wine-tasting

Best Wine Clubs (with video)

Filed under: Wine

The best wine clubs in the U.S. include several award-winning wineries that produce some of the best wine this country has to offer. Luxist examined the benefits of some of the best, most popular ones, including those from Domaine Carneros, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Duckhorn Vineyards, Far Niente and Cakebread Cellars. There are certain advantages to be had when subscribing to a wine club offered directly from a winery. Here is what we learned:

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards
Located just outside the historic town of Kenwood, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, is known for its intensely flavored and complex award-winning wines. St. Francis grows 100% of its grapes in Sonoma County and was among the first to plant Merlot in the Sonoma Valley, enduring many a raised eyebrow for daring to plant a blending grape on prime soil. In June, the winery was a Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Nominee for Best Domestic Red Wine.

Wine Club:
St. Francis offers three different wine clubs. Called "The Patrons Society", the difference between the three options are selections and shipping schedules. Its "red wine club" ships four, six or eight times per year. The "white wine club" includes six-bottle shipments four times a year (February, May, September and November). The Zinfandel Wine Club ships three bottles per shipment over a six month schedule (February, March, May, June, September and November).

Benefits of Membership:
Members are given the ability to sample small production wines before they are released to the public. Often, the wines are so exclusive, that only wine club members have the opportunity to purchase them, as most never hit store shelves.

Discounts:
Members receive a 20% discount on all Artisan wines and a 25% discount on all Sonoma County tier wines. They also receive a 20% discount on all retail merchandise and on reserve wine & food pairings for two (reservations required).

Freebies:
Complimentary wine tastings at St. Francis' Visitors Center and opportunities for "members only" activities at the winery. Members also receive recipes from the winery's Executive Chef, David Bush, for foods that pair well with the wines. Invitations are extended to members for St. Francis regional events around the country.

Cost:
Price varies, depending on size of shipment and does not include tax and shipping (which costs $14 to $21 for a three bottle shipment by UPS Ground). The white wine club ranges from $80 (for a four bottle shipment) to $91 (for a six bottle shipment). The zinfandel wine club ranges from $96 to $108 (for three bottle shipments). Click here to sign up for the wine club. For more information, call (800) 650-5437.

Gallery: St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

The dining room at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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The Anatomy of a Wine Glass: Size & Shape Matter

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

It's the question that burns in the mind of every novice wine drinker: do all the different sizes and shapes of wine glasses really matter?

The short answer: Yes. Although wine glasses are often admired for their beauty each element, from the bowl to the stem to the foot, serves an important purpose in making sure the wine is served up and enjoyed in its most perfect state. Here's how the basic anatomy of a wine glass breaks down (no pun intended).

The Foot The foot is the flat base that allows the wine glass to stand on its own and not tip over, especially when filled.

The Stem The stem was created so that a wine drinker's hand need never come in contact with the bowl and risk either smudging the glass (and ruin the view of the wine) or warm it with body heat.

The Bowl The bowl of a wine glass is perhaps the most important element, as well as the most stylized. The shape and size of the bowl affects how the aromas are trapped and circulated, how much aeration occurs, and how the wine is showcased

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Tags: luxist-awards, main-pedia, wine, wine glasses, wine tasting, wine-glasses, wine-pedia, wine-tasting, WineGlasses, WineTasting

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Inhale the Essence of Wine with Silhouette

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine

Most wine connoisseurs know that drinking wine is an experience that employs pouring, swirling, inhaling through the nose, and tasting on the palette but all that can be enhanced by the glass chosen. There are specific shapes for Bordeaux versus chenin blanc, each improving the feel of that specific wine. The shape of the glass particularly effects the nose of the wine and now there is a glass that boosts that experience more than any other. The Silhouette Glass sports a unique cut-out shape to provide maximum nasal reach into the glass and a more intimate tasting experience. These crystal glasses allow you to touch the glass all the way up to your forehead when taking in the essence of the wine at its deepest reach. And at $54 each they are not a cheap purchase but the Silhouette glass may make such a difference you'll be knocking a notch out of all your glasses.

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Tags: silhouette-glass, silhouette-wine, wine-glass, wine-glasses, wine-tasting