Joining More Wine Clubs Requires More Storage – Now We Are Planning To Build An Additional Wine Closet!
After being here for almost a month, we are discovering more and more different and unique wineries. We still have so many that we would love to visit, but will need to wait until we return. One of the best resources for recommendations is some of the employees at the various wineries.
For instance, a friend suggested we visit Elizabeth Spencer, a small production winery just down the street from our home away from home. We loved the wine, and the courtyard was just perfect on a beautiful day. Our host recommended several places that we should visit that were not well known by the masses. All of which have different varietals and “circus.” When I say “circus,” I am referring to how each location makes their experience special and unique.
Many of the tastings are costing a lot more these days, some as much as $85 per person. This is where we get enticed to join their wine club to waive the tasting fee and of course, receive shipments of great wines throughout the year. Some of the wineries will waive the tasting fee if you purchase wines to take with you. We needed some wines to enjoy while we are here, so this worked out well.
So far, we have joined or rejoined several wineries and their clubs. Sabina, Pride, Titus, Alpha Omega, J. Cage, Duckhorn (this membership includes their sister wineries such as Paraduxx and Goldeneye and Calera). Chappellet, Frank Family, Clif Family Winery and Tank Garage Winery. Thankfully, we were able to “stagger” the shipments, and many will not arrive until February. Whew!
Here are the links to all of our clubs:
http://www.sabinavineyards.com
https://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com
https://www.tankgaragewinery.com
Some of the wineries offer a luxe experience or a unique tasting location and some are just fun and funky, like Tank Garage Winery. They are affiliated with Regusci, which is a well-respected winery in Napa Valley and produces great wines. They are uber creative with adding T-Vine and Tank Garage to their winery family. T-Vine is in an old tractor facility and rustic, but really well done. Tank Garage was formerly a gas station and is funky and fun (we really liked their red wines). Tank Garage even has a backroom, speakeasy that is pretty unique. Both of these wineries are in Calistoga, which is just a short drive from St. Helena. Calistoga is a great town with art galleries and great shops and restaurants. Amy at Clif Family is from Calistoga and recommended both of these venues. Thanks, Amy!
Duckhorn has always been a favorite and we have visited them several times throughout the years. Their wrap-around porch is the perfect setting for a tasting their delicious wines. Alpha Omega offers an industrial style building and their patio overlooking their water feature and fountains is spectacular. J. Cage was new to me, but my friend J was familiar with their Pinots. We met the owners in Healdsburg at a tapas restaurant and we paired the wines with various small bites. Such a unique way to be introduced to another great winery.
It appears that we are going to add more wine storage when we return home. While at one of the tastings, our host told us about how we can create a wine refrigerator by “tapping in” to an existing closet, sealing it and adding air ducts that will provide a constant temperature
We built a wine bar in our house a couple of years ago and had enough cold storage for about 48 bottles. Since we live in such a warm climate, it is pretty essential to keep the wines at the right temperature.
One thing leads to another, and we are planning additional storage for our precious wines that will be coming in the future.
I think this project will be a good one for the hubs, as he is incredibly talented and will design the perfect storage space.
We will share our progress on the wine closet when we get started. Cheers!
My name is Kim and my passion is surrounding myself, family, and friends in a life of luxury. Each week, I’ll share with you new tips and recipes to create a luxurious life .