With a 3 week detox under belt in 2010 and a lot of working, I have not done my fair share of drinking this year. I am committing to drinking more wine, starting tonight! With that in mind, I thought I would share some of my sources for wine.
If you are interested in a wine club, try http://www.klwines.com – I am in their signature red club and it is fantastic. You can buy wine from any of their clubs at the discounted price. I have consistently gotten excellent wines. I try and save up my orders and have them deliver a case, instead of monthly, to get a better deal on shipping.
If you want great service, selection and prices – check out http://www.winelibrary.com – I have been a fan of Gary Vaynerchuk for more than 8 years and have gotten some blockbuster deals. Subscribe to his newer service http://www.cinderellawine.com – I have bought at least 4 or 5 times on these nightly deals since it launched. You have to be patient and buy when you see the deal you want. Every time I have bought, I have been THRILLED.
Last but not least, locally. You have to “hustle,” as Garvy V. likes to say. I hit up a variety of stores and browse the shelves. From Michael Resnick’s store at Cedar and Green to Heinens, Chuck’s in Chagrin Falls, Pat O’Briens at Lander Circle and my new favorite Colonial Beverage way out in Chesterland. Each store has an “expert” you can learn from. It is hard to buy at a store here in Ohio, because the pricing sucks. That said, when the price is right – I buy. This week, I scored a case of 2006 Simi Zinfandel at Heinen’s at $9 a bottle, when you see a blow out that is 50% off on good wine you have to buy in bulk. I can drink this over the next 3-4 years, no problem.
Last but not least, drinking with friends is fun and educational. We all taste wine differently. I am weak with my adjectives, but still enjoy tasting with my friends and hearing what they like or do not like. If you want to drink more wine this year, get a few friends together on a regular basis and try different wines together. Make the effort to rate the wines, evaluate their smell, color and flavor. Be a critical thinker. The more wines you try, the more you will find that wines are like people, unique. Celebrate their differences!
