Some of the Best Kept Secrets in Wine Country Revealed

When you're looking for a stock broker to manage your money or a pediatrician to care for your new baby, you shouldn't just pick one at random out of the yellow pages. It's best to ask someone you trust for a recommendation.

Bruce and Pam Boring of Ventura, Calif., say the same principle holds true for buying great wines. Even though their local wine stores had plenty of wine to offer, they found that they were always happiest with wine recommendations from friends.

It is on that principle that they founded The California Wine Club (http://www.cawineclub.com) in 1990. For the past 17 years, they have been scouring the countryside, visiting wineries and selecting the best of the best to share with their members. They now have thousands of "friends" who turn to them for advice about wine.

If you enjoy fine wines handcrafted by small artisan winemakers and would like to sample some of California's best , a membership in The California Wine Club's Premiere Club may be just the thing for you.

In addition to receiving two bottles of wine (typically one red and one white) from a different small, family winery each month, members also receive the club's magazine, "Uncorked," which provides information on the featured wines, seasonally appropriate recipes for foods that pair well with the featured wines, wine education articles and background on the vintners.

There is no fee to join, and each month you pay $32.95 plus shipping. Club membership can be cancelled at any time without cost or penalty. And if you find a wine you particularly like, you can buy it by the half or full case at discounts of up to 50 percent off normal retail prices -- just $10.50 per bottle plus shipping. (To get the discount you must buy the wine in half case increments. Shipping is $15 to $23 for a half case, $35 for a full case).

Many of California's best wine selections can't be purchased at any wine store, but The California Wine Club can bring them home to you. Log on to www.cawineclub.com to join.

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