For a brief while there, a few people were getting together for a Friday night virtual glass of wine, virtual in the sense that we were all drinking our own wine in our own homes. One of the things I’d like to do over this winter is to learn a bit more about wine and try some new wines.
Would anyone be interested in a SDMB wine club? The way I’m thinking about it working (unless someone else has a better idea) is for the people who sign up to take turns recommending a wine, and the rest of the group will all go buy it and try it and then report back on what we think. We would have to decide (1) how often to “meet” (every week? twice a month?) and (2) what money limit to put on what we can ask other people to buy. Although more $ generally = better wine, I think we have to be sensitive to the fact that some people who might like to participate are nevertheless on tight budgets. I would also propose that we try to select wines that most people will be able to find without scouring the country, and that we try to keep the wine snobbery to a minimum, though educated comments are of course welcome).
You can put my “vote” in for once a month (say the first or last Friday) and no real preference on the limit, though I know of a number of good wines around the $10 per bottle mark, myself.
I like the idea, but I’m worried that a lot of the wines won’t be available everywhere. I guess we could get around that by suggesting a specific wine or something similar (ie, “Mollydooker Boxer 2006 or other 2006 Australian Shiraz”)? Or does someone have a better idea?
Plus, Mr. Athena just gave me this for my birthday, so I’m dying to jump in whole hog to the wine thing.
Count me in for once a month. I agree it’ll be tough to pick wines that everyone will be able to find. But it won’t be any fun if we don’t give it a try.
Using an online retailer like Beverages and More might solve some of that problem, but I think some state’s law might prevent shipping. This may just be a partial solution.
I buy a lot of wine online, and I can verify that shipping will be a problem. It completely depends on what state(s) the shippers and receivers are in.
Even if that wasn’t a problem, I don’t think we’d get a lot of people interested in paying extra for shipping only one or two bottles to their homes in time to do a tasting.
Still, I think the idea will work. I just think we’ll have to flexible as to the exact bottles of wine, and offer alternatives.
Sam’s Wine doesn’t say it won’t ship to SC, but it doesn’t specifically say it will, either. Same with Ancona’s Wine - SC is not on the list of “We won’t ship” but they don’t appear to have a list of “we will ship.”
Well, I’m not sure when you last tried or looked into having alcohol shipped to you, but it is possible the law has changed since then. They’ve changed rapidly in several states since the Supreme Court ruling a couple of years ago, and continue to do so.
