Napa Wine Clubs 101

Wine clubs were something that I researched a lot once I decided that I enjoyed tasting and experiencing local wines. Almost every winery offered at least one club, and from an initial look they seemed to be a good deal if you like the wines and wanted to visit. Becoming a member at a winery that has tasting fees of $20-$50/person can pay for itself after one or two complementary visits for you and up to 3 additional guests.

Since there are so many wine club options (and great wines all over the valley) Alex and I typically join 2-3 wine clubs a year at the wineries that we LOVE all of their wines. This allows us to visit with our friends and family, check out the members only events, receive special wine club only allocations, and keep things interesting by rotating after we've received 9-12 bottles from a particular winery.

What I consider when deciding to join a club:

1. Do I LOVE the wines? 
• If you don't love the wines, don't join! There is no way that you are going to feel good about a winery that you are constantly gifting their bottles, and you won't want to visit and taste there more than once or twice!

2.  What are the different club options?
• Most wineries have club options that range greatly in the amount of bottles that you receive, and the overall price.
• Some wineries offer a club with bottles that are difficult to find, single vineyard, small production vs a general club where you will receive both some of their mass distribution and small production. 
• I tend to gravitate towards the small production or "winery exclusive" wines option (the slightly higher priced one), because I like receiving discounts on wines that I will not be able to match the price by going to Costco or BevMo.
• There usually is a mixed, white only, or reds only club, with a 3, 6, or 12 bottle offering per shipment.

3. What will my discount be?
• Unless you are saving a minimum of 15%, it might not be worth joining. I look for 20-25%, but will make exceptions if it is exceptional wine that I can't find online for less.

4. How much is this going to cost?
• Many clubs will show you a typical cost per shipment and a shipping cost. Once you calculate how much this will cost you a year, you can decide if you can afford this club? Do you want to spend your money on this?
• One way to reduce costs is to ask to pick up your shipments at the winery. We always choose this option, it's a great way to save $20-$30 each shipment and an even better excuse to get out to a tasting!

5. Do I like the people who work there? 

• I've joined a couple of wine clubs in the past where I really didn't connect with the people that worked there. Just like friends or acquaintances, who wants to spend time with people that they don't enjoy their company?

6. How many people can I bring to the winery for free?

• Being able to take a total of 4 people to enjoy a complimentary tour or tasting really will encourage you to visit more often. We take family when they come from out of town, or friends who want to take a day trip. It's a great thing to do to entertain and without having to pay.

7. What is the typical cost for tasting?

• If a typical tasting is over $20/person, then it definitely entices me to join. Otherwise, I could just visit the winery and pay the tasting fee.

8. How many events do they have each year and what is the cost?

• Many wine clubs have great events that are at a discounted cost or free for members. Some of the best events that we have been to are Fall Release Parties at Cakebread Cellars, serving gourmet bites paired with delicious wines. Other great events are quarterly Merryvale pick up parties, featuring local catering and barrel tastings.
• If the events look like something you want to attend, this may be another reason to join!

Did I miss something? If you've joined clubs in the past, what are some of the things that you have considered in your decisions? Please comment!

Below are links to some of wine clubs that we have joined over the years:

Cakebread Cellars

Cellar 360

Schramsberg

Merryvale

Nickel and Nickel

A November to Remember: Recap of The Appellation Trail Event Experience

Last Friday, The Appellation Trail was finally here! We drove up to Napa and checked into the Westin. After relaxing, changing, and mentally preparing for the evening, we made our way downstairs to take advantage of the free local wine tasting and appetizers during the hosted happy hour. The wine wasn't to my liking and I really wanted to save room for the food pairings at The Appellation Trail so we ended up just relaxing until our driver arrived. As soon as we met Janette, we jumped into the backseat of our car and were off to the Culinary Institute for the event. Once we were dropped off, we entered a bright white tent and the madness began! Beringer, Stags' Leap, and Etude, were some of the first wineries that we laid our eyes on while scoping out the first hall of the event. As soon as I tasted my first sip of the 2008 Etude Heirloom Pinot Noir, I looked up and saw Richard Blais (Top Chef All Stars Winner). Immediately, I found myself standing next to him asking for a picture. Afterwards, I tried his small plate offering of lamb and polenta...it was delicious. I quickly realized just how lucky I felt to be there and was ready to continue along the appellation trail, taking it all in with every step.

