THis is a heads up from a long tine resident and wine collector and lover... Wine clubs can cost you more than you ever thought. No doubt about it, you tasting some great wine, in a super atmosphere of a winery and it seems natural... hey we can get a discount and have our new favorite wine shipped to our home !!! Do the math... compare prices on sites like cellar tracker... that list the current retail prices and where to buy at those prices. But, how about the wineries "special" discount. Well you tell me? Most of the wineries in the valley and region are now owned by major multi national conglomerates and family owned wineries are becoming a fewer and fewer. These new owners want a good return on their corporate investment. Without naming wineries here are some examples of Napa area wineries as or Feb 2012. I will list the Wine club price and then the current price available across the country. At winery/club $52 in store.$45 , At winery/club$ 60... in stores $37 , At winery/club $29.

At winery/club $35, ...in stores $26.... Many of these stores will ship any where the law allows, . So before you sign up.... let your fingers explore the internet. Be a smart visitor and also research a bit as to which wineries produce the wine that you want and how that rated or scored with the likes of Robert Parker or Wine Spectator... Know before you go whos doing the doing the best and what its selling for.best cheap nz wines One destination mentioned in this postbest wine brand names in india This information may hold true for Napa but not necessarily for other wine areas around the state. buy wine online delivery europeCloser to my home in Temecula most of the wineries are still family owned and only sell their products from the winery and not in stores.good wine brands 2012

Actually that is one reason I suggest that folks may want to try other wine regions like Paso Robles or around Santa Barbara etc. 2 destinations mentioned in this post The wine club comments hold true for all wineries and regions whether in Napa, Paso Robles Santa Ynez or Temecula.....or where ever. The words of wisdom I raise is that as a general rule wine clubs benefit the winery far more than the customer. where can i buy taken wineKnow what stuff costs and at the winery and at wine merchants... cheap red wine brands in indiaYou might be suprised Always know what things cost makes sense but to say that all wineries sell at lower prices somewhere other than at the winery itself is just not a fact.BTW we don't belong to any wine clubs or own any wineries. Edited: 6:04 pm, February 02, 2015

We belong to a couple of wine clubs as they are local enough to us to go their stellar events, enjoy their wine, and enjoy the special things they do for club members. We have enjoyed our wine clubs a lot and they are in Napa. We did belong to one for a few years also in Paso Robles, but it was not as close to their stellar events and the dates of their events were very similar to those to the ones we belong to in Napa. (i.e. like the upcoming Valentines day). So, I appreciate the OP comments, it comes down to choices of what you want to do. The private parties for example in Napa at the wineries (after the normal winery hours) have been amazing. We usually pick up our wine there. Its each their own if they want to join or not. If you are joining just for the temporary wine price reduction when you are visiting the winery, find out how many times you have to order wine to be shipped to your residence. Some have very generous cancellation of membership policies; others not so much.

In short, wine club membership is fun to do if you like both the wine and the events and do a budget calculation as well, but it is not for every one. Would be interested what winery events hawaiidan went to and how s/he chose what wine clubs to begin with. Also, if you do have a soft (or harder) sell at the wineries to join a wine club and really do not know if you want to join the wine club or not, they will accept the answer "No" and then just move on to other parts of the tasting. Its not something to be worried about if you are visiting Napa or any other winery region soon. Edited: 6:33 pm, February 02, 2015 Join only if you can,t find the wines any other way. We belong to Kosta Browne, Carlisle and Linne Calodo in California, plus a few in the Pacific Northwest. Can't find them in most wine shops and then there is a sizable markup. To Riff is SD You got it turned around....Wineries prices will in most cases be much higher, even with a wine club membership from the winery.

The same wines sold from wine sellers not related to the winery will be almost always cheaper for the same vintage/winery..... I have relatives who own wineries, and get a family discount......and I can still get those wines cheaper from a wine seller.... I don't go to events at wineries... I buy wines from some of the leading vintners in Napa and Paso in case lots. I have relatives in the business too. I get the sell when I visit and have worked out the details and it does not pay if you want specific vintages, specific grapes, and not get a a slew of what they have an inventory of. In many cases dealers will give you 20 to 30% off retail..... When you buy several cases at a time that can add up !!!I am sure you are correct about buying in large amounts! Not all of us do that. I agree with the OP. Wine clubs MAY work out if someone is a huge fan of the winery and lives close by. Otherwise I don't see it. I know that tasting personnel at wineries get a good commission if they "sell" the wine club.

Nor do I think it's unusual for people to buy wine by the case -- or several cases. Having had lunch with Riff, I know she's not much of a drinker. mini ... your new word of the month must be "stellar" ... I think it would be useful to this thread if you elaborated on what these "stellar" events are. For people who live more than 100 miles away, these "stellar" events aren't going to be convenient, or even possible. -:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-This post has been removed at the author's request. The author may repost if desired.Posts on the TripAdvisor forums may be edited for a short period of time. Once the edit period has expired, authors may update their posts by removing and reposting them. Friday afternoon lunch recommendations wineries that have Mandarin (chinese) speaking tour? Napa Suggestions for 5 days Looking for driver for a group to and from dinner. Napa/Sonoma - should we stay both places? Travel to Napa Valley Tentative Itinerary for next Weekend.