Second
to strolling through a wine store, there is nothing more exciting
than receiving a shipment of wine through the mail. The anticipation
of its arrival, catching sight of your purchase waiting for you,
carefully cutting into the box, reeling with the promise of what is
inside; it feels like Christmas morning each time a shipment arrives.
Ordering from online clubs and stores is a convenient way to enjoy
wine in today's busy and hectic world. It is also an easy way to
expand your wine knowledge, experience wines you may not otherwise
think to purchase.
Unfortunately,
not everyone can take advantage of these opportunities, due to state
shipping laws. If are lucky enough to live in a state that permits
alcohol shipping (the below sites list these states), the following
are some clubs and stores for you to explore:
WSJ Wine (From The Wall Street Journal): This is one of the better
direct to home wine clubs out there. WSJ offers just two members
only clubs - Discovery (selected wines) and Premier (luxurious
wines). In each club you receive a 12 bottle shipment every 3
months, choosing either a red, white or mixed case. There is no
contract once you join; it is easy to cancel at any time. If you
find something you like, you can also shop on their site for
individual bottles. It is a no-brainer for the first time joiner;
only two clubs to choose from.
Gary's Wine Club: Retail wine stores like Gary's Wine & Marketplace
also offer their own wine clubs. Gary's provides seven clubs at
various levels and price points. Like WSJ, there is no contract and
the month to month memberships can be canceled at any time. If you
are looking for more choices than WSJ,
Gary's offers flexibility and exclusive wine opportunities with his
memberships. You should also check out your favorite local wine
store to see if they have a wine club available.
WTSO (WinesTilSoldOut): Unlike the other two sites, WTSO is an online
store that sells one wine at a time at 30-70% off the original
retail price. The wine remains on the site until it is sold out, the
cycle continues for 24 hours, and they seldom show more than five
wines a day. There is no fee to join; you simply sign up for email
alerts. The only downside to this site is once you find something
you like, you may never have it again. I liken it to a (really good)
one night stand! It is best to take advantage of the free shipping,
order the minimum number of bottles (usually 4), and extend the
romance to at least a long weekend. Also, look out for their
marathon days where within a 24 hour period they sell 48-120
different wines at even lower prices. You have to be really quick;
everything goes faster during these selling sprees.
As
I noted, along with the ease and convenience of online wine clubs
comes the benefit of knowledge. Memberships include tasting notes in
every shipment with each bottle, as well as food pairing suggestions
and information about the wineries. WTSO posts this information for
each wine on their site so you can peruse it before purchasing.
So
whether you choose to be a joiner or decide to give WTSO a whirl, the
excitement and benefits of receiving wine through the mail is
something you should experience. Hopefully your state permits the
shipping of alcohol; if not, you may want to consider moving or
buying that second home!
Cin
Cin!
