Wine Club Insider back.

In the middle of a 80 mile bike/run training day yesterday, we rode the VERY steep trail up to Arbor Crest Winery, high on the bluff overlooking the river, and took a little lunch picnic break.

Arbor Crest  – www.arborcrest.com- has to be one of the most beautiful wineries I have seen outside of Napa, France or Italy. The original Cliff house is a national historic landmark, and can be rented for special events, weddings, etc.

They have beautiful grounds with waterfalls, gazebos and the like, and a new tasting room to feature their wonderful wines, which segues beautifully into my topic of the day…

One of my favorite items in my cellar is a 3L bottle of Arbor Crest’s flagship wine, Dionysus, a Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc blend that has garnered great reviews, and is one of my top twenty, I would say.

I started collecting large format bottles almost by accident a few years ago when I won one at an auction, and since then, I’ve been hooked.

I now own more than forty, with about sixteen being 3L, 5L and even one prized “Imperial” (6L) of Silver Oak.

Surprisingly, there are even three larger sizes, including a fifteen liter (twenty bottle) “Nebuchadnezzar.”

I also have 3 liters of “Millennium Cuvee” Champagne, a 5 liter Amarone… ah!

There is something about seeing a great large bottle in a cellar, especially when it is still filled with actual wine, and not just being used as decoration!

Besides the decorative value, larger formats also help the wine last much longer. One thing to remember is to store them on their sides to keep the corks moist (except for display, of course! )

Contrary to most “bulk” products, you might find that larger format bottles are not priced proportionate to their equivalent number of bottles – for example, a 3 liter is often more expensive than 4 regular bottles. This is due to the cost and expense of the actual glass – the bottle itself, which are often custom made, and in my mind, well worth it!

I have received a few large format bottles as gifts, and each of them has and is treasured to this day; there’s just something special about them. If you have a chance, bid on one at an auction, on line, or even just go and invest in a bottle that you will remember for years to come.

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

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Wine Club Insider back with you, with a strange one, really!

I think that everyone has likely heard of Marilyn Wines… the ones with the pictures of Marilyn Monroe on them? Marilyn Merlot? Yup. I have a couple. You?

I’ve got to tell you that they are actually really good wines from some of Napa’s best vineyards, but I always thought they were a bit quirky, I guess… let me tell you, i was quite surprised when today, I came across a wine club devoted exclusively to Marilyn Wines!

www.marilynwines.com, ran by Uvada Winery, sells five different Marilyn Wines:

And, of course, the velvet collection is their best offering.

All in all, I must say I am more impressed with their wines than I thought I was going to be.

The wines are a bit pricey, in part, I think, because of their commercial cult appeal, but for fairly top quality Napa wines, they are still pretty reasonable.

Now I’m kind of interested in seeing if there are any other quirky wine clubs out there… anyone have any others to share?

Back with you Monday!

Wine Club Insider out!

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Wine Club Insider back with you!

I was searching around the web for what’s new, and came across a pretty exciting new site I hadn’t seen before… Wine Club 101 – www.wineclub101.com – starts out as your normal site, but as you start reading, you start to see the differences…

Here is a bit from their home page:

While many wine sellers limit their club selection to white and red, we offer an unprecedented 5 wine clubs (not to mention our Scotch, Beer, and Tequila clubs). With so many offerings, we are virtually guaranteed to have a club that caters to your tastes and your budget.

Each shipment comes complete with notes and evaluations from the Wine Club staff. If you’re a real connoisseur, you will certainly appreciate the background information. If you are a wine novice, our commentary will have you sounding like an expert in no time.

There is NO long-term commitment. Just sign up for as many months as you would like. If you sign up for three months, you will receive 3 shipments. There is no need to cancel. You will not be harassed. You will be billed for each shipment only when it is shipped.

You might like to keep such a great offer all to yourself. But fine things are meant to be shared. Imagine the surprise when that special friend or loved one receives a 3-month, 6-month, or full-year subscription to the club of your choice.

There’s no good reason not to sign up today. So what are you waiting for? Give someone a gift that keeps giving. And while you are at it, order a subscription for yourself. You deserve it!”

Sure enough, their clubs are pretty well organized, and actually original, which is becoming a rare commodity amongst wine clubs.

