Though specifics may vary by winery, all wine clubs on the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail offer valuable benefits to members. Whether you’re an occasional wine drinker or an oenophile, here are 8 reasons why you should join the [wine] club!
1) Membership is FREE
There is no cost to join a Trail wine club. Members simply agree to purchase and receive a specific number of wine selections, depending on the membership chosen.
General’s Ridge Vineyard (GRV) offers five different membership packages via its Executive Wine Club, each containing four bottles of wine, available for pickup 3x/year: EWC Red Club, EWC White Club, EWC Sweet Club, EWC Dry club, EWC Pick Your Own. Members agree to a minimum of three club pickups from the date of membership.
The Good Luck Club from Good Luck Cellars (GLC) selects three wines quarterly for the “Club Box”, available at three membership levels: Horseshoe (3 bottles), Pot of Gold (6 bottles), or Shamrock (12 bottles.)
Ingleside Vineyards also offers quarterly 3, 6, and 12-bottle memberships, via its Ingleside Estate Club. Wines are available in all red, all white, or mixed, selected specifically for the Club. Memberships are offered for a minimum of 6 months (2 releases.)
The Jacey Vineyard Wine Club quarterly offers a mix of red and white wines in 3, 6, and 12-bottle series memberships, for a minimum of two shipments.
2) Discounts
Wine club selections are discounted, some as high as 20%. Memberships provide even more savings, as Trail wineries offer member discounts for additional bottles and cases, and other purchases.
GRV provides a 15% discount on additional wine purchases, as well as select food purchases, most events, and accommodations at the vineyard. Enjoy a 20% discount on all purchases of GLC wine (bottles) in the winery’s tasting room, as well as online wine orders (for winery/car-side pickup or shipping to residence.) The winery also offers members exclusive and pre-sale offers not available to the public.
Ingleside’s Preferred Pricing for members includes 10% off single bottle purchases or 20% off case purchases in its Tasting Room and Online Store. Members also receive discounts to many of the winery’s regular ticketed events.
Members of the Jacey Vineyard Wine Club receive 10% off single bottle purchases and 20% off case purchases in the Tasting Room and Online Store.
3) Private Events
Wine club members may receive invitations to private, member-only events. Quarterly “Pick-Up Parties” (when members can pick up their membership selections) may include live music, a DJ, food and other activities exclusively for Club members in reserved spaces. Ingleside Estate Club members can experience Estate Club After Hours, when the winery stays open late on select Friday nights during the summer,
with a food truck and DJ or live music onsite. Members can also participate in Estate Club Spring and Fall Barrel Tastings, sampling the future wines of Ingleside with the winemaking team.
4) Complimentary Tastings
Visit a winery after becoming a member of their wine club and you might receive a complimentary or discounted tasting flight, or a complimentary glass of wine. For example, one of the perks of a Good Luck Cellars wine club membership is a complimentary, self-guided flight (up to five tastings) for members each time they visit the winery. Ingleside offers a complimentary glass of wine or 10% off on tasting flights for members when they visit.
5) Convenience
Wine clubs save money AND time by letting someone else choose wine for you based on your preferences, package it up, and charge it through your membership. All you have to do is pick up your parcel onsite at the winery, either curbside or during dedicated wine club pick-up events. Some wineries even offer shipping for an additional fee.
6) Expert Advice
Whether you are new to wine or a longtime oenophile, wine clubs help members discover new wines. Jacey Vineyards, for example, includes not only Jacey wines in its membership series, but also features at least one national or international bottle, hand-selected by one of Virginia’s premier importers. This wine might be from a world famous, iconic vineyard or perhaps a new, emerging brand or wine category.
7) Exclusive Access
Wineries often give wine club members exclusive preview access to newly released wines, before they are available to the public. Ingleside also provides exclusive access to select Ingleside Library Wines, which include vintage and aged wines, as well as member-only wines, such as limited-production wines exclusively for the wine club.
8) Wine Education
With each membership selection, wineries may include Tasting Notes and Pairing Recipes. Tasting notes help wine drinkers compare various wines, identify flavors and aromas, develop their own personal preferences, and improve wine memory. Pairing recipes enhance both the flavor of the wine and the food with which it’s paired. Some wineries may also offer special educational events during harvest.
Wherever you are in your wine journey, Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail wine clubs offer valuable benefits, insights and knowledge to broaden your horizons and discover new flavors and styles of wine. Contact the Trail wineries mentioned in this blog to learn more about their individual wine clubs, memberships, and rules.
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