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Monday January 19, 2009 - Grape Varieties

Today's Grape Varieties Article

Join the Club: Wine Clubs


One of the best ways to get access to great, and sometimes less accessible, wines is to join a wine club. These clubs are free to join and can result in you enjoying a greater variety of wines. Whether retailer operated, or direct through the winery, wine clubs will enhance your wine drinking pleasure.

The first consideration for most consumers is price. Just know that there are a range of wine clubs to meet most consumer tastes and budgets. Being in a wine club does not necessitate spending big money. As an example K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco has a wine club that will ship you 2 bottles of wine per month for $17.95. For that price you have the advantage of knowledgeable experts picking out wines that they feel represent excellent value.

At the other end of the range is Vintners Collective in Napa. Their wine club, the Collectors Club, ships 8 bottles of wine 5 times per year for $290 per shipment. This wine club specializes in smaller production wineries (generally under 1200 cases per year) with whom they have excellent relationships. The result is wine from vintners that you will likely not see on the shelf of your local wine retailer.

Another consideration is whether to go with a winery direct club vs. a retailer. Ideally, budgets permitting, we recommend both clubs that are owned and operated by the winery and clubs that are run by retailers. We like the idea of getting a preferred spot on one of our favorite wineries distribution lists in addition to the variety that the retail club offers. As an example, let?s look at Justin Vineyards and Winery. This Central Coast maker of excellent red and white wine has a few different wine clubs. They offer a choice of red only or white only or mixed cases and will give you access to wines that disappear quite quickly. As an example we recently received a shipment containing one of our favorites, Justin Justification. This wine was sold out even prior to the wine shipment. So in this case only wine club members had an opportunity to receive this great wine which was available only in limited supply.

In the case of a retailer wine club, we like the idea of knowledgeable experts selecting great wines that have excellent value. Most times these are wines that would never appear on our radar no matter how much we read to keep up. Retail wine clubs often have connections with wineries that provide exceptional values. As in example K&L Wines recently offered a 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon from a well respected Napa producer for under $35. This same wine at the winery was $100. We like the idea of being able to buy an outstanding vintage, 1997, from an outstanding vintner at a most fair price. The case outlined here would not be possible outside of the wine club.

Before committing to a wine club make sure you understand the frequency of the shipments and the length of the commitment. Some clubs welcome your membership on an annual basis and will ship four times per year. Other clubs will accommodate monthly membership, frequently with a minimum number of months. Choose the club that best fits both your budget and your consumption. If you have limited storage space and your frequency of delivery is too high from too many clubs?..well you may have a great problem!

Additional perks of wine clubs often include: free shipping (depending on the state), discounts on retail purchases and/or future wine purchases, first access to newly released wine, admission to special events reserved for wine club patrons, complementary wine tasting, and discounts at local hotels, inns or restaurants.

Wine clubs present beginners and collectors access to great wines, selected by professionals, at a host of price points that will only enhance your wine experience.

R. Adam Shore writes about California Wines from a consumer point of view. A collector of California Cabernet and a resident of the Golden State he has assembled hand selected articles about wine. They are cellared at California Wine Articles. Also visit Physical Fitness Articles to read important articles that will assist you in burning away those new Wine Club calories!



Short Review on Grape Varieties

Join the Club: Wine Clubs


One of the best ways to get access to great, and sometimes less accessible, wines is to join a wine club. These clubs are free to join and can result ...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Grape Varieties Products we recommend

Wine Decanter Dryer (Set of 2)


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Price: 19.95 USD



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NEW CASTLE and#8212; As the smooth jazz sounds of Ben Baldwin and the Blue Notes wafted through the glittering ballrooms of the Wentworth by the Sea Marriott Hotel and Spa right at 7 p.m., guests picked up a wine glass to sample more than 60 wines and...

http://shopwinedirect.com/news/Building-Your-Own-Wine-Cellar

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To drink your favorite wine coming from ShopWineDirect.com is one thing; to make your own wine cellar is another thing. A lot of people believe that it will cost them a fortune to create one. The truth is, you basically don’t have to look that far. The most important thing is you have kept all essential factors in place.

La Carraia 2006 Wine Review (BellaOnline)

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If you're looking for an Italian that won't let you down to accompany steak, buffalo or pasta, check out my lastest article. This wine is the one for you, at a price that meet with Barack's approval.

How To Make Wine

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An outline of how to make wine at home, including what fruits to make it out of, what ingredients and equipment are required.

