If you’re like me and you want to buy a wine this holiday season for those special wine lovers in your life, but you don’t know what exactly they might like, then a wine club membership is a great place to start.
Throughout Lane County, local wineries such as Sweet Cheeks Winery, Sarver Winery and Civic Winery, are creating locally sourced wine to be enjoyed by the masses and club members.
“Wine is a wonderful gift because it can be enjoyed year-round,” says Jessica Thomas, Sweet Cheeks Winery’s general manager. Sweet Cheeks Winery began in 1989, when Thomas’ grandfather and great-grandfather planted their first acre of grape vines. “It is a true expression of vintage by the winemaker. It’s truly an art and a craft,” Thomas says.
The Willamette Valley is famous for its pinots. The wet and cold climate allows for an elongated grape growing season, which is perfect for pinot grapes. Sarver, Civic and Sweet Cheeks are among the Willamette Valley wineries with a good selection of pinot noir and pinot gris, among other varieties, to be enjoyed by their club members. “You can’t go wrong with a pinot gris for white or a pinot noir for red,” Thomas says.
Wine clubs involve paying membership fees to have wines shipped to your wine-loving (and over-21) gift recipients anywhere from twice a year to monthly.