Wine connoisseur's

[Bobbyboe]

Need some help from the local Wino's. My wife's birthday is coming up and she enjoys wine on occasion with dinner. Do any of you recommend a wine club or bulk (case) variety to get as a gift? She opens a bottle many once a week. It seems that she prefers red's, but also drinks blended wine too. So, does anyone know a company or site who offers variety cases? Or is a club membership the way to go?

 

[durangobrad]

Check out garage yeast

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[boom]

i joined a few clubs. its usually because i let my guard down because i had a few. i live in Sonoma Wine Country.
wine clubs will only mail to you during the cool months. (i pick up)

i feel the wine comes in kinda fast and furious. it was a bit much. you have an allotted amount you have agreed to buy. i have since quit all the clubs and just buy as needed.

btw, its approaching the warm months. i would call a company she likes and order up a case and let her enjoy.

 

[idig4au]

Have a look at some of the wineries in Napa Valley as many offer wine club memberships. I belong to Jarvis Estates Winery as I'm quite fond of their Merlot Reserve and Petit Verdot

 

[16Bore]

Maybe a different option:

Buy her the “World Atlas of Wine”. It’s a great coffee table book and about as informative as it gets. Then write her date coupons for a few wineries in your area. Do the whole picnic thing when you go. You prepare everything. Taste and enjoy together.

She’ll love it and it’s pretty damn fun.

Just a thought.

I’m not always a grumpy asshole...

 

[TripleAAA]

Check out garage yeast

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I have avoided wine clubs and just do the shopping myself. 7 deadly Zins is a good wine. It is a mix of reds.

 

[Kilboars]

We're members of a few clubs but aways love these.

Wine Club | Sonoma County | Ferrari-Carano Winery

Our Circle of Friends Wine Club offers single vineyard wines, intense mountain Cabernet Sauvignons and many wine surprises delivered right to your door.

www.ferrari-carano.com

 

[MThuntr]

I'm partial to Costco Malbec. I think they're $6ish a bottle.

Vivino is a good app to use if you're sitting in a store and have no idea if a bottle is worth the price.

 

[16Bore]

Working on a bottle of Alamos Malbec 2018 right now. Really good stuff.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'd skip the clubs and such, she'll end up getting a bunch of wine she doesn't like. Figure out what her favorites are and then go from there. There's a lot of crap out there.

 

[wesfromky]

Do you all have a local vineyard? Might be cool to arrange a visit/tasting or just buy something local for her.

Other options would be gear to preserve wine for a couple days vs having to drink it all in one sitting or letting it degrade.

 

[Swamppirate]

Skip wine and go straight to bourbon!

 

[timmymac24]

See if you can get her a bottle of Thumbprint Cab assuming Cabs are in her wheelhouse. A friend brought a bottle of that over for dinner last week and it was one of the best bottles we have had.

 

[ramsdude47]

If you have a Trader Joe's near you it is one of the best spots to find gems for under $10 a bottle, sometimes even around $5 - but no I would not recommend 5 buck chuck.

 

[Wolf13]

Any idea what type of red she likes? That is a very broad type, if you can narrow it down towards a few types and a rough budget it would help a lot. Not all "cheap wine" is bad, and not all expensive wine is worth the price.

 

[menhaden_man]

Maybe a different option:

Buy her the “World Atlas of Wine”. It’s a great coffee table book and about as informative as it gets. Then write her date coupons for a few wineries in your area. Do the whole picnic thing when you go. You prepare everything. Taste and enjoy together.

She’ll love it and it’s pretty damn fun.

Just a thought.

I’m not always a grumpy asshole...

Now it’s my turn @16Bore, you just need to say phuqit and buy a Bota Box... after enough rounds you realize the shit ain’t as complicated as you think

 

[Pro953]

What would you consider a reasonable price point. 10, 15, 30, 60 for the wine. Hard to give any feedback with out that.

Something to consider would be a company like VineBox for a chance to try some new stuff or Winc for a curated mix. On the higher end, bounty hunter has some programs with a solid wine mix.

I would steer away from a winery specific club unless she has a winery she is a fan of already, if not it can be a bit monotonous.

What state are you in, shipping laws on wine can complicate things a bit and add a bit of cost as well.

As we are in a support local business mode here. I would consider finding your local bottle shop and tell them what you are trying to do. Ask for them to put a cool case together of wines for you both to try together. I bet they will find a good mix and cut you a deal at the same time. Just make sure you give them a total spend. 200,400,600 etc... so you do not get stuck with sticker shock.


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[menhaden_man]

Now it’s my turn @16Bore, you just need to say phuqit and buy a Bota Box... after enough rounds you realize the shit ain’t as complicated as you think

Now the smartass remark is out, but her one of these. Promise you won’t regret it. You too 16bore, I’ll buy you both a bottle.

Ch Ste Michelle Indian Wells Red

Columbia Valley, WA- An easy drinking, yet well structured. Rich, round, powerful style of Washington fruit, highlighting seven varietals. Jammy boysenberry flavors from Syrah with a luscious backbone from Merlot. The other varieties add the 'spice'. Pairs well with barbecue ribs.

www.totalwine.com

 

[Bobbyboe]

Thanks for all the replies. I sent the afternoon and evening looking though and going over the suggestions mentioned above. As far as price goes, she typically spends no more than $20 on a bottle, typically around $10-15.
We do have local wineries, but many tend to be of the fruit variety, not specifically grapes. Some are good, but tend to be very sweet, which she describes as a dessert wine.

After looking through different clubs and their makeup, I decided to make my own case, picking bottles based off of a combination of local and professional reviews. My target price, which I stayed within, was were anywhere from $10 to $30 a bottle. Something I may also add to the gift is a nice, possibly leather bound, book to keep track of the good and bad she tasted. My thinking is she can keep track and continue to experiment or stick with a favorite if/when she finds one.

I appreciate all the help guys!

 

[16Bore]

$10-15/bottle is about the right price point for most palates and a lot of good wines there, IMHO. $30-$50 and you’re either trying to impress somebody or know what you’re talking about. Over $100 and you’re on your way to being a sommelier.

Had some business with the owner of a vineyard who told me “over $20/bottle and you’re just buying a label”. Not that his stuff was in Wine Spectator though.

Anyway, it’s pretty fun stuff and I’ve never met a gal that doesn’t like visiting vineyards.