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Quick Take: DirectCellars.com

Here’s a new Quick Take for ya, and this one is an affiliate link. There’s a kicker at the bottom, and it actually really got my attention. Really. Read on for more!

So today’s Quick Take is from DirectCellars.com – and they have a pretty interesting concept in the whole wine world. First up, here’s a link: DirectCellars.com-Great Wines, Exceptional Prices, Delivered to Your Doorstep! Click here!

Really, though, DirectCellars.com is different…HOW?

I see three different varieties of membership. Hmmm. Here they are:

Wine Lovers. Basic, two reds, two whites, or one of each. $50 a month.

Red Wine Trio. They do the hard work. “Hand-picked reds of the world.” $60 a month. Three bottles.

Connoisseur’s Choice. Two bottles, but “best wines on the planet.” $75 a month.

But, Dave, what’s that kicker that really got your attention?

“Always free shipping.”

So wait, think about that for a second. Schlep over to the wine store, or use another club that charges for shipping…or go for the “all in” price above. I like the thought of not having that extra shipping charge every month.

Here’s that link again – it’s an affiliate link to DirectCellars.com. Good luck and happy shopping!

Quick Take: Global Wine Cellars

You had me at “Reds of Italy.” Affiliate Links below, meaning we’re compensated if you buy through this link.

Today’s Quick Take features Global Wine Cellars: they’re running a pretty darn cool special on Reds of Italy. Enjoy exceptional reds from 3 of Italy’s premier growing regions. Only $49.99 (a $59.75 value).

Global Wine Cellars

Italian Reds from Global Wine Cellars

Elsewhere on these pages, we’ve reviewed a couple reds from Italy. (That sound you hear is me scratching my head trying to remember which ones…OH, that’s right: Montepulciano! So maybe it’s just one red from Italy. We really liked it, it was from Aldi, and often the big, bold red grapes from Aldi are, indeed, a tremendous value.)

But what about THESE Reds from Italy? Well, we have yet to take advantage of this particular deal – though we’ve heard good things about Global Wine Cellars – here are the three that, as of this writing (December 10, 2014), they are featuring on the site:

Dolcetto

Though the name means “little sweet one,” that doesn’t refer to the taste but, rather, the ease of growing and making the wine from this grape. It’s also the everyday red for people in the Piedmont.

Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

They do blends in Italy, and even blends of grapes more popular in, say, the Bordeaux region. Of France. France and Italy DO get along!

Nebbiolo

The name means “little fog,” and it’s considered the “most noble” grape among those grown in Italy.

More than Italian Reds

Not interested in wines from Italy this time around? No worries, spin through the Global Wine Cellars site and see what else is there – again, “Global” is the operative word. Hand-crafted, boutique wines, delivered. 25% off your first club shipment and no shipping charges.

Fine print: wines subject to change, per the website. We make no guarantees, use the affiliate link at your discretion, and Global Wine Cellars terms and conditions will apply here.

 

Quick Take: California Wine Club

Today’s Quick Take is, for us, a trip down memory lane. All links in this post are Affiliate Links – so we may be compensated if you sign up as a result. Read on!

Way, way back when – we’re talking MID-1990s – we signed up for a deal with something called The California Wine Club. It was our first foray into a wine club – and, given the fact this was actually pre-Internet, a really novel concept for the time. This Quick Take revisits the California Wine Club – and finds tons of options to choose from.

The Drill…

It’s one of the first non-magazine subscriptions we ever signed up for. Every month, we received a couple bottles of wine – and there were tasting notes and recipes and more in each shipment. It was a great way to learn about wine, and to discover wines and wineries that weren’t household names. A great deal for us newbies.

They’re still at it over there at The California Wine Club – and you can use one of the links below to sign up.

California Wine Club

Mom and Pop Wines? They’ve got that: The California Wine Club – Handcrafted, Quality Wines from “Mom & Pop” Wineries. No Bulk Wine.

Actually, the variety is pretty stellar – we could send you to a variety of different products:

Buy The California Wine Club’s Signature Series for yourself
OR
Buy The California Wine Club’s Aged Cabernet for yourself
OR
The California Wine Club’s International Wine Club for a global wine experience.