Once we saw how many wineries were there in person, Alex and I decided to try one wine at each winery that we had not tasted at before, and split our tastings. We would check out different booths and meet in between them to swap glasses. We often shared the small plates as well, with a few exceptions...some of the standouts were: The Restaurant at Meadowood and Ad Hoc, but truly - they were all delicious! The wines were outstanding as well, we fell in love with Chiarello Family Vineyards Eileen Cabernet Sauvignon and loved tasting wines such as Joseph Phelps Insignia, Spotted Owl, Dutch Henry, and other wines that we would rarely or never have the opportunity to taste. The event was a really fun and special time, after a few rooms, and many tastings, it was difficult to differentiate between the wines, but we kept going anyways! Along the way, we ran into the innkeepers from our favorite bed and breakfast in Napa...we will reserve raving about their inn, because blogging about it the next time we are there is a great excuse to go back soon :) 

This event was like going to Disneyland for wine lovers and foodies alike. We both felt that is was worth every penny and have already marked it as an event to return to next year. A little past two hours of wining and dining, we were stuffed and ready to head back to our hotel. We texted our driver, and we were back in our car and off to the hotel within 10 minutes! She gave us great recommendations for a few wineries to check out, took us back to our hotel, and we were happy to fork over the $35/hr for a quick, safe ride!

After downing a liter of water, to hydrate for our tours and tastings scheduled for Saturday, we both were fast asleep as soon as our heads hit the bed!

Tips

• Buy your tickets as far in advance as possible, they sell out!
• If you want to book your stay using Starwood, Marriott, any type of points, try to book immediately for the best chances of availability.
• If you do not have a designated driver, look into your transportation options quickly. This is Napa and cabs won't be as easy to come by.
• Hydrate and share tastings! You probably still will not remember the majority of the wines, but this way you won't need to be carried to the car!
• Have Fun! This is not the type of event to take serious tasting notes, but there will be some very seriously delicious wines and dishes...enjoy it!

Taste of Planning

I love heading to wine country during this time of year, because it is so beautiful. The valley is full of colorful bright red leaves and green and golden vines. For California, it truly feels like fall as you drive through the vineyards. This is also the time right after harvest season, when there are really great events for the holidays.

In June, I was looking for a fun Napa event and stumbled upon Flavor! Napa Valley. It appeared to be one of the biggest food and wine events of the year. It was a ways away in November, but it looked like something that would sell out quickly. Reading into it, I saw that there were four crazy days of amazing Michelin star rated cuisine, paired with premium California wines. The events ranged from cooking demonstrations, to winemakers meals, to guided wine tastings. I was really excited after reading the event summaries and seeing names that I recognized like Thomas Keller, Michael Chiarello, and wineries like Schramsberg, Merryvale, Duckhorn, Silver Oak, Nickel & Nickel...I had to know more about the events so I could decided which one to go to.

After further research of the past events by googling Flavor! Napa Valley, I decided that the Appellation Trail, a wine and food tasting event featuring 30+ restaurants and over 100 wineries segmented by their Napa neighborhood, was THE EVENT to attend. It was a little pricey, at $150/person, but it seemed worth while. Once we had decided to go, I bought the tickets and the planning began! I wanted the focus of the weekend to be on the event, and was willing to find budget options for the rest of our trip to make this a great weekend without burning a huge hole in our pockets.

Planning 

First, I booked the hotel. Since I planned this trip so far in advance, we were able to use Starwood points to book a room at the Westin Verasa Napa. We have other places in Napa that we LOVE to stay at, but this worked in our budget for the trip.

Next, it was time to figure out what our best option for getting to and from the Culinary Institute. It was located about 20 miles away from our hotel, and it was not an event that either of us were willing to give up our good time to be a responsible driver for. I came across a service while deciding between a cab or a sedan called My Napa Valley Driver, which provided a driver to meet you at your hotel and drive you in your car for $35/hour. There was no minimum time required and they were extremely flexible about drop off/pick up times - so we booked it!

Lastly, I knew that the next day we would want to visit a winery or two on the way home so I booked tastings at two wineries, Flora Springs and Honig. Once the planning was complete, I was able to relax and get ready to enjoy the exciting weekend to come!