Wine clubs are quickly becoming one of the most popular
enrollment and gift activities associated with the food and
beverage industry. A wine club is not a "set in stone"
arrangement and they are available in an enormous number of
styles and options. There are clubs dedicated to California
wines and there are those that focus entirely on Champagnes
or Sparkling wines. The choices are almost limitless, but
it is a good idea to investigate some of the wine club
reviews before making a choice.
Even though most wine clubs use a panel of experts to make
their monthly or seasonal selections there may still be
some issues with the club's choices, so it's important to
do your own research or read reviews. Wine club reviews
analyze the following areas:
Quality of Wine
This is, of course, a major factor in the success of any
wine club. If the members receive unpopular or "clearance"
items they will probably not enjoy their membership as much
as those who receive specially selected vintages.
Unfortunately there are some clubs that do utilize
discounted bottles and vintages as a portion of each
month's shipment. This is usually quickly and easily
identified by the critic who will comment on every single
selection.
Additionally, any critic is going to have some good
knowledge and background about the type of wines the club
has promised and will be able to let potential members know
if the vintages selected match the criteria of the club, or
its standards. For example, if a club promises the best
California "boutique" wines, a knowledgeable expert will be
able to point out any discrepancies in the selections.
All of these factors can affect the overall quality of the
wines delivered to the members. Generally, the wine club
reviews will itemize the traditional characteristics of
wine on a bottle by bottle or vineyard by vineyard basis.
Most reviews rely on the classic "gold star" system to
identify how well the club performed.
Wine Education
One reason that many people decide to enroll in a wine club
is for the newsletters and printed information that
accompanies their monthly or seasonal shipments. Generally
they will discuss the grapes, region and particular
vineyard where the wine was produced. This is not all
"fluff", but is intended to educate the member about the
wine industry and its practices.
All of this is important because it can really help to
train their palette and enable them to recognize things
like bouquet, flavors and aromas. For instance, you might
purchase a bottle of wine that was aged in oak. It could
have a very distinctive flavor, but as a novice you would
not be able to say, "oh, it is the oaky overtones that I am
detecting". A good wine club will provide such training,
and a good wine club review will praise the club for
delivering these materials.
Additionally, a wine club review should scrutinize the
club's educational materials for food pairing information.
Wine is not always intended to be sipped without the
benefit of food and many people are unaware of the best
food and wine pairings. A wine club review should indicate
if this information is included along with every shipment.
Value
Any wine club review should let the consumer or potential
customer know if the wines and educational materials come
at a reasonable value. For example, if a club makes a habit
of delivering substandard vintages, the wine club review
should be able to identify this fact and alert a consumer
to the lesser value of such a membership.
Additionally, it requires the comprehensive knowledge of an
expert to know if a certain type of wine club is actually
providing a valuable service to clients. For instance, a
club dedicated to enhancing the value of a cellar will
offer premium cellaring vintages at a good cost. A wine
club review will point out if this is true or if it fails
to meet such clear cut terms.
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David Lett is a wine lover who has subscribed to wine clubs
for over 15 years. It all started years ago during
Thanksgiving when his friend gave him a six-month wine club
subscription. His love affair with "wine at his door" had
begun. Discover David's Wine Club Insider Blog and Wine
Club Reviews at:
http://www.WineClubGuide.com
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