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With so many similarly named wine clubs with plans and wines that look the same, how can a club distinguish itself? The International Wine of the Month Club Premier Series has something I have never before seen in a club. But we'll get to that in a minute. First let's take a look at the basic club itself and the ordering options.
Included in the Wine Club
I received the Premier Series club, which is the base level of the International Wine of the Month Club memberships. They are part of MonthlyClubs.com. For $32.95 a month plus shipping and handling, you receive 2 bottles of wine. You can choose from two bottles of red, two bottles of white, or one of each. (The other two clubs are The Masters Series and The Collectors Series.)
The wine is chosen through a two-tier tasting panel selection and includes wine from all around the world. With each bottle comes the Cellar Notes, which are the tasting notes for the bottle. The two bottles that were included in my club (the mixed red and white pack) were:
- Bodegas Martinez Corta Cepas Antiguas Seleccion Privada Rioja 2011 (Spain)
- Tavignano Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2012 (Italy)
The notes for the red and white wines that I received included some history of the vineyards, general information about the wine itself, pairing suggestions, and even a recipe.
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I always really appreciate this kind of information because it helps me to better enjoy the wine. For example, I would not have known to let the Verdiccio breathe, unlike most other white wines.
The International Wine of the Month Club offers various shipping options. Choose from as few as 2 months or as many as 12. One nice feature is that you can have the wine sent monthly, every other month, or even quarterly. That's entirely a personal preference depending on how much wine club wine you drink each month.
Gift Options
Although the shipment itself came in a regular shipping box and did not have a card, you have two options when you send it as a gift. First, you can have an ecard sent to the recipient to let them know that it is coming. This is particularly helpful when you are buying a last minute gift! Second, you can design a similar card and then print it. This could then be sent in a card or delivered by hand to the recipient. Both will let them know just what to expect.
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With the shipping options described above, you can take a 4 month club and make it last a whole year by shipping quarterly! And unlike a lot of clubs, they ship to most states (only Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii are not included).
Unique Membership Opportunity
Unlike any other club I have ever reviewed, the International Wine of the Month Club lets you combine the wine club with other clubs including beer, wine, cheese, chocolate, cigars, or flowers. If you are sending it to one person, a chocolate and wine club would be nice. If you are sending it to a couple who likes both beer and wine, you can send a combined club. It's an interesting take on club membership that allows you to mix and match to design a club perfect for the recipient.
Overall I was pleased with the price, selections, and tasting notes from the club. Check out my video below to see exactly what you (or your gift recipient) will be getting.
