Club Vino
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There is also partial vineyard ownership. Wine gurus tout Mendoza, Argentina as the next Napa Valley. From enterprising ex-pats David Garrett and Michael Evans comes the Vines of Mendoza. In addition to an Argentine wine club and Mendoza tasting room, they sell vineyard estate land that can be planted and managed by their team. They will even make your wine for you and ship it to a U.S. address. Or for the ultimate in clubs, limited to just 400 members, consider the Napa Valley Reserve, a new club from Bill Harlan (of Harlan Estate and Bond fame). A $150,000 initial buy-in purchases access to prime vineyards, a state-of-the-art winery facility and top winemaking staff; the cost of finished wines are additional. When you consider that the purchase of one acre of choice Napa Valley vineyard land is at least $300,000 before winemaking staff and crush facility, the Reserve is an attractive way to own a piece of Napa and get one-of-a-kind wines for your cellar. The perks are in the intangibles, such as being introduced to some of the most well-known names in the wine industry like noted enologist Michel Rolland and winemaker Bob Levy.
| Due diligence questions | |
| 1. | How many wines will I receive per year? |
| 2. | How often are wines delivered? |
| 3. | Do you have a schedule of wines that are included in the wine club shipments for the upcoming year? |
| 4. | What is the discount for wine club members and does it extend to purchases on all wines, not just those in the club shipments? |
| 5. | Will the wines I receive be available in general distribution or are they unique to the club? |
| 6. | Will I have access to library wines or past vintages? |
| 7. | Are there any special events for wine club members? |
| 8. | Will you charge my credit card now or at the time the wine is shipped? |
| 9. | Can I reorder wines in the club shipments at the wine club discount? |
| 10. | How much do you charge for shipping an average wine club shipment? |
The big players
Colgin Cellars The Napa Valley cult wine producer with a stellar record since its founding in 1992.
K&L Wine Merchants The San Francisco wine retailer with strong Bordeaux selections.
Wally’s Los Angeles’ wine retailer of choice.
Broadbent Selections Wine Club Importer Bartholomew Broadbent, son of esteemed wine writer Michael Broadbent, has a portfolio of wines from Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
The Vines of Mendoza Part wine club, part vineyard management company, part destination, Vines of Mendoza is the connection to Argentine wines.
Napa Valley Reserve The ultimate in wine clubs and vineyard membership.
CrushPad Democratizing winemaking, San Francisco’s urban winemaking facility.
Destination Cellars provides their members with exclusive access to some of the most prestigious wineries around the world.
