Since gifting is on everyone’s mind these days, I thought I would share more about what wine clubs are about (or at least the ones I am familiar with) and why they make such a wonderful holiday gift for a family member, a good friend or even for you.  Some reasons to give a wine club membership as a gift:

1. Gifts are received throughout the year (not just once).
2. The recipient has an opportunity to learn about the wine sent in each shipment.
3. There are usually other perks attached to being a wine club member aside from the gift itself, like purchase discounts, invitations to member only events, etc.
4. Wine club memberships are available at various price points.
5. A wine club membership is very personalized and this is one of the few gifts that can be paid for over time (you usually pay at the time of shipment).  

   Determine what your goals are with the membership. 

   There are numerous styles of wine clubs, so think about what is important to you before you purchase a membership.  Is it to share your favorite style of wine with the recipient of the gift?  Is it to learn about a specific region or a specific type of wine?  Is it to taste diverse and/or exotic wines?  Is it to obtain wines that are unavailable elsewhere?  Is it to be included in social functions aside from tasting the wines? 

    Determine what your budget is

    Some wine club shipments cost about $20 a month while others are $100 a month.  Other wine clubs send shipments quarterly or every six months and range in price.  Are you looking for quality, quantity, or a balance of the two? 

    Weigh the additional perks that the wine club offers

   Some wine clubs offer discounts for members on all purchases.  Others offer members free tastings, and some offer events that are exclusive to members only.  Others have all of these perks, as well as gifts, recipes, etc. 

   Read between the lines

   Flexibility is a beautiful thing. Some wineries allow you to cancel your membership at any time, while others have a minimum time period commitment.  Make sure you inform yourself of any cancellation policies.  In the case of a gift, it is best to discuss the number of shipments to be gifted upfront with the winery to avoid misunderstandings.  If the gift recipient chooses to continue their membership after those shipments have been received, that’s up to them to decide. Some wine clubs, like Honig, are very flexible, allowing members to opt out of shipments if they choose to, change or add to shipments.  Others send and charge every shipment automatically.   Also, ask about sign up and shipping costs to avoid surprises.  Some wineries charge a flat fee while most charge shipping based on where the wine is going.  Make sure the recipient of the gift doesn’t live in a “non-ship” state.  There are ten of them right now but the laws change pretty frequently.