Charlotte County Florida Weekly

There are pros and cons of joining a wine club

WINE



COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

A few times a month, postcards show up in my mailbox inviting me to join some kind of “wine of the month” club. Question is, are they worth it?

Are the wines any good? And do you want a whole case of something showing up at your front door once a month?

Noted wine journalist Eric Asimov dealt with this issue in a recent article in The New York Times, and I have to agree with a lot of the points he made.

First, many of the clubs don’t have a lot to do with wine. They are usually owned by some kind of media company, like The Wall Street Journal or NPR. And many of them offer wines that are unknown brands.

Example: For about three years, I was wine director of a monthly club similar to the ones Asimov describes. Our wines were brought into the country in bulk, then bottled and labeled in California with our own brands. No recognizable wineries anywhere.

These clubs are usually suited to people who don’t know much about wine and don’t mind having someone make selections for them. The clubs offer a monthly assortment of various varietals from all over the world. They sometimes mix wines from several different countries or regions or specialize in certain varietals. There’s always a theme.

 

 

If you’re interested in receiving a selection of wines every month or quarter, what do you do?

First, select a few producers you like, and get yourself on their allocation lists. For example, Sea Smoke winery in Lompoc, California, sends us emails a few times a year offering a selection of its incredible Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Many wineries offer limited-production wines available only to club members.

You can also become a member at a wine retailer. Serious wine shops are a bit harder to find these days, but they do exist and they’re worth discovering because they host tastings and other events that will help you discover new and interesting wines. Once you’re on their list, you’ll receive special members-only offers, pricing, and even rewards points. If you know about a local shop or have heard of one, it pays to contact them.

But let’s get back to those postcards that offer me special incentives for joining, like an initial shipment of 12 wines for $80 and even a few bonus bottles.

What’s the downside? As the brands are generally private, you won’t be able to look them up or find any reviews, ratings or tasting notes.

The bottles you receive are proprietary labels: privately labeled bulk wines. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad — just “untraceable.”

On a positive note, many clubs will send you a questionnaire to determine your preferences, then try to personalize your shipment.

Personally, I’d rather make my own selections.

But if you’re not a collector, the best alternative is to find a local retail wine store staffed by people who know their wines. Ask for suggestions and recommendations.

That gives you the liberty and option of your choices.

And when you shop, consider these suggestions:

¦ Bootleg Prequel Red Blend Sonoma 2020 ($36) — An intriguing combination of Syrah, Petit Sirah, Grenache and a few others, there are rich flavors of dark chocolate, blackberry and vanilla. This one will turn your teeth purple. Wine Whisperer points, 91

¦ EX Sauvignon Blanc Monterey 2021 ($18) — A zippy version of this varietal, fruit forward with bright guava, citrus and kiwi notes. WW 89

¦ EX Pinot Noir Monterey 2020 ($29) — Notes of blackberry cola, and cherry on a frame of loamy dark earth and bracing acidity. Very pleasant and softly rounded on the palate. WW 89

Ask the Wine Whisperer

Q: How many grapes does it take to produce a bottle of wine? Sharon F., Atlanta

A: In general, a ton of grapes can produce 720 bottles of wine. Of course, grapes grow in different sizes. Pinot Noir grapes are smaller than Cabernet grapes, so it takes more of them to make a bottle of wine. ¦

— Jerry Greenfield is the Wine Whisperer, a wine author, educator and consultant. His books, “Ask the Wine Whisperer” and “Secrets of the Wine Whisperer,” are available on his website. Read his blog at www.winewhisperer.com.

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