I've done a lot of catering work in the past and one thing I learned is that all wines are definitely not created equal. It's interesting also, that the most expensive are not necessarily the best. So many factors go into creating a wonderful wine. I sometimes had a hard time choosing wines with so many options out there.
For years Pam and Bruce Boring, proprietors of the California Wine Club also were frustrated trying to find truly great wine. They realized that the ones they liked most were ones their friends had recommended. And, this is how The California Wine Club began, a wine of the month club that in their words was just like "one friend recommending a great bottle of wine to another friend."
This is one of my favorite aspects of this particular club. Now in their 20th year of business, they love to travel California's wine country searching out the wineries and meeting the families behind the vineyard, and getting to discover some of the very best.
What a great idea for the holiday season. You can gift friends or your spouse or yourself! It's a unique gift because each wine comes from an artisan hand-picked winery. I love the idea of having wine packaged beautifully and delivered to your home each month at reasonable rates. I love discovering varieties I might never have found. And, most of all, I love sharing it with family and friends.
There are four options to choose from, for every taste and budget:
The Premier Club: The most popular plan with handcrafted award-winning wines and their Uncorked magazine
The Signature Series: For the collector or connoisseur featuring the highest rated wines from California
International Selections - a global wine adventure featuring 'mom and pop' wineries from around the world
Aged Cabernet Series - Napa Valley's most prestigious Cabernets aged 8-12 years
I was sent two bottles to sample, both from the Robledo Family Winery.
First up, we tried the Robledo Family Winery 2008 Lake County "Seven Brothers" Sauvignon Blanc.
Their description
Aromas of honeysuckle and mango waft from your glass of this yummy
Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate, green tea, citrus and lemongrass make
this white a rich and complex.
Bronze Medal, 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
I enjoyed this wine, finding it to be a refreshing complement to a late summer or early fall light meal. I would pair it with light salads and seafood. I loved the fruity, crisp taste.
On a different day, we tried the Robledo Family Winery 2009 Napa Valley "Seven Brothers" Tempranillo
Their description:
This wine has a bright ruby color with heavy aromas of cranberry,
blackberry, cinnamon, spice and toasted oak. The flavors of dried black
fruit, toasted cedar and tobacco mingle with great acidity and strong
tannins to produce a long, rich finish.
I did prefer this one of the two, though both were very good. This is a great wine to pair with Italian food or meat.
This wine is rich and full-bodied and perfect for Fall and Winter, perfect for sipping by the fire.
I very much recommend the California Wine Club. I lived in Napa Valley for a few years and it is one of the most gorgeous places in the world. I can see why the owners love to explore there and the surrounding areas and we get to experience their adventures each month delivered to our door. Fabulous!
Oh, and did I mention that membership costs nothing, you can cancel anytime, and every wine is 100%
guaranteed.
You can check them out at www.cawineclub.com, on Facebook and on Twitter.
I'm looking forward to next month's shipment. And, in December, I'll also be offering a giveaway so you can experience the California Wine Club's artisan wines for yourself, so stay tuned!
Cheers!
This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. I received a 2 month Membership to the California Wine Club for the purpose of this review.
