Internet wine clubs! There are thousands of online “clubs” these days, offering you “insider buys,” or tailored “sommelier picks.” I often get asked, “which are the best?” “Which should I join?” Or, “Which should I steer clear of?”
A quick Google search will bring you to SEVERAL other wine blogs, magazines, or enthusiast websites attempting to convince you on the answer to these questions. Quite often the popular reviews aren’t even from wine-centric authorities (think: Business Insider, etc.). Today I’m going to bring you in on my personal secret for getting the best!
But first: here are some tips on how to avoid the frauds, and to find some truly enjoyable wine:
- If the club description is too good to be true, it probably is.
- Research the company! Read third-party reviews (be warned – some have fake reviews). Get an idea of their track record, and how long they’ve been in business.
- Research their wines. If they don’t advertise their company or their wines… it may be a trap!
Internet wine clubs often make their money from sourcing pre-made wine in bulk (on the cheap), and attaching their own attractive label to resell at a premium. Occasionally they’ll source from an established or well-recognized brand, but the product is bought at rock-bottom prices because it comes from what was rejected out of that year’s vintage. Either way, they’re really shipping you “Second Label” wines (see my “American Wine Labeling Laws Made Easy” article for details).
They’ll also spice-up the packaging with fancy photos, reviews, winemaker notes, or a nice looking information sheet detailing the bottle’s history. All smoke and mirrors. Almost without exception, internet wine clubs are nothing more than poor-quality wine subscription services. Don’t get me wrong: this is a big business in the United States, made popular and easily accessible by the recent addition of companies like retail giant Amazon. It’s just that their wines aren’t that great, and are quite often overpriced.
Have no fear however: there are a few good ones out there which are quite good, which sell for fair market prices.
Are you ready for my secret on how to find the online wine club!?
The answer is to not join any online wine club! It’s really quite simple; I implore every wine fan reading this to go out to the wineries, explore their wines, and to ask questions. Revel in the experience of traveling and tasting wines all over your local city, state, or region! Bask in the sun visiting those beautiful properties while kicking back with your friends. Live for the wine – don’t settle on having a random stranger pick low-end bottles for you and impersonally mailing it to your home in a dressed-up box.
Would you walk into a restaurant and have a stranger order your entree? Of course not! So please: don’t do the same with wine. Go out there and find those great wines *at* the wineries, and have them shipped back to your house. Most of them have real wine clubs which you should join, allowing you entry in private parties, event mailing lists, and wine discounts (just make sure you get to pick the wines!).
Live for the pursuit and the experience of finding that great wine. Don’t settle for the subscription lottery.