Free Shipping?

We love this deal – if you give a Premier Club membership as a gift, you’ll get free shipping. Free Shipping Offer.*read the fine print over at the landing page.

Considering they go BEYOND just California – there’s International, there’s Pacific Northwest! – tons of stuff to try out over at The California Wine Club!

Quick Take: Plonk Wine Club

Back with another Quick Take. If you missed yesterday’s from Cameron Hughes, well, don’t fret. Here’s another thing you can take a look at.

Quick Take: Plonk Wine Club

Today’s Quick Take is on the Plonk Wine Club, and we’ll tell you up front this is an Affiliate Link. That means we will be compensated if you sign up using this particular link:

Plonk Wine Club Signup Form

Alas, this is one of those wine clubs that uses a combination of smarts, savvy, and, dare we say it, sex appeal; all done to make sure you get the best possible wine selection. Want an example of what we’re talking about? Check out the video and get to know Etty, who knows her stuff.

One of the cool features of this club – tasting notes with recipes, and they’re right on the website. For instance…here’s what they say about one of the wines available this month.

Brack Mountain Fable Charbono 2010
Napa Valley, California

Charbono, also known as Bonarda (in Argentina) or Douce Noir (in France), is an obscure red variety with historic roots in the Savoie region of France. This fantastic California grown example hails from the Napa Valley, is fermented with native yeasts, and aged in neutral oak barrels. You’ll see tons of black currant, blueberry and blackberry fruit here as well as a firm core of acidity that maintains a wonderful liveliness on the palate. Only 518 cases produced.

Pair with:

Recipes courtesy of
Fun, eh?
Check ’em out…we plan on sampling the wines in the near future and we’ll give you our review. But Etty has turned Plonk into a name you can trust, so, if the price point is up your alley, give it a whirl.
Cheers!

Quick Takes

Quick Take: Cameron Hughes Wine on Groupon

Starting a new feature here called “Quick Take.” We’re sharing a link – sometimes it’s an “affiliate link,” but today’s isn’t – because it’s something we think is a tremendous value. And it appears to be a “Limited Time Only” thing today. So, here it is…

Cameron Hughes WineCameron Hughes Wine on Groupon

Dave here, and, in the interest of full disclosure, I worked for the Cameron Hughes team for a couple years, mostly doing in-person wine events – “brand ambassador” stuff – and spent a ton of time talking up their stuff while standing at a table at a Costco.

[Hey, that reminds me, didn’t we do a post on buying alcohol at Costco? Yes, yes we did! Here’s a link.]

So this particular deal jumped out at me – because of what I know about their business model, and because of how I saw people BUY Cam’s wine at Costco, I can vouch for the following:

1. You’re getting more than $60 worth of wine

Supply, demand, etc. – there is a glut of expensive wine, especially in California, and Cam figured this out years ago. I used to tell people that the stuff will drink like it’s $30, but you’re buying it for much less.

2. Costco did “dry tastings;” the stuff STILL sold

You can’t sample wine at Costco – it’s a policy they may have tried to relax from time to time, but, for the most part, you have to take a chance.

When I did “dry tastings,” I often was politely ignored by people in the know; they’d reach right past me and take a few bottles or even a case. Without having sampled the particular wine before.

Word of Mouth and/or Cam’s marketing newsletter had told them it was coming to Costco. And because of the track record, spending $12-$15 on a bottle of wine was a worthwhile investment. THIS ONE IS $10 a bottle.

Enough already…where’s the link?

Again, this is not an affiliate link – I just found this and wanted to share it with the Metasip community. You should totally take a chance on this. Trust me.

Cameron Hughes Wine on Groupon.

PS – a number of different samplers. Red-only, white-only, and a mix. I’m not a huge Chardonnay guy, and any mention of the word “Meritage” gets me rather excited. So I’m going with the red.

Final note: I penned this on Thursday afternoon, November 20. You’ve got til midnight Central Time – TODAY – to take advantage.