Updated December 2022
Benefits of joining a wine club
Wine memberships are tempting, especially as you sip through a wine tasting which could be free if only you sign up! However, not all memberships are the same in terms of benefits
Read below to discover the 8 things to consider before joining a wine club.
But first, what do memberships include?
- No monthly or sign-up fees
- Commitment to purchase bottles of wine 2 to 12 times a year
- Benefits: Most common benefits include discounts on bottles and free tastings
Most Important to Consider
1. Is the winery close enough for you to visit often?
Most memberships come with complimentary tastings as a benefit. We find this to be the best value for signing up as a member ONLY if you’ll visit the winery a few times a year.
2. Are there pick-up parties or events?
Not all wineries have such events, but if they do be sure to ask the servers, or other members what they are like. Hopefully you’ll hear that they have older library selections to taste, food, music, and a fun crowd of people to meet. Some like Spring Mountain Vineyard in Napa Valley have had DJs in their wine cave! Wine parties done right will bring a unique experience to the wines, and are a top reason to become a member.
3. If you do not plan to visit often… Is there a delivery fee? How do they ship?
Shipping wine is generally expensive and you’ll risk the wine being mishandled in transportation (temperature changes and vigorous shaking of bottles causes damage). We recommend not joining if your wine has to be shipped.
However, imported high-quality wines have to undergo shipping, so if you opt for such, then it is best to get acquainted with highly rated wine clubs that offer these services.
4. Can you swap wines in your shipment?
You’ll want assurance that you can swap out wines. Let’s be honest… many of us don’t want a Sauvignon Blanc or Rose in our shipments.
5. Is the winery sustainable? Is it a business that you want to support?
Small wineries often struggle with cash flows, as they do not mass produce wine at economies of scale – and club memberships help provide a reliable stream of cash. Thus for our favorite small wineries, we like to support them with memberships so that they can continue to hand-pick, sort, and apply minimal intervention techniques instead of scale up with machinery.
6. Are there exclusive wines you can purchase as a member?
Wine clubs know that getting exclusive access sells! Generally the access is for the priciest wines, which you’ll have to pay for in addition to your shipments. We generally have not found these to be worth it, with the exception being if you get access to amazing library selections and you want to experience how their wines will age.
7. How many wineries do you already belong to?
How much is too much, or too little? We recommend that you plan to cellar at least 20% of the wine bottles you buy, which usually means storing a few bottles a month (in a wine fridge, cool cellar, or closet that stays <60 degrees is ideal). You’ll thank us in a few years when these wines are aged! And if more global epidemics happen like coronavirus… you’ll be glad you have a nice cellar of options.
8. What’s the discount?
Often wines are sold at boutique shops, or go on sale throughout the year so you can get this discount without the commitment of a club membership. We don’t find this to be a huge indicator of value when deciding to join.
