Top 10 Reasons to Join a Wine Club
Written By: Matthew Apsokardu on Mon, Jun 2nd 2008
If you're on the fence about wine clubs and need to know why other people love them so much, you've come to the right place. We've listed here the top 10 reasons you should get involved.
10. Get Out of a Rut - It's extremely easy to fall into a grind with wine. Finding a couple of quality vineyards or styles that agree with your palate is a good thing, but it also leads to stagnation. A wine club can easily force you out of your routine and into the dynamic and constantly changing world of wine.
9. Build Out Your Cellar - If you are a collector, there are few methods more effective for building out a cellar than joining a wine club. You have probably made that initial effort to build out the basics of your collection, but to really bring it to life, you'll need a constant flow of quality bottles. There are even wine clubs out there specifically designed to provide you with bottles that will age well. How nice!
8. Enjoy the Element of Surprise - Who doesn't enjoy a mystery present every month? You can never be sure what bottles a club will send you, even though you can dictate what style or region. It's that little bit of thrill that brightens up our days.
7. Receive Rare/Limited Release Bottles - This tends to be club specific...but it's still true. A lot of higher end clubs will provide you with rare bottles that would be difficult to obtain otherwise. Furthermore, some of these clubs import, in quantity, bottles that may have never made it to the states otherwise. Certainly something worth showing to all your wine friends (maybe even worth building a tasting around!)
6. Explore Your Favorites - If you've already got a favorite style or region, you'd probably like to explore that area even more. For example, if you've found a really fantastic Bordeaux, who knows what other Bordeaux are out there waiting to be discovered? Unfortunately, your state store may only carry five or six, total. Choose the right wine club and they can introduce you to a whole new realm of your favorite wines.
5. Be a Gift Giver - Think a nice bottle of champagne is a good gift? How about two bottles every month! Wine club membership is a top-notch gift for any wine lover in your life. You can show that you care about the person by designing or finding a club that would suit their tastes perfectly. Furthermore, you can enhance your relationship with that person by participating in the club with them. It's a win win.
4. Compare Tastes with the Professionals - When it comes to wine, you have to trust your palate. But doesn't it make you wonder what the experts think? Some clubs have sommeliers or recognized experts taste their monthly selections (or even make the selections themselves) and package tasting notes, thoughts, and other interesting information along with the wine. Certain clubs (like some of those featured on ClassicWines.com) go so far as to provide video taste'alongs so that you can truly compare yourself with the best!
3. Join the Community - Wine is a social occasion. Traditionally, that means getting together with one or more friends, loved ones, etc. A wine club can certainly be conducive toward that end, but it also has a built in community of folks who belong to the same club. These are people seeking the same thing as you and will be having the same spontaneous experience as they receive their bottles each month. In this new age of social media and online connectivity, it's very easy to connect with other people in your club and have a great time discussing the joy (or displeasure!) each bottle brings you.
2. Benefit from Convenience - Of all the great benefits listed so far, one obvious matter has not been discussed -- convenience. Instead of going out and hunting around for bottles you might like, spending money on gas, markups, and the bottle itself, a club brings everything right to your door. Simple...but it makes a world of difference.
1. Increase Your Wine Wisdom - Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom. It's a pretty classic equation and applies to almost everything, including wine. In order to enjoy the great depths of the wine experience, we must smell, taste, and enjoy many different kinds of wine. We must also dive into the history of the region, the terrior, and the methods of production. Good wine clubs can provide all of these things...and more.
There you have it! The top 10 reasons to get yourself involved today. We truly believe in these benefits at ClassicWines.com and are looking to help people find the best wine clubs and interact with each other after they have found them. We hope this helps you make a decision... now get moving on to the next step -- figuring out which club is for you!
