Is Club Membership for you?

Most club memberships require receipt of wine in intervals of quarterly or semi-annually (2x/yr). A few offer shipments ever other month (6x/yr). Members can receive their wines shipped directly to their home or other address where an adult (over 18 yrs old) is available to sign for it or they may pick it up in-person. If you are able to pick your allotment in person, this is a perfect "excuse" to hightail it to wine country and maybe even make a weekend of it. 

Considerations:

• Your budget and the frequency of the shipments. While the wineries offer an "average" price, some shipments, especially those in the fall/holiday season tend to be pricier.
• Your scheduling flexibility. Many wineries will only hold your wines for a short duration, as cases of wine takes us valuable storage space. They will eventually ship uncollected wine to you and charge you for the cost of delivery. This can be particularly inconvenient if you are not home/work to sign for it.
• Storage at home. Sometimes shipments can feel like they are backing up, requiring you to drink up, gift it or properly store it. This might require you to purchase a wine refrigerator or build a cellar. 

With very few exceptions, members of wine clubs enjoy the benefit of complimentary wine tasting for themselves and their guests. Some wineries will have some limitations to this benefit such as limiting the number of complimentary tastings members may have within a calendar year or in a quarter, and they all limit the number of guests you can bring (for free), to usually four. However, you might expect a discounted tasting fee for extra visits and/or for additional guests beyond the limit. You should confirm prior to visiting or joining. 

Please note: Wine tasting is a service provided generally to introduce new wine enthusiasts to wineries. They are not bars. It's encouraged to use the tasting experience as a way to actually try wines you might be interested in purchasing. 

You will typically select the type of wine you wish to receive in your club allotments: Red, White or Mixed. Regardless, your home winery will offer you access to special wines, which may come from their library (stored older vintages), or a favorite of the winemaker, or perhaps some long-lost wine that was discovered in a cave and is looking for a new home. These wines might make excellent additions to your collection or compliment your menu for a special event.

Most wineries host special events throughout the year. From release parties to winemaker dinners, to bigger events like concerts and travel opportunities (think themed cruises), members almost always get early access to tickets and discounted pricing.

While the discounts will vary, most wineries that have club memberships offer discounts ranging from 10-25% for wine, events, and merchandise sold in their gift shops. Many also have seasonal "sales" where prices are reduced to 50% or more, giving members the opportunity to invest in more wine, adding to their collection. 

Consideration:

Several wine clubs offer steeper discounts on the day you join. Timing your membership with other activities in your life might make joining prior to a party (or wedding) a wise move.

The gift shops at many wineries offer such amazing items, including art, clothing, jewelry, and of course, wine accessories, that doing your holiday shopping in Wine Country is a clever way to please most people on your holiday gift list.

Being first in line has its advantages, such as preferred seating or sometimes even a ticket at all. Events that sell out quickly, oftentimes are only attended by members because the swoop up all the tickets for themselves and their guests. Furthermore, many events are "Members Only," and non-members aren't invited at all. Again, events like winemaker dinners and more intimate events tend to have preferences for members.

Like with anything in life, people do the most for people they know and love. If you are a member and pick up your wines in person, you have more opportunity to develop relationships with winery staff (and owners) and are more likely to be treated like family. Being part of the family has its privileges. 

I currently am, or have previously been, a member of at least a dozen wine clubs dating back to about 1990. From the early days when I received a random collection of wines curated to my preferences, with tasting notes and recipes through today, when I receive  cases of wines from my favorite wineries along with gifts and access, I continue to appreciate the up close and personal feeling of being part of something special.

• Before a join a wine club, I must first taste and LOVE the wine. However, there are some wineries that have such cool perks that I'd consider joining if I generally like their wines, love at least one, and really love the benefits (i.e., concerts).

• I also look for wine clubs that are a part of a "family of wines," where being a member at one gets you access to "sister" wineries, where the benefits carry over from one facility to another. Often these partnering wineries are literally owned by the same family, share winemakers and the same winemaking philosophies. 

• Another factor in my consideration is cost. Most, but not all, wine clubs have no cost to join, but do require a commitment of usually from two shipments to a year of shipments. (Wineries may retroactively charge for the benefits "advanced" to members if the member does not honor their commitment.)

• Finally, I look at the flexibility to pick up my shipment. Not only do I not want the hassle of shipments (i.e., being home to sign), I just want to take advantage of every opportunity to visit and enjoy the fabulous grape life.