They have the standard red and white clubs – Red 101 and White 101 for $40/month- as well as a Gold Club for $100/month, a Champagne Club, and a German Club, which is pretty unusual… two bottles of unique German wine each month. One of the highlights, is they also have a very nice Scotch Club, and even a Tequila Club, both for $75/month, maximum, with unusual, rare blends and labels.

One of the other cool things is that you decide how many months you want, and that’s what you get. no long term contracts, no need to resign… a pleasant touch, really.

Their choices of wines are pretty respectable – even spectacular in some cases – for the price, and it seems that service is a real priority.

I think I might just have to give them a try and see how it works… I’ll let you know in a month or two!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

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Wine Club Insider back!

One of the cool web sites I frequent on at least a weekly basis is www.winezap.com.

Winezap is kind of like a little community where you can actually get to “know” your online “neighbors” as you rate/discuss/argue about wine.

So, every week or so, I get an email in my regular box about the latest wines that have been rated by their distinguished panel of experts…

I think that having a few folks with respected, or at least educated palates can give us a basic groundwork to at least discuss wine, so I appreciate their efforts.

Some of the wines I received reviews on tonight were (and the reviewer):

Bordeaux, Burgundy, California Wine, Chardonnay, Fine Wine, French Wine, International Wine, Italian Wine, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Shiraz, Sparkling Wine, USA Wine, Vintage Wine, White Wine, Wine Cellar, Wine Club, Wine Club Gift, Wine Education, Wine Lovers, Wine Reviews, Wine Tasting Wine Club, Wine Club Gift, Wine Reviews, winezap.com

Wine Club Insider here, yet again!

We’re already six days into 2009! Where’s the time going? It was a funny holiday season with Christmas and New Years on Thursdays… it seems like we haven’t been able to get anything done for two weeks, but it has seemed to extend the holiday out a bit, that’s for sure!

I’d love to introduce you to K&L Wine Merchants. www.klwines.com.

They are a longstanding operation, having been in the wine business since 1976. One of the advantages of that kind of longevity is that you can develop some great relationships with wineries, wine brokers and negociants world wide, enabling them to offer some great wines at good deals.

Because of this, K&L offer five different wine clubs for you to choose from, and they certainly offer an above average selection of wines.

They’ve been well regarded by the media, including the Wall Street Journal, and even Food and Wine Magazine:

“Serious wine lovers have been turning to this California retailer for more than 30 years. K&L’s wine buyers not only hunt down the best from nearly every region in the world, but also sell hundreds of direct-import wines at great prices. The Web site shows real-time inventory of just how many bottles of, say, 2004 Domaines Schlumberger Saering Grand CruRiesling ($20) are still available. Tip: Direct-import sparkling wines include terrific bargains such as Tarlant Brut Zéro Champagne”
Food & Wine (June 2007)

At first glance, their wine clubs have the standardish levels, such as “Best Buy,” “Premium” and “Signature,” but the selections are pretty amazing… here are some of the choices from recent Signature shipments:

• 2005 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva

• Blanquette de Limoux, Antech “Cuvée Francoise”

• 2000 Coufran, Haut-Médoc

• 2006 Antinori Vermentino Guado al Tasso

• 2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Cigale “Vieilles Vignes”

• 1994 Burgess Cellars “Vintage Selection” Cabernet Sauvignon

• 1995 Burgess Cellars “Vintage Selection” Cabernet Sauvignon

Now, they also offer a couple of non-standard options, including a Champagne club for $69.95/shipment, and a “Club Italiano,” which offers a nice selection of Italian wines.

Lastly, the thing that really sets K&L apart is their “Personal Sommelier” service, which allows you talk to an expert, and custom design your wine club experience. If you want three, four bottles, and you want to spend a certain amount, they’ll hook you up and custom fit a package for you.

They’re based out of California, so if you’re out of CA you don’t pay tax either. Check them out!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out!

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Wine Club Insider back.

Two days into the new year, and I’ve found two great wine clubs for you to look at!

Yesterday we talked about 4 seasons wine club, and today I’d like to share “My Wines Direct” with you.

My Wines Direct is located at www.mywinesdirect.com, and they have a wide variety of choices, including three month or six month subscriptions of three bottles of red, white or mixed every month.

• Baco Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2006 (1 bottle)
• Finca El Retiro Barrica Syrah 2006 (1 bottle)
• Orrando Merlot 2007 (1 bottle)

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Wine Club Insider here on New Years Eve 2008!

What better time than New Years Eve to talk about champagne and the other fine bubblys from around the world!

