Wine Clubs 101
Written By: Matthew Apsokardu on Tue, May 27th 2008
Let's say you're a wine lover. One of the toughest things in your wine life is finding good bottles that are worth your money. Some people revel at the thought of burrowing through hundreds of bottles in their local state store, trying to find that diamond in the rough. But most people simply don't have the time for all that. Wineries, retailers, and special groups came to that same realization and decided to take action -- thus the wine club was born!
The preconceived definition of a "club" is a group of local people that get together to discuss a common interest. Book clubs meet at libraries or people's homes, sports clubs gather at gyms and fields, so on and so forth. Wine Clubs are a bit different -- they tend to exist on a much more national scale. Generally, a retailer or specialty group will taste wines throughout the month and decide which bottles are of the highest quality for the best value. They will then send those bottles to all of the club members throughout the country, usually packaging a short list of tasting notes along with them describing the bottles history, why it was chosen, and what the taster can expect. This setup alleviates the burden of trial-and-error on the consumer, and provides a consistent means of receiving quality wine.
Nowadays, there are a lot of different kinds of wine clubs and navigating which one is right for you can be tricky. Here are some of the major differences that you should consider when investing in your wine club membership.
PRICE
Of course! Unless you're one of those lucky individuals who needn't worry about cost, price is quite important. Some wine clubs are designed with the thrifty consumer in mind and can generally range between $20-$80 a month. These clubs are commonly found through wine stores around the country and focus on "best-in-stock" wines. Since they don't go out of their way to find rare vintages or varietals, these clubs are very appropriate for people who want a consistent source of ready-to-drink wines that pass the inspection of store aficionados. Sometimes store clubs get a bad rep, which I will explain in the "reputation" section below (exciting cliffhanger, huh?)
Certain clubs are designed for high rollers. These can have a broad price range, anywhere between $80 and $500 a month. Sometimes the club won't set down a standard rate; they will simply inform you how much the fee will be each month as they choose wines of different value. These clubs are not typically for the faint of heart, and provide a palpable level of excitement.
STYLE
Price is important, but so is style. There are many different clubs out there, and you need to find one that appeals to you. Most clubs come in three different varieties: red wines only, white wines only, and mix between red and white. But those aren't your only options. Others include:
- Varietal Specific (Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Shiraz, etc.),
- Country Specific (Italy, France, Germany, etc.),
- Cellaring (wines not for immediate drinking, but for cellar building)
- Rare Finds (wines that you might not even be able to obtain in this country)
- Make It Yourself (you design the kinds of wine you want, and the quantity)
No matter what kind of variety or specificity you desire, there is a wine club out there looking to sign you up. Take the time to browse and find the perfect fit of price and style.
FREQUENCY AND BOTTLE AMOUNT
Two very important details when dealing with a wine club are frequency of delivery, and the amount of wine being delivered. In regards to frequency, your biggest decision will be to receive wine monthly or quarterly. As you probably have assumed, "wine of the month" clubs deliver bottles every month, and thus charge you a monthly fee (often you have the option to pay for a month, multiple months, or a year). Quarterly wine clubs will deliver and charge you every three months, resulting in four deliveries a year.
In general, a monthly wine club will deliver anywhere between 1-4 bottles every month, two bottles being the most common. Quarterly clubs tend to deliver between 2-12 bottles. Twelve bottles are for those consumers who wish to receive a whole case of wine, instead of single bottles.
AVAILABILITY
Before you get excited about a wine club that has great prices, style that suits you, and the appropriate number of deliveries, you must check availability. Availability refers to whether or not a club can deliver to your state. Shipping laws for wine are sticky and convoluted, and wine clubs suffer because of that. Many will list very clearly on their website which states they simply cannot deliver to. Be sure to check this before entering your order info.
REPUTATION
Reputation and word of mouth have always been the most important advertising tools of any business. Wine clubs should be treated the same way. Certain wine clubs have grown in popularity and size because they put time and effort into selecting their wines. They have real experts on staff that taste many wines every month, and carefully select what is being sent to members.
Unfortunately, not all clubs are created equal. Some retailer-based clubs have come under scrutiny because they use members as a way to liquidate bottles that aren't selling well. Questionable clubs may also distribute "closeout" or "private label" wines. These are bottles that they acquire at a very cheap rate and upsell to their members.
Be sure to investigate reputation before signing up for anything.
SHOP SMART
Part of being a crafty consumer is getting a "feel" for any particular brand or service. Most good wine clubs have a very low pressure sales pitch, allowing you to cancel any time. They provide names and numbers of services that you can contact should you have any questions. If the price, style, and details all line up the way you want them to, and the reputation of the club seems shiny and spotless -- pull the trigger and become part of the fun!
