Cougar Vineyard and Winery Growl, Howl, & Purr for Sure

Saturday my wife and I had the opportunity to head out to the vineyards with our friends Tom and Laura of WINEormous.  We started out at Maurice Car’rie and had a late lunch at Wilson Creek, then finished out at Cougar Winery and Vineyard.

This was the first time I have had the opportunity to see their winery from the inside. When you pass by you would mistake it for a large storage building. Nothing spectacular, just large and tan, made of sheet metal and no windows. A single steel door is the entrance. I had to remind myself of what the wise ancestors of yesteryear have said:

You never know what’s in the pickle barrel until you take the lid off

They do have plans to build a new building if all goes as planned. I saw the layout and it is NICE.

Inside you will find Rick and Jennifer Buffington’s entire operation. Everything from the wine tastings bar, and tables where the musicians frequently play, to the steel tanks and bottling machine. There are no secrets and nothing up their sleeve. You know, I think they like it that way.

Every area of the winery is divided by their stacks of barrels representing walls. On every barrel is a though provoking or humorous fact for their patrons to ponder. From one barrel reading the wine and year it was barreled,  to another stating that there are 30,000 one ounce tastings inside of it.

Remember the post I did back in August called Why Do We Wine Club, where I said ~ Did you ever meet the winery owner or their wine maker?  Do they converse with their cash cow or are they like punxsutawney phil and stick their head out only at events designed for their own publicity.

Well I had the opportunity to meet Jennifer and Rick while I was there. They were out and about talking with friends and patrons. Jennifer also introduced me to their yellow lab named Diego. Yup, he was a great door greeter. Walk in the door and he rolls over waiting for a scratch on the belly. That dog has marketing skills.

Our pourer was Jamie. WE LOVE YOU JAMIE!!!

She was great fun and knew everything about every wine she poured for us, which is a breath of fresh air. Many, and I mean many wineries that I visit have pourers who are in the wrong occupation. They take your ticket and pour your wine, period. God help them if you asked how long the wine was barreled, or how big the property is. You either get a deer in the headlights look or one that clearly tells you that they would rather spit in your glass when your not looking.

She would give us the low-down on every wine she poured, and she poured every wine. Here’s a little tidbit – they are the only vineyard in Temecula Valley to grow Vermentino grapes. The aroma is a knockout with the lemongrass giving it some moxie.

There’s a great story of how a wine club member started a legitimate petition requesting that Cougar bring back their Chardonnay. It resulted in the creation of their ass-kicking 2009 Petizione Chard. Rick was hesitant to do it, and you can see the I got the last word in on their label.

Rick seems pretty happy about all the wines they have made, as he should be. Very few wineries have a list that I would choose every wine from, and they have it.

I have the same philosophy on the wine classification as Richard Paul Hinkle ~ there are only three types of wine 1) I like it; 2) I don’t like it; and 3) I will drink it if someone else pays for it.

I honestly have to say that all are number one, and that’s not lip service. That’s the beauty of writing about someone who is not a sponsor. I praise and slam as I see fit. Treat me like crap and I will reciprocate the same. I’ve grown this year to having over 3,500 visitors per month, so word of mouth has it’s effect.

I tell no one that I am a member of the media when I walk in the door. I want to see how everything plays out naturally. The game changes once you open your kisser and blurt out that your a press or media member and toss out your card. I don’t want anyone to give me more service than that bloke standing next to me. I want to observe them like a creature in the wild and not a zoo. You know, in their natural environment.

They are on Twitter and Facebook, and I suggest you follow them. They are one of the few that I have where I get tweets on my blackberry. They even have periodic contests for prizes. One last month said, whoever comes in and says if I were any better I’d be a twin wins a prize. Damn, and I was at work in San Diego county. My friend Tom walked in, blurted it out and voila – winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Tags: Wineries