Corks & Forks: Wine club membership makes great gift
By Viki Eierdam for The Columbian
Published: December 11, 2015, 6:01am
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Aside from discounts on wine purchases, wine clubs afford members access to exclusive pouring events. (Dan Eierdam)Photo Gallery
The Christmas season is in full swing and no doubt there’s someone on every list that seems to have it all. If that hard-to-buy-for special someone is a wine lover, you’re in luck. A wine club membership is a terrific gift idea.
Just about every winery has a wine club, but what exactly is it all about and is it worth joining? If you find yourself drinking the same label at least a few times a year, it certainly could be. At the core of every wine club are discounts on wine with a commitment to purchase a set amount of bottles each quarter. That could start at 15 percent off per bottle with a minimum three-bottle purchase and increase to 25 percent off case purchases, depending on the winery.
Other benefits include waived tasting fees, pre-release notice of new wines and exclusive wine club pick-up parties that include appetizers and sometimes even a full dinner.
Another aspect of wine clubs to consider is a specialty that suits the preference of the individual. Rusty Grape Vineyard in Battle Ground offers 10 percent off site rentals in addition to one free pizza on Sundays, wine club-only dinners and tastings and, through the month of December, every person who signs up for the wine club will receive a $10 gift card.
If live music and vino are the appeal, seek out a venue that caters to this. For example, Moulton Falls Winery in Yacolt plays host to several specialty concerts per year so, in addition to bottle discounts and waived tasting fees, discounted or complimentary tickets on musical events are offered.
Know someone who’d like to add a little knowledge to their wine appreciation hobby? Members of Confluence Vineyards in Ridgefield receive special pricing on quarterly wine education classes as well as 15 percent to 25 percent off purchases of their French oak-aged reds.
For fans of Spanish wines, Emanar Cellars, located in Battle Ground Village, features Club La Cata, where authentic tapas are served at their quarterly pick-up parties and their three-bottle-per-quarter commitment will have members traveling all over Spain without leaving the comforts of home.
Many vintners consider themselves boutique, but Olequa Cellars in Battle Ground, at about 200 cases annually, is the very definition of a small, exclusive winery, and Brian Tansy’s chemistry background ensures that his whites have nice acidity and floral notes and his reds are deep and luscious. Free tastings and 15 percent to 20 percent wine discounts are extended to members.
To cross millennials off your list, consider the Junior Wine Club — aimed at folks under age 35 — at Yacolt’s Pomeroy Cellars. With a minimum two-bottle purchase to join and six-bottle purchase per calendar year, this is an excellent way to cultivate an interest in small batch craft wines to a younger audience.
Have a history buff to please? Battle Ground’s Heisen House Vineyards is situated on a National and State Historic Site that’s accented by rows of estate-grown grapes. As a wine club member, be the first to try the winemaker’s newest releases and enjoy 15 percent off all wine purchases.
As with all gift-giving, knowing a little bit about the wine lover in your life can steer you to the right wine club for them. Rest assured there’s one out there to suit every palate.
Viki Eierdam is a Clark County native who lives in Battle Ground. She is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Read the Corks & Forks blog at blogs.columbian.com/corks-and-forks
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