The California Wine Club Premier Series

Here's our quick summary “TLDR” version of our review:  “Buy a subscription for yourself or a 3 month subscription as a gift – this is an excellent low-cost, popular choice!” 

We love this club for its high value, low price and delicious wine. The deliveries always look great and include a full color, “high production value” newsletter that includes the most in-depth coverage of the wines within each delivery we've seen from other wine club vendors.

This “Premier Club” is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to get the lowest price possible, but still get premium wine.  You are never “locked in” to anything and can simply purchase deliveries on a schedule, or fixed quantity that you desire.

This club, the Premier Series is the most popular “Wine of the Month Club” offering from the company, The California Wine Club.  (Learn more about The California Wine Club.)

Why is it the most popular?

First, the price.  When you buy wine for yourself, or send wine as a gift — budget is often a concern.  So, this Premier Series comes in around $50 a delivery.

Second, the wine.  Even if you're budget-concious, you want good wine!  And, if you're sending wine, it better be delicious.  That's the other great part of this club:   It's price is low, yet the quality of the wine is high!

(Yes, you can buy more expensive wines from their other product offerings, but this club is popular because it's at the right price, and provides the right wine!)

 

The California Wine Club is a family-owned business that takes pride in selecting wine from small, family-owned wineries. Each wine is backed by a 100% guarantee from the owners, Bruce and Pam Boring. The club has a very personal feel on both its site and through its customers service.

The Premier Series is a good choice as both a personal wine club and especially as a gift. At its price point for 2 bottles (currently $49 plus shipping and handling) you will get quality wine plus all of the information you could possibly want about the vineyard that produced it. The monthly newsletter, Uncorked, is a full color publication that not only tells you more about the wine but also includes recipes, general wine information, and pairing help. I wouldn't mind reading the newsletter every month even if I didn't have the wine that goes with it!

You can choose from various gift options including having wine sent monthly, every other month, or quarterly. You can also choose a bottle each of red and white, 2 bottles or red, or 2 bottles of white. Note that if you choose 2 bottles of one color, you will get 2 bottles of the same wine.

The California Wine Club runs various specials from month to month, and we always have the latest coupons for them.

The California Wine Club Premier Series is one of the most popular clubs that we have reviewed due to the high quality of the wines, the gift options, the “extras” that come with the shipments, and the price of the wine for the value.

California is known for its wine, so it stands to reason that it should be known for its wine clubs. When I was in California a few years ago I visited a number of wineries with wine clubs that would have been interesting to join. But when there are so many great wineries to try, why sign up for just one? The California Wine Club solves that problem for you. The owners of the club select and visit artisan wineries to choose the very best wines that California has to offer in every shipment. They transform being a “wine club member” into a journey that will make you feel like you are right there with them.

The Unboxing of the Wine Club

As you can see in the video below, The California Wine Club ships much like any other club. Your bottles will be firmly held in Styrofoam specifically made for shipping wine. Inside will be several different papers including one with an optional gift message for your recipient. It's nice that there is an “invoice” included that shows what should be in the box but does not show prices if you are sending it as a gift. You will also find a letter from Bruce and Pam Boring, the owners, as well as special deals for the month. Because these deals are always changing, you will want to be sure to read that flyer each month. To me, the most exciting part of the paperwork and what sets The California Wine Club apart from its competitors is the newsletter, Uncorked.  

Uncorked, The California Wine Club Newsletter

Almost every wine club will include tasting notes of some kind to help you enjoy the wines as fully as possible. No other wine club that I have ever seen does it as well as The California Wine Club. Their newsletter, Uncorked, is more like a full magazine. With glossy pictures and articles, it rivals some of the food publications I have received. In addition to the usual tasting notes (which are in and of themselves more in-depth than most clubs), you will also fine recipes, interviews, trivia, and more. I actually enjoyed it so much that I went to their website to find past copies. The newsletter strikes a nice balance of educating you about the wines of the month but also including other interesting information about wine in general. The newsletter itself is a reason to sign up for the club!  

The Premier Series

When you join The California Wine Club you receive in every shipment a slice of a different California winery. I received the Premier Series and chose one bottle of red and one bottle of white. Thus, I was treated to two different wines from the same winery along with a full write-up in the newsletter about that winery. I learned not only how the winery came to be but also personal information about the owner of the winery. I learned how the Tilly wine got its name (from the owner's grandmother). By the time I finished reading the newsletter and drinking those two bottles of wine, I felt like I had actually visited the Oreana Winery in Santa Barbara..

Can you image feeling like that every month with a different winery? That's exactly what you will get with the Premier Series (and at a good price!). If monthly shipments are too much, go with the every other month or quarterly options. Those are especially nice if you want to send a gift that will last a long time. You can also choose to get two bottles of white a month or two bottles of red. This is a good option if you know for sure the types of wine that the recipient (or you!) like. I tend to prefer white, but I really loved the opportunity to get a highly recommended red as well.

Odds and Ends

There are so many great things that I could say about the Premier Series and The California Wine Club in general. Todd and I actually did a lengthy video that you can watch on our California Wine Club Review page that details everything from the various clubs (4 right now) that they offer to the discounts you get for reordering (up to 50% off!). More than anything else, I love the personal feeling of this club. Reading the newsletter, I can imagine Bruce and Pam sitting and tasting the wines with the owner of the winery and talking about the winery's history. As a wine lover but not a true expert, I feel like the information in the newsletter is aimed right at me. Whether you are looking to order a club for yourself or as a gift, you can't go wrong with The California Wine Club.