Not all wineries fit the postcard picture of bucolic serenity looking over vineyard vistas. Some just concentrate on the wine. At Hug Cellars their non-descript metal building along the highway, does little for the eyes but plenty for the palate.
Just east of Paso Robles in a small industrial park accessed off Union Road, Hug cellars hides out and produces very small lots of Pinot Noir, Syrah and a botrytis late harvest dessert wine made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Everything is processed on the premises from grapes sourced from local growers. Their winemaking style produces “bold wines with a complex array of flavors, firm structure and balanced acid levels”.
The humble, cozy tasting room is made attractive with stained concrete floors, a weathered, grilled metal tasting bar, topped with a concrete looking polymer countertop, modern lighting and burgundy colored walls. There is a large window that looks to the production area, and if you askt to go in the back, you can see the grape colored mezzanine railing that was painted by the owner with the lees left over from the winemaking. A lot is packed into this winery, including the chance to talk directly to the winemaker.
