Wine Club of the Month
Are you hoping to become an experienced purchaser of fine wines? Accurate presentation of wines at your table simply enhances your quality of life, whether you enjoy this culture for yourself or share it with others. A wine club of the month facilitates your choices and takes you to varietals that you might otherwise miss trying.
There are six basic types of wine, and a good wine club of the month will introduce you to each of them.
- Red wines come from darker grapes, sometimes called black grapes. The skins remain part of the process when the grapes are fermented. When you drink Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Syrah, you are experiencing a red wine.
- White wines are made from white grapes—the ones that actually look green or gold to the eye. Sometimes darker grapes are utilized, but their skins are removed. If you choose Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay (including the popular Chablis), Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Gerwütztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Semillon, you are trying a white wine.
- Rosé wine results when the vintner begins the fermentation process with darker grapes and then removes the skins before the process is completed. He can adjust the color of the wine accordingly. Rosés also result from blended wines. You will also hear them referred to as blush wines.
- Sparkling wines are carbonated—you know them as champagne. But true champagne comes only from a specific area in France. Sparkling wines with similar characteristics are, however, produced in many places throughout the world.
- Fortified wines include brandy, sherry, and port, which are wines fermented to produce a higher level of alcohol content. Often they contain more sugar than the average dessert wine.
- Dessert wines are sweeter wines (but not necessarily stronger wines), resulting from more time on the vine before harvest or with sugar added during fermentation. Note that vintners in the warm California climates are not permitted to add sugar. Dessert wines stand up to sweet fruits served for dessert or even match the bold taste of fine chocolate.
When you choose a wine club of the month, you will opt for wine selections that fit your general tastes and pocketbook. Prices range from $20 to $150—and beyond. Some people prefer to receive just their favorite type, and others like to be surprised when the monthly or quarterly offering arrives.
You will also learn about wine ratings. Most clubs adhere to ratings provided by a varying panel of oenophiles whose hobby is wine tasting and evaluation. A wine’s number will range from 50 through 100, and think of this number as corresponding to a school’s letter grade. A rank of 100-90 deserves an A. If you see a score of 89 to 80, it is a B. The key to interpreting this is that while an 84 and an 83 will be very similar, a 90 will be decidedly better than an 89. Wines in the Seventies are C wines, and the Sixties earn a D. Do you really want to try something in the Fifties?
Expect a wine club of the month to take you to new heights in your search for products that you will love and seek out. This kind of club allows access to products at better prices than you will find elsewhere, so you will be able to recommend your favorites to friends and give them as gifts.
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