Personally, I found champagne to be an acquired taste. I wasn’t an instant fan, and since my only previous experience with sparkling wine (and I hate to even admit this!) was with such fine vintages as Cold Duck and Baby Duck (as much as I love them, my parents were obviously connoisseurs… not!).

I tried a few of the less expensive (read: “cheap”) so called champagnes, and much the same as drinking your regular “plonk” still wine, it didn’t blow my skirt up, so to speak. But then… ahhh. At the Millenium New Year, I opened a bottle of 1992 Dom Perignon, and I tell you, my eyes were opened!

Though some folks might say that Dom is over-priced/over-rated, I think it is still a great bottle of bubbles, and the ’92 was really awesome.

Okay… I’d seen the light, and now the search was on. Over the next couple of years, though it still wasn’t my top priority, I certainly tried my fair share of sparkles, enjoying many. By the way, www.1-800-wineofthemonthclub.com has a pretty nice club for $49.99/month for two bottle.

Okay… here are some of the snazzy champagnes I loved besides the famous “Dom”:

~ Domaine Merriwether (Oregon): Beautiful, soft champagne. One of the best I’ve ever had, especially for the price.

~ Champagne Duval-Leroy: Nice, beautiful bottle, good depth.

~ Taittinger Domaine Carneros Brut: Velvety. About $20

~ Paul Chenau Brut: This Cava is a Very nice Spanish addition.

~ Mumm’s “Millenium Cuvee:” Excellent. Produced for wine club members for the New Years 1999.

~ Domaine Chandon “Etoille Rose:” This unique wine is a Chard-Pinot Noir blend that is one of my favorites from the marvelous Napa house owned in part by the legendary Moet Chandon.

And now, probably my two faves of the past year or so:

~ Schramsberg “Cremant Demi-sec:” Cremant means “creamy,” and this demi-sec is a sweeter, softer wine using the rare “Flora” grape (a combination of the Semillon and the Gewurtz).

And possibly my favorite champagne ever…

~ Scramsberg “J. Schram:” served at White House dinners, consistently wins taste tests against Europe’s best, this vintage wine from perhaps the USA’s best champagne house is also one of my favorite wines ever. A bit pricey at $100, I could easily drink this every day, but will have to settle for tonight at midnight!

Schramsberg is found at www.schramsberg.com, and you’d be well served to give them a try!

I wish you all the best of the season, and hope you have a safe and happy celebration tonight. Blessings to all of you for a healthy and prosperous 2009, and may all your gifts be wine club gifts!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out for 2008!

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Wine Club Insider back with a little side topic today…

We’ve done quite a bit of talking about wine clubs, but I just realized that we hadn’t really spent much time in talking about HOW to choose a wine club, so let’s look at a few of the key things to consider.

Many of you may have made the excellent choice to buy a friend or family member a wine club gift for the holidays, (or for yourself!). As a gift, it’s almost ideal - the lucky recipient can learn about wine each month, the gift goes on for the entire year (or perhaps a half year, or some other combination) and usually the price is divided up monthly, or better yet, by someone else. Hey, what could be better?

As you may have noticed, there are a huge range of wine clubs out there – some offer starting wines for people just learning about wine, while others offer selections of the finest wines available in the world, at hundreds of dollars a bottle. And, of course, there are many options in between, so how do you know which to choose?

Choose your price

Likely the first thing you should do in selecting your wine club is to examine your budget. Would you rather just spend $20 or less a month on a single bottle so you can learn about wines in an inexpensive manner? Do you have a bit more to spend? Choose how much you want to spend, and start narrowing down your choices.

What kind of wine do you like?

There are wine clubs on (literally!) every type of wine under the sun. There are California-only wine clubs, white wine clubs, red wine clubs, sweet wine clubs, port wine clubs, sparkling wine clubs… There are international, “around the world” wine clubs,  boutique (read: tiny) wine clubs you can’t find anywhere else, and mixtures of many of the above.

Before you choose a wine club, decide what you’re trying to learn. Are you trying to learn more about a particular region? To develop an appreciation of wine in general? To have fun tasting exotic red wines you can’t find in the store? To build a cellar? After you’ve got your budget, try to narrow down what kind of wine cliub program suits your wants.

