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Being Italian on my mother’s side, I couldn’t resist a trip to DANCIN Vineyards. The drive transported me to the Italian countryside with its rolling hillsides, rows of grapes and picturesque views. Every direction I gazed could have been a photograph on a postcard. Since my love of all things Italian stems from my family, my mom joined me on this expedition into wine country. We traversed the hill and saw a jolly group of wine tasters in the wine cave. A server led us into the tasting room for lunch. A massive wood door led into the tasting room. Rustic red and gold paint colored the interior. The wall across from our table was almost entirely glass, letting in light whenever the sun graced us with its presence. The bar stood near the window, and our table was within arm’s reach of an open kitchen. A wood-fired pizza oven radiated the perfect amount of heat for a chilly day. The chefs worked quietly and efficiently; if I hadn’t seen them with my own eyes, I’d have been hard-pressed to know they were there. The menu offered traditional Italian appetizers and entrees. Deciding not to miss a single tantalizing item, we ordered an appetizer and two entrees to share, and the suggested wine pairings. I had the 2012 Pas de Trois pinot noir, with soft, fruity flavors, and my mom tried the highly recommended 2013 Tribute Italian blend. The blend was dry but didn’t leave a cottonmouth aftertaste. The stuffed mushrooms ($8) were the highlight of the meal. The mushrooms were firm and filled with sausage, Parmesan and other seasonings. But the star of the dish, with its stellar flavors and out-of-this-world taste, was the chardonnay cream and reduced balsamic vinegar sauce. I think my mom summed it up best with “phenomenal.” Rich, delicate, silken and tangy; I would have drank this sauce by the glass. Our server suggested dipping pizza crust in it. We eagerly awaited our pizza to do so. The Thizzle macaroni and cheese ($8.50), with sautéed mushrooms and roasted garlic, arrived first. The stuffed mushrooms were a hard act to follow, and the macaroni and cheese faltered a bit. Both of us agreed the dish needed more cheese. While cooked perfectly and topped with a crunchy crust, the ratio of mushrooms to pasta felt off. The bigger noodles could have supported more mushrooms and cheese. The Margherita Twist ($14) was a red sauce pizza with smoked Gouda, roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and roasted garlic. The crust was thin, light and airy. The flavors of garlic and Gouda melded together seamlessly, although the pizza was a touch oily. The time had arrived to dip the crust into our leftover cream sauce. I’ve yet to encounter a finer food combination. The cream sauce coated the crust like a fine silk robe, resulting in food euphoria. We finished the meal with two Italian sodas ($4 each) and the Brownie Turtle ($3) — a brownie cake covered in milk chocolate and crumbled pecans with a caramel drizzle. The vineyard is open from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, at 4477 S. Stage Road in Medford. They can be reached at 541-245-1133. DANCIN Vineyards is much more than a place to eat or taste wine. It’s an experience. The food and wine, the ambiance and on-site gardens bring Italy here. No plane ticket required.   — Rebecca Scott