Top 3 Reasons to Join a Wine Club

Want to join a wine club but not sure where to start? Here are the top three reasons to join a wine club and what to look for when deciding which one to join.

Everybody wants to be in a club. Especially if there’s drinking involved and extra especially if the drinking is of the wine variety. And the best wine clubs give you these three key features:

• Get access to unique, curated wines for special occasions, last-minute gifts or, you know, Tuesday
• Wine clubs take the guess work out of deciding what to buy or drink (a pretty label does not always a good wine make)
• Helps you discover new wines and shares fun, educational tips for helping you feel more wine empowered

The good news is wine subscription clubs are not only legal in Canada but plentiful and accessible online right from the the comfort of your home. With as many as 20,000 Ontarians currently subscribed to wine clubs the question isn’t IF you should join, but why you haven’t already.

As with any decision, it’s good to know all the facts first and with over 200 wineries in Ontario and 500 across Canada each with their own wine clubs, we understand the decision can feel overwhelming. Consider this your Cliff's Notes lesson in wine clubs.

Best to pour a glass of wine before we begin.

1. Yes you can buy wine from outside the LCBO in Ontario - Online. And have it shipped directly to your house. ‘Nuff said.
2. Most Canadian wineries have wine clubs - If you want to narrow the search down to wineries making world class, quality wine there is still a big difference in how the various subscriptions work so it’s important to understand things like frequency (when you’ll get your wine) and quantity (how much you’re getting) and what their rules are for opting in and out.
3. Look for variety, exclusivity, early-access, value and quality - You’re joining a club to reap the benefits and these are a few of the most important to consider. Does the wine club offer its members exclusive and early-access deals? What is the value (savings) of purchasing through the wine club versus through the LCBO? What is the quality of the wine being offered (award-winning, sommelier tested, etc) and what guarantees does the club offer its members to ensure they are happy with the product and service?
4. Start big, but dig - Some of the largest wine clubs (Peller, Hillebrand, Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Great Estates of Niagara) are a good place to start your research but don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper and explore some of the smaller, more boutique wineries.
5. Consider kwäf - Canadian wine subscription clubs, like kwäf's ClubK, that are not tied to one winery but offer an array of quality wines take a lot of the guesswork out of choosing one winery and allows you, in a way, to enjoy the literal fruits of many! We work with top sommeliers who taste (and taste! and taste!) the best wines and offer our members only the winners of these gruelling (but, admittedly, enjoyable) rounds of testing. We also have a 100% happiness guarantee (where else can you find that?) and very accommodating club rules that allow members to opt-in and out as your budget allows.