up with.

What do you  think of the more challenging flavors in aged wines?

This is one of those special wines that are equally good with food as they are when accompanied by just you and a glass. This Syrah is a bold wine with rich fruit with smokey under tones. What we found exceptional about this vintage is the fully ripe fruit aromas and tastes that burst forth on the nose and palate, while not feeling overblown. Rich plum and currant flavors are spiced with molasses and licorice candy. A long graceful finish. A great accompaniment for a special meal (though Judy would just as soon take it into a corner and slurp it down neat).

At $24, a great bargain for a special wine. Sadly Judy just read it was sold out, but maybe a few are still lurking on wine store shelves out there. If you love Syrah, we recommend you get a jump on next year’s vintage before the WS list comes out!