Start looking at your choises

With the above criteria in mind, you’ve got enough ammunition to start examining the wine club choices out there, and believe me, there are a bunch! One thing that might work is to make a chart of some of your possible wine club selections, and compare what they have to offer (hey… maybe I’ll take a crack at this for you in the weeks to come! You can start with the list of wine clubs from a week or so ago) 

A few things to watch for

Get the bottom line ahead of time. Make sure you understand all costs before you sign up. Though most wine clubs don’t have sign up fees, some do. Ask about these and any other possible charges, such as extra shipping costs. Do they have certain allotments that you must purchase to remain a member? (This is pretty common in upper end single winery clubs)

If you’re going month to month, check and see if there’s a minimum commitment. Also, check on the cancellation and return policy.

Another thing I like to check is on is how long the average member stays with the club. Do many members leave after a year? What percentage are long-timers? This gives you an idea of how well the club tends to please its clients.

One of the other key things to get a handle on are any possible side benefits to belonging to a wine club, such as being able to reorder favorites at a discount.

Now, you’re ready to make a good start with an educated purchase, so get ready to sit back and enjoy your wines!

Wine Club Insider out!

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WCI back again!

Having recovered from my weekend with Don Townshend, I’d like to detour slightly today, and talk about a very cool wine site on the web.

Hooked on Wine (hookedonwine.net) is one of the best wine purveyors on the web. Actually, Michael Shemali is a wine re-buyer, I guess. He buys entire cellars of wine from folks, buys on consignment, buys from the wineries, and then offers the great deals he finds to those on his mailing list, and through his on-line store. Folks can also consign wine through his store or through auctions he runs.

One of the coolest things is that he really focuses on fine wines, and offers some great deals that you just won’t find in many places.

For example, today in my emailing, he had verticals of Opus and Silver Oak on, going back more than twenty years!

His site is attractive to look at, and is well set up and easy to navigate. He has it broken down by Favorites, by Region, by Rating, by Bottle size and by Vintage.

The Region section is extensive, covering most of the main wine growing areas of the world, and many of the minor ones. It also breaks them down by varietals.

The Ratings section has wines from 85 – 100 points, broken down in small increments.

The Bottle size section has wines up to 18 liters (!), and the vintages go back to the 50′s. He also has a section on new wines, and one for his favorites, which has some interesting choices. Some of the lots have one bottle, some have several cases… you never know, which is why it’s so fun to keep up with what’s new.

They will also ship wines as a gift, and some of these bottle will make GREAT gifts! D’you have someone who really likes wine on your list? How about shipping them an 18 liter  (That’s equal to two full cases, BTW!) bottle of 1999 La Petite Cheval Bordeaux for only $3900… Now THAT’S a Wine Club Gift that I’d like to see under my tree!

Cheers,

WCI

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WCI here, and I’d like to take a small diversion today and talk about some great wines I was able to try this weekend.

I was lucky enough to have some of my dearest friends come into town over the weekend, and so, if I was going to make dinner, I might as well fill the table, so I invited Don Townshend, winemaker, salesman and chief cook and bottle washer for the acclaimed Townshend Cellars in Spokane, Washington, and we had ourselves a party! www.townshendcellar.com is their website, and is worth checking out.

Don is one of the most talented winemakers I’ve met–almost the A.D.D of winemakers, as he makes almost 30 different wines. He’s one of the few winemakers I’ve done a dinner for where I can do an entire 8 – 10 course dinner using only their wines, as he makes everything from a sparkling Huckleberry Brut to several different ports and dessert wines, and everything in-between.

Don and his guest Cathy arrived right on time, and, as is his wont, Don brought a few bottles of some of his best wines to share with us, combined with a couple from my cellar, and let me tell you, folks, what an amazing evening of wines it was!

We started with one of our special champagne cocktails, accompanied by a plate of hummus, crackers and couple of great cheeses; in particular, a two year old, aged cheddar and a lovely smoked Gouda, and then, corkscrew in hand, Don started opening…

First up was his brand new release, entitled “DRG,” for Down River Grill, the restaurant Don crafted the wine for. They are actually having the release party this week, so we got a bit of an early taste. It was quite nice, with tons of fruit, and was a great way to start the evening.

Next up was a salad, with fresh Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, Craisins, fresh sliced pears and a raspberry vinaigrette. We diverged from the list to serve a crisp Riesling, but then, it was time for Big reds!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the tales of a great evening, and about their fun wine club, too!

Until then,

Cheers!

WCI

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