Wine Clubs Review: Pop the Cork ...

Very quietly, U.S. wine consumption has reached an all time high.

In 2008, wine sales reached $25 billion on 306 million cases sold, both records, according to Wine Spectator magazine.

Even so, there are still many who believe they don’t know enough about wine to go to tastings, order in a restaurant or choose a bottle at a store.

Several area retailers offer wine clubs as a way to make wine less mysterious. Even better, they tend to be “snob-free” zones, where it doesn’t matter whether you know the difference between Merlot and Chardonnay.

WineStyles has worked hard to make wine accessible to all. Owners Jeff and Hallie Sale allow club members to receive two bottles of wine per month for $35 or three bottles monthly for $50. The club also includes discounts on purchases and invitations to private tastings and events.

Louanne Dietrich, a sales representative at Stoneridge Flooring Design, joined because she was new in town and wanted to meet people. “It’s a great place to learn about wine in a nonpretentious way,” she says. “We’ve found a lot of new tastes, and Hallie and Jeff are fantastic friends.”

One of Dietrich’s best experiences was holding her husband’s surprise 50th birthday party at WineStyles with food and live music while the store was open. “We had people who weren’t invited who joined us,” she says.

Vino100 offers similar benefits, with club members paying $35 a month to receive two bottles of wine not yet available in the store, suggested food pairings for each, discount offers, and invitations to special events and tastings.

George and Vanessa Irons have known owner Matt Bekebrede since before the store opened, and they were among the earliest members. They enjoy the educational aspects of the wine club.

“Through the Vino 101 and 201 classes, you learn what it is when a wine has a good nose or great legs,” says Vanessa Irons, employment and training coordinator for Experience Works Inc. “We get to taste wines from all over the world and meet the people who make the wine.”

A relative newcomer to the wine scene is PFI Western’s Diamond Ridge Market. Wine expert Tyler Jolley offers a paid club option or free tastings for people just starting out.

The tastings are the last Thursday of each month, and all that’s required is an RSVP by phone or Twitter.

For $40 a month, members receive two bottles of wine and store discounts. Terry Parker, a branch manager for Prime Source, says membership has, “broadened my palate by tasting wines that I wouldn’t normally try. Tyler is really good at directing people toward wines that expand your horizons.”

The Brown Derby International Wine Center caters to connoisseurs and newbies. With three plans, ranging between $45 and $125 per month, there is something for everyone.

The Vineyard Adventure plan gets people started, while the Premier Cru and Cellar Master plans allow members to receive aged, collectible wines from top producers.

In Branson, Palate’s wine club is customizable. Members select from six categories, then choose how many bottles they would like and at what price point.

“If you are interested in learning about wine, there is really no better education than tasting wines you enjoy with people who enjoy tasting and talking about wine,” says Shawn Battagler, who with his wife, Jennifer, is a member of Vino100’s wine club.

The Battaglers maintain busy lifestyles – Shawn is an attorney at Andereck, Evans, Widger, Johnson & Lewis LLC, and Jennifer is director of philanthropy at St. John’s Foundation for Community Health – and they say there are key elements to consider when joining a club: proximity to the home, wines varieties available, and staff expertise.[[In-content Ad]]