So You’re Thinking About Joining a Wine Club ...

Consume enough media and you cannot help but stumble over an invitation to join a wine club.

NPR wants you as a member. So do Turner Classic Movies and National Geographic. Eater promises “surprising and highly drinkable wines on your doorstep every month,” if you join its club.

I still receive a daily home delivery of The New York Times. When I pick it up in the morning, I sometimes find an insert advertising The Wall Street Journal’s WSJWine club. I’ve found this puzzling, since The Times has one of its own.

Hundreds of wine clubs operate in the United States. The most visible are those associated with illustrious brands that have little to do with wine, like these publications and media outlets.

Too often, these sorts of clubs offer mundane wine selections with little to attract curious consumers. They appeal more to people who enjoy associating themselves with these brands.

Other types of clubs are far more focused on good, interesting wine. They cater to customers who not only want to enjoy wines regularly but are curious about how the wines were made and the people behind them.

The range of good wine clubs is vast. Are you a fan of a particular Oregon winery? Most American wine producers have clubs that offer regular shipments to fervent customers, often including small-production cuvées that are available only to members.