From Plated to Stitch Fix to FitFabFun boxes, box of the month clubs are continuing to be hyped and innovated, bringing new products conveniently to your door. They allow you to experiment and try out (and on) new things that you wouldn’t necessarily purchase, are hard to find or didn’t know you needed!

Following suit, wine clubs are starting to become progressive and in demand due to delivery convenience and the element of surprise. Now you are able to experience a wine straight from your favorite Napa Valley Vineyard in the comfort of your NYC home! While the vineyard to home concept has been around for a while, small start-ups and even wine stores are starting to adapt to the “box of the month club” culture giving us winos more of a reason to explore the world of wine outside of our go-to.

If you’ve been following me, when it comes to wine I am all about growing outside of my comfort zone and sipping down the path of NEW and UNIQUE wines, like the Azores’ Isabella, Sicily’s Frappato or a Chardonnay from Africa!  I feel wine clubs help with this surprise and delight in that while you may not know what you could be getting you are guaranteed to learn something new. If that is your mission in wine, then I highly recommend joining a wine club via a shop or an online site to get variety.

On that note, as I was thinking about what new wine to dive into next, I received a serendipitous email from my favorite Upper East Side wine store - Le Grand Triage seeing if I would be willing try out their Wine Club. They offered up two options 1. Le Grand Classic Membership featuring classic bottles from renowned producers & 2. Le Grand Voyage Membership featuring wine to geek out on and haven’t yet made their way into the mainstream market. Naturally, I opted to be a Voyager!  

SAMPLING OF WHAT’S IN MY BOX

Mother Rock Force Celeste Chenin Blanc 2018 (Swartland, South Africa) | $30

“Mother Rock uses a practice called dry farming, meaning vines are never irrigated, no matter how little rainfall might beget the area (you might recall South Africa’s devastating drought of 2015). Older vines, such as these ones planted in 1983, develop deep roots that reach the water table far underground and ensure the plant’s survival despite harsh vintages.” Le Grand Triage tasting card

Think the most apple you could taste out of a Chenin Blanc. Per the tasting card, “You’ll think you’re drinking apple cider…” I did for a second. It’s as if you took a bite out of a tart green apple, had a bird sized serving of bread and sprinkled in zest from a lemon and a lime. It’s unfiltered and unrefined and has a bit more kick than the traditional South African Chenin’s, in my opinion.

Vinos Divertidos Somontano La Moristel 2016 (Aragón, Spain) | $22

“This micro-winery was created by Pepe Marco to promote lesser known, indigenous grape varieties of Spain. Moristel is often blended into innocuous table wines that lack character. Here, it becomes something akin to what all the cool kids call wine these days: juice.” Le Grand Triage tasting card

This Moristel variety (ever heard of it?) is fascinating and delicious. Riveting, raw unsweetened cranberry rounded out with the softness of plum, tickles the taste buds and has soft tannins and tartness for a very flirty finish. A nod to the above description, as it definitely has a trendy hipster vibe and is crushing it. I could also see this being THE BOMB served semi-chilled for summer.

HOW IT WORKS (Manhattan Only)

1. Receive 2 wines around the 15th of every month—either a classic selection or fun, geeky finds—delivered straight to your door or for hand pick up.

2. Wine Club tasting card with wine background, approachable tasting notes and food pairings.

3. Extra perks include, free tickets to class and discounts on Wine Club bottles (their classes are legit - think WSET yet FUN + FRIENDLY just how we like it)!

4. $50 per month

5. EXTRA EXTRA: Use WINEFARER10 at checkout for 10% off your first month of membership! (Expires 7/10/2019)

Thanks to the Le Grand Voyage option from Le Grand Triage, I continue to fulfill that burning desire to ‘Wine different.’

(If you live in Manhattan, then you MUST try this wine club to keep your palate stimulated! More info on the wine club and all of it’s awesome perks (in addition to the wine) and FAQ’s here.)