Well, after a lackluster Valentine’s Day, several online wine sellers/wine clubs woke for President’s Sales.
Three made big headline splashes:
www.cawineclub.com
www.insiderwine.com
www.wineawesomeness.com
Let’s look at each, weigh the pros and cons, and decide whether it’s a deal, or no deal.
First up wineawesomeness.com
Really tempting. For $99 you get a case of the 2014 Tedeschi Valpolicella Capitel del Nicalo
And shipping is included. The pitch says that would normally cost $240.
Assessment: I like Valpolicella, though many may not know much about it. It is a smooth, medium weight red, proudly poured throughout Venice and the region. A check of the producer and Tedeschi is indeed legit, making a range of wines and with a good reputation.
But the 2014 is kind of old for this type of wine, normally enjoyed in its youth. Makes me wonder where it has been stored for the last few years. Probably not at the winery. More likely in a warehouse on the East Coast. Now more than 6 years old, it may have lost some of its best traits.
And now let’s consider the discounted price of $99 for 12 bottles. Roughly $8-ish a bottle delivered. A check with wine searcher gives a range of prices in the US from $11.99 up to $18 or an average of $15.00.
The website estimates the total package is worth $240. With case shipping estimated at $40, the $240 somehow seems a little on the high side.
Later in the day it added a similar deal for 2019 Italia Foto Wine Co. Grillo which while a current vintage did not interest me at all.
So back to the case of Valpolicella for $99. The price is right.
http://www.wineinsider.com
The Headline: 14 Wines for the Price of 7
The deal: “Get 7 great bottles, some traditionally priced up to. $29.99/ea. We’re sweetening the deal and adding 7 ADDITIONAL wines at no cost to you. That means you’ll get 14 wines for an exclusive price of $132.86. That’s only $9.49/bottle. Tired of all that math? The international award winners in this case can help!”
In other words, two bottles of each and the offer is for all red, all white, or a mix. Additionally, an aerator is added to this particular deal. Okay, I use that type of aerator but mine is old and worn out, so a new one is value at $15.95, and now I’m more than curious. And the deal is sweetened still by shipping everything for free.
Let’s look at the wines:
Preferring red wines in general and especially at this time of the year, I checked out the reds.
Turns out the California wines from Wolfson Cellars and George Phillips are available at only two places: wineinsider.com and Heartwood & Oak in LA. Same was true of the Argentinian red, finca Los Olmos. I found no reference to the French wine by Le Bosq, and while wineinsiders lists a Bordeaux from Chateau Le Redon, there is a real Chateau Redon. Oh, those French and their names. I did discover that there is a German Pinot Noir named The Modernist, but the labels didn’t match.
When you click on heartwood& oak it takes you to winesiders, so basically one and the same.
About to nix this deal, but then I noticed an offer to add 6 bottles of French red wines for $59.94 and recognized the names of the 2 other chateaux. The one in Castillon is excellent. Le Redon is part of this add-on.
Now definitely tiring of the math, I am looking at 20 bottles of red wine play a badly needed aerator shipped to my door for around $200.
Deal or no deal?
www.cawineclub.com
“Presidents’ Day BLOWOUT” was the headline. But the sale, $1 case shipping actually extends to March 31, 20212. The announcement went on:
“SPRING WINE SALE
Save up to 61% on every bottle of handcrafted wine, plus save up to $38 in shipping on every case!
Sale ends on March 31, 2021. Half, full, and/or mixed cases all ship via ground for $1 to most states.”
So we are talking savings and $1 shipping on 6 or more bottles.
One of the oldest. This site has long proven itself for reliability and good service. It specializes in family owned, real wineries that it calls “artisan wineries.”
Right away I was drawn to one example, 2018 Merlot from Lucas and Lewellen Estate for $13(regularly $32) Great price for a current vintage, not old inventory, and from a proven family winery.
Since the shutdown, this wine club has added wines from better known, more exciting wineries such as Talley and Testarossa for Chardonnay lovers.
Always looking for the best deals, I automatically click on deals under $25. Right away I liked the two wines from Madrona Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills: the 2020 Barbera Rose($11.99) and the 2016 Hillside Zin($12.99). Moving on I remember the home for this wine club is the Central coast so no surprise to see appealing wines from that area. Among them there’s the Le Vigne Paso Robles Malbec($13.99), Courtney Benham Central Coast Grenache($14.99) and Testarosa’s 2016 Monterey Chardonnay ($14.99).
From Sonoma the old vine Jeff Cohn Zinfandel is another standout, and it was also a pleasant surprise to see wines from C.C. DiAries which often fall under the radar and a Syrah from everyone’s favorite, Terre Rouge. It, like many others is not deeply discounted, but, of course, a few bottles could be included for the $1 case shipping.
The downside with this wine club is, as the name implies, it is a California specialist. But when it does reach out into Oregon, it has a beauty, Maysara Pinot Noir, half off at $26.00.
Imports are few but then the organic white Bordeaux at $17.00 is one I’d like to explore.
Among top tier wines, the Lail Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc is a collector’s wine, priced 24% below retail.
An absolute deal is Testarossa Winery 2018 Cuvée Los Gatos Monterey Pinot Noir at $17.99.
The conclusion?
First of all, it is much better if you can make your own selections.
It is far better for many reasons, but now as the shutdown continues on, to buy wines from real wineries made by real people.
Anyway, all of this is to suggest how I approach buying wines online.
You will have to make your own decisions.
You can thank me later.
And, I could really use a new aerator.
Norm Roby's Unfiltered Guide to Savvy Wine Shopping 