I was first intrigued with 90+ Cellars when I received a media sample from them this past summer. I knew nothing about them but a gentleman named Dave who I shared a table with at a tasting enlightened me on the brand. I thought it was brilliant! (You can read my post about the wine by clicking here.)
In this podcast I will introduce you to Brett Vankoski, Vice President and Co-Founder of 90+ Cellars and Jeannie Hanningan their Marketing Manager. Both have pretty amazing stories on what brought them all together. Brett ditched the corporate life (took a break but never returned) to pursue a wine career and Jeannie answered an ad for an intern that later lead to a part time then full time position.
Premise behind their wine brand:
We are a global wine brand
They want to offer a great experience and a great bottle of wine for the customer
Special occasion wine priced that you can enjoy it any time.
Spend less without settling for less.
90+ Cellars looks for wine surplus from wineries that wine has been rated 90+. They look for wineries also with a pedigree and tradition.
There wines are priced in three tiers:
$10-$14 where they have the greatest volume
$15-$20 their reserve wines
$20-$30 Collectors Series
They just launched a wine club so you won't miss out. You can receive quarterly shipments in 6 or 12 bottles and the prices are quite reasonable at $90 for the 6 bottles and $170 for 12 bottles. You can choose between all white, all red, or mixed.
I'm a member of a few wine clubs, 5 to be exact. Most of them are winery based, but I have been members before of wine clubs that weren't. Those clubs were great because of the variety of wine that was made available to you.
When I saw Club W I had to try. I got to select three wines that were shipped to me and arrived on my doorstep complete with a bone for Summer (compliments of the FedEx guy)
Once you decide to join Club W you set up your palate profile by answering 6 questions about the flavors you like. Then they make recommendations that they think you will like. Of course you are free to choose what ever selections that interest you.
What is nice about this wine club is that they have a a video that goes with each wine that includes tasting notes and a history of the wine on the bottle. However, I am old fashioned when it comes to this. I like a piece of paper that I can reference with my shipment. Yes, I know it's the QR code age. I am a firm believer in QR codes, but when it comes to tasting notes and history of the wines that are included with my shipment, I like a piece of paper. That's me, as you might be different (and then there are people like my husband who don't own a smart phone)
Here were my three selections:
2009 Love this Life - California White Table Wine. I couldn't find any information on what grape varieties were in this white, I am taking a guess that there is some Chardonnay. The Love this Life brand is about living in the moment and enjoying life.
2011 Flaco Trempranillo - produced from organically grown and dry farmed vineyards in the DO of Madrid Spain. The vineyards are located in Arganda & Navalcarneros districts which are located south east and west of Madrid. The wine was aged in stainless steel and cement tanks.
2011 Mas de Bayle - from the Languedoc region of France. It's a famile estate located in the heart of Herault. The vineyards are spread over 19 acres and is planted with Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvedre and Alicante.
Below is a video of my tasting. One note...I stated that the price of the wine club was $13 per bottle and included shipping. I was incorrect. It's $13 per bottle and you get to choose three bottles - so $39 plus $6 shipping.
It looks like Glorie Farm Winery just got on the Wine Club bandwagon. It seems pretty simple and doesn't involve a monthly visit from the UPS man.
Here is how it works. If you purchase a case of wine (can be a mixed case) with their normal 10% discount and fill out a Wine Club Data form, you are now enrolled.
The next time you purchase any wines from them you will recieve the following discounts:
10% off 1-5 bottle purchase
15% off 6-11 bottle purchase
20% off 12 bottles or more
You will also receive 10% off non wine item and your wine tastings are free for you and up to 5 guests. (But they keep the glass)
There are some perks - you will be offered initial releases, small batch wines, almost sold out wine and library wines. Refer a friend and they mention your name and you receive a $15 gift certificate.
Membership is good for a year. You then need to purchase another case of wine to be active again.
Finally there is a wine club featuring New York wines. Bacchus Wine & Spirits along with the Times Union and the New York Cork Report have joined together and launched the Times Union New York Wine Club. Not only will this wine club feature only New York wines, but proceeds from the wine club will go to benefit the Times Union's Classroom Enrichment Program. Through this program, nearly 500 teachers from 274 Capital Region schools receive newspapers and other learning tools at no charge.
Lenn Thompson, editor of the New York Cork Report will be selecting the wines. The wine club will feature two levels. Your standard level that is priced at $29.99 plus plus shipping and handling and is perfect for someone looking to set a budget for their monthly wine spending, someone who has never joined a wine club before, or someone interested in introducing themself to New York wines. The Premier Level will have a variable cost per month, but includes award-winning wines found from throughout the State. This level is perfect for the wine connoisseur.
