We were a little skeptical when we received news of a new wine club, Club W – geared toward the contemporary wine drinker who may have “more class than cash.”The stated aim of the club is to present lesser known but high value boutique wines at affordable prices and bring wine into the 21st century with convenient videos from sommeliers and a hip attitude.
We tried one of of their club offerings, The Guardian, a Sonoma Cabernet. One interesting element of the label is a QR code that will send your smart phone or tablet to a web page about the wine. All the facts are there plus a quirky YouTube video. The host has a sense of style, witness the plaid sport coat, and provides a very engaging overview of the wine. The food pairing suggestions are also clever. For this Cab, for example, a suggested meal was bangers and mash.
The Guardian really delivers in terms of taste. This has a plush flavor of black currant and smoke. The tannins are seamless and the finish is like a watery wave crashing on the beach. This is one fine Cabernet!
What is astounding to me is the price point. When I looked at the web page, it listed it as $21.99 for members and $30 for non-members. That’s a pretty good value – but as I looked more closely, I saw that this is the price for a duo – two bottles of Sonoma goodness!
Members of Club W aren’t required to buy wine at any time. The pricing is mostly between $15 and $25, with some very good deals offered. They also offer “experiences” which are multi-bottle shipments ranging from $40 per month for three bottles or $120 per month for 12.
Although I prefer to patronize our local wine shops, I do buy wine on the internet. Club W is a creative and tasty addition to online options for wine lovers.
Full disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.
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