The California Wine Club Reviews

Published on October 12, 2020
Last modified on June 12, 2023

This The California Wine Club reviews post contains affiliate links and we were given a sample.  We may be compensated if you make a purchase.  All opinions are our own.

Written By Alison Chew    |    Dietitian Verified by Rebecca Housh, MS, RDN

 

What is The California Wine Club?

The California Wine Club offers award-winning wines from California’s best small, artisan wineries. The wines included in their club aren’t mass-produced so you’re unlikely to find them in any store.

The small scale of these family wineries means the vintners are able to handcraft the wine in ways that aren’t possible at larger, corporate producers.

The California Wine Club team – which is a small, family business themselves — seek out these small winemakers, learn about the family, the operation, the wines they are most excited about, and then share their favorites with their wine club members.

 

California Wine Club Promo Code

Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

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California Wine Club Pros

  • The California Wine Club is a small business helping to support and promote other small, family businesses.
  • That the wines in the selections are small batch and artisan; you can’t just find them at your local liquor or wine store.
  • Great gift for any wine-lover!

 

California Wine Club Cons

  • If you’re used to spending around $10 for a bottle of wine, the wine club selections may seem a bit pricey.
  • The wine delivery box included a lot of paper documents in a folder, which is not the most eco-friendly.

 

How does The California Wine Club work?

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Each month, The California Wine Club features a different winery and hand-selects two of their best wines for their wine club members. These wines, along with Uncorked®, their guide to the wines, are then shipped to you.

You can subscribe as a wine club member for yourself or you may send a wine club gift subscription to someone else.

The California Wine Club Reviews: Benefits

  • Discover small, award-winning wineries whose wines are not typically found in local stores or wine shops.
  • Partnering directly with each winery means no distributor, no middleman, and the best choice of wine at the lowest possible price.
  • Wines can be delivered monthly, every other month, or even quarterly.
  • Access to Personal Wine Consultants who get to know your wine preferences and needs.
  • Extra 10% OFF Wine Club gifts
  • Wine Club favorites can be reordered at a savings of up to 50% off winery prices
  • VIP Tours at the wineries featured
  • The California Wine Club’s Love It Guarantee. They will replace or refund any wine not up to your standards.

 

How much does The California Wine Club Cost?

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The California Wine Club has a few different subscription levels starting at $41.95 to $231 with delivery available monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly.  All are available as gifts for that wine-lover in your life.

Premier Series Wine Club: Starts at $41.95

  • Two handcrafted bottles of artisan wines. (Choose from 2 reds, 2 whites, or 1 red and 1 white)
  • Uncorked, The California Wine Club’s guide to the winery featuring tasting notes on the wines, winemaker notes, wine tips, and insight into California’s wine scene.
  • Savings when you reorder your favorites (up to 50% on every bottle).
  • Wines from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Monterey, Mendocino, and Santa Barbara
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

Signature Series Wine Club: Starts at $134

  • Two bottles (or four bottles if you prefer) of limited-production and highly rated California wine (Choose from 2/4 reds, 2/4 whites, or 1/2 red and 1/2 white)
  • Reserve, covered in gold medals and 90+ point rating wines in limited production
  • Uncorked guide
  • Reorder savings – up to 20% on every bottle. Hand-selected wines from Napa, Sonoma Coast, and Santa Ynez
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

International Series Wine Club: Starting at $71

  • Two handcrafted bottles of artisan wines from one of the world’s finest boutique wineries (Choose from 2 reds, 2 whites, or 1 red and 1 white)
  • Uncorked guide
  • Reorder savings – up to 50% on every bottle
  • Wines from a variety of countries, including Argentina, France, Germany, and more
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

Aged Cabernet Series Wine Club: Starting at $231

  • Two different, exquisite bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 8 – 12 years
  • Uncorked guide
  • Reorder savings – up to 20% on every wine
  • Fine wines selected from some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious producers.
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

Pacific Northwest Series Wine Club: Starting at $77

  • Two handcrafted bottles of artisan wines from boutique wineries in Washington or Oregon
  • Uncorked guide
  • Reorder savings – up to 20% on every bottle
  • Wines from boutique wineries in Washington and Oregon.
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

Reorder Purchasing Options:
Wine club reorders are available while supplies last and always at a discount off of the normal retail price. Members can reorder in smaller quantities (3 and 4 bottles) as well as half, full and mixed cases.

Their site features an extensive selection of limited-production artisan wines priced

 

How much is California Wine Club shipping?

Every case or half case ships for $1 to most states.  Depending on where the shipping address is located in the United States, wine club deliveries take as few as two days but up to three weeks.

The wine travels from their warehouse to one of four licensed freight forwarders located across the country. Once the wine reaches its initial destination, it is processed for delivery to you with a local carrier.

 

The California Wine Club Reviews

The California Wine Club reviews order came with two bottles of wine – one red and one white – from the Lange Twins Family Winery and Vineyards in Lodi, CA.