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Greek Mythology in Wine

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Medusa brings wine to the next level. It's creative name and awesome price at wineanthology.com really makes this a smart buy. In addition to this when you order a case we will ship it for free. (You can mix and match)


Wine Bar
Barefoot Wine

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5:31 AM

01/19/09 - Fine Wines

A Fine Wines Artilce for Your Viewing

4 Main Reasons That Started the Wine Rage



When people think of grapes, the first thing that comes to their mind is wine. This is because wines are generally made from grapes. That is why most people think of wine as grape wines.



However, there are wines that are made from rice, herbs, barley, and honey. Whatever material they are made from, wines are processed through fermentation.



Consequently, wines have definitely gained so much popularity throughout the ages. Since its inception, wines have continuously garnered the attention and interest of people from every part of the globe.



There are many reasons why wines have become so popular throughout the ages. Many factors have affected the popularity of wine. Some say that wine is popular because of its health benefits. Other people say that wine simply taste good. Whatever available reasons these people wish to convey, wine is, indeed, popular. For people who wish to know why wine has become so popular, here are some definite reasons why:



1. Lack of alternative



In history, wine had started to gain their popularity when there was no available potable water in the early years of Europe. That is why during those times, wine was considered as part of the daily diet of the Europeans.



2. Historical progress



Many people just love wine. From the ancient history of Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, wine has continuously dominated the world because people learned and realized the benefits and goodness of drinking wine.



Among the three, the Romans are the greatest wine lovers. That is why they instigated the development of wine in other countries, particularly in Spain, Britain, and France. It was when the colonization had started that the popularity of wine was passed on from one country to another.



3. Christianity



Because of its popular part in the "Christian Eucharist," the popularity of wine has continuously grown. More and more manufacturers created wine in order to supply the growing demands of the church as Christianity continued to proliferate around the globe.
Learn the art of Wine Tasting



4. Sign of "opulence"



Since the history of wine transgressed from the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, wine has always been a symbol of opulence, wealth, and luxury. This is because early wine drinkers were prominent people.



Indeed, the popularity of wine can never be underrated. It has successfully gained its popularity at the right age and at the right pace. Just as it gradually tastes good with age, the popularity of wine continues to increase as time passes.



Wine making is an easy, cost-efficient way to stock up on your favorite vintages. Although the wine-making process is fairly simple, it's important to follow the steps carefully to ensure you don't miss any elements. These steps will be crucial to the success of your batch.

About the Author


Join Wine Tasting Party.

Thoughts about Fine Wines

4 Main Reasons That Started the Wine Rage


When people think of grapes, the first thing that comes to their mind is wine. This is because wines are generally made from grapes. That is why most ...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Fine Wines Items

Riedel Tasting Glass (Set of 1)


Essential for evaluating the color aroma and taste of wine. Tip the 24% lead crystal glass on its side to appreciate the color then roll it to gather the aromas within its perfectly tapered bowl. Gift boxed. 6 3/8'H 14 7/8 oz.


Price: 32.50 USD



Current Fine Wines News

French irked by Italian growth: omphakes eisin (unripe not sour] grapes)

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:48:51 -0800
Much has been written about Italian viticulture’s substantive growth in volume and international sales. See, for example, Alder Yarrow’s post American and Italian Wine: Movin’ on Up!, published late last month and a fascinating post published by Alfonso Cevola, Italian Wine 2008 — Report from Flyover Country, published yesterday and culled from data collected by one of the largest distributors of fine wine in the U.S. On Wednesday, the French weekly L’Express published an editorial entitled, I

US: Small Vineyards, Noble Wines sign distribution deal (Just Drinks)

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:37:45 -0800
Seattle-based importer Small Vineyards has entered into a distribution agreement with Noble Wines beginning 1 February.

Fly on the Wall Interview: Wine 2.0

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:06:04 -0800
You may have heard of Wine 2.0, or Winetwo.com, a social networking site for the wine industry that also features a number of events throughout the year. The website was developed in 2006 by Cornelius Geary and Jeff Playter and now features thousands of consumer, winery, retailer and many other types of profiles. Think of it as the Facebook of the wine world. We had a chance to talk with Cornelius last week, and here’s what he had to say as you, dear reader, are a fly on the wall. Wine & Spirit

2009 Taste BC on January 22nd

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The fine folks of Liberty Wines invited me to participate in their 2009 Taste BC event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on January 22nd, 2009 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. This awesome event takes place for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, I’m triple-booked for that evening, but luckily I have enlisted a guest blogger who will be covering the event and will be bringing you a full report of the event (thanks Ed!). So you might ask yourselves, what is Taste BC? It is a celebration of local food an


Wine Facts

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