 

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To get a variety of feedback, I invited a few friends over for a socially distanced taste test of these two wines. Out of our group of six, four of us were wine drinkers and two were predominantly beer drinkers but enjoyed the occasional glass of vino. Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

2017 Miller Vineyard Clarksburg Cabernet Franc (Red)

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The guide that comes with the wine, called Uncorked®, describes this wine as opening with “aromas and flavors of cocktail green olive, dark cherry, and delicate floral notes .. finishing with spice, chocolate, and espresso.”

After chilling the bottle in the fridge for about 10 minutes and then decanting for over an hour, our group enjoyed this wine on a lovely, warm fall evening.

Most of my tasting group agreed that this red was medium-bodied with a tart bite in front before mellowing out nicely. One of our tasters tends to lean towards the “fat” full-bodied wines so, for him, this wine was more delicate than what he would usually go for, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Another taster, usually a beer/whiskey drinker, was really impressed with this wine. He appreciated the subtle notes and smooth oakiness of this wine. We all picked up on the dark cherry and spice notes, especially when paired with a delicious assortment of dark chocolates.

Personally, I found this wine delicious and delightful. In the past few years, I’ve gravitated towards more delicate reds, ones that could be enjoyed on a hot summer day without feeling too heavy. For me, this one fell into that category and was really enjoyable to drink. Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

2019 Jahant Woods 03 Vineyard Lodi Fumé Blanc (White)

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“Floral, melon notes…light and refreshing citrus notes with a hint of gooseberry” is how the Uncorked guide describes this fumé blanc. And I have to say, that description is spot on.

I’ll admit, I did not know that Fumé refers to Sauvignon Blanc made in the United States. Thanks to drinking this wine, I now do and feel a bit more enlightened. Although my go-to is typically a red wine, I do enjoy Sauvignon Blancs – and this wine certainly reminded me why.

From my palette’s perspective, I’d describe this wine as bright, creamy, clean, lively, and, genuinely, quite fun to drink!

Others in the group had a similar response when they tasted this wine. We all thought it would be ideal for a lovely summer day picnic, a fish-focused meal, or a casual wine-and-cheese get-together. Really enjoyable and delightfully drinkable. Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

The California Wine Club Reviews: Gifting

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The California Wine Club offers door-to-door delivery gift options to suit all tastes, budgets, and occasions. You can give as much as you wish – anywhere from 1 to 12 shipments, and select the frequency of deliveries (monthly, every other month, or quarterly).  You can also select the type of wine the lucky recipient receives (red, white, both).

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Three options for gifting:

1. Help from a Personal Wine Consultant to select an “all occasions” wine club gift

2. Select a from one of their fine Wine Club Levels (see pricing for individual CA Wine Club Levels series above).

3. Gift certificates are also available

All gifts include a $25 Wine Credit, VIP winery tour and tasting invitation, and a personalized gift card from you along with the Uncorked® guide, The California Wine Club’s guide to the featured winery, insights to California’s wine scene, wine tips, and wine luminary interviews. Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

Holiday Gifting
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You have several delivery options for Holiday Gifting.

  • Gifts Ship Now: Ship wine now and print or email a card after you checkout
  • Gifts+:  For an additional $18, The California Wine Club will send a special gift announcement via mail now and your wine gift will ship later
  • Gifts Ship December:  Ship gift in December and print or email a card after you checkout
  • Gifts Ship January: Ship gift in January and print or email a card after you checkout
  • Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

 

The California Wine Club Reviews: Bottom Line

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The California Wine Club offers impressive selections for every type of wine drinker, from those newer to the world of wine to the aficionado interested in discovering hidden gems.

Something that’s great about this wine club is that it’s like having friends vet the wines for you and then recommending only the ones they really enjoyed, which can help take the guesswork out of the wine buying process.

It’s also commendable that The California Wine Club features wines from small, real-working artisan wineries and that they go to great lengths to tell the story of not just the wines, but of the individuals and families that brought these wines to life.

The California Wine Club would make the perfect gift for that wine-lover in your life and with reasonable club pricing, from just $40, you can spread the joy of wine to all of your friends and family for birthdays and holidays.  I know that I would love to receive The California Wine Club as a gift!  It’s a perfect size, the perfect color, and it is guaranteed to taste great!  Save 10% sitewide with code YES10 >>

Cheers!

Looking for more Wine Delivery Services?  Check out our Wine Directory >>

This post has been reviewed and approved by our dietitian Rebecca Housh, MS, RDN, LDN for nutritional accuracy.
rebecca-housh-ms-rdn-ldn-registered-dietitianRebecca Housh is a registered dietitian based in Chicago, IL. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology from Boston University and a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois in Chicago. Rebecca is passionate about the idea of food as medicine in both preventative and therapeutic care. Her current professional interests lie in food security, food access, and nutrition for chronic disease.

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