A New Zealand Wine Club... With Sauvignon, King of Kiwis
New Zealand wine production can be traced back to the earliest colonial times. Nevertheless, the first acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc was only produced in 1977. I refer to Sauvignon, because it is New Zealand's "flagship" varietal, the one that has done the most to establish the country as one of the world's most sought after wine producers.
The ten New Zealand wine regions are continually growing: for example, they tripled between 1995 and 2005. Other than the world's best Sauvignon Blancs, New Zealand also produces well-known blends of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, sparkling wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling.
One of the main reasons for New Zealand wines' success is the range and variety of climate and vegetation possessed by this insular region, which spans 9 degrees of latitude (from latitude 36 to 45 South) and 1000 miles.
Of course, there are countless wine clubs around the globe wishing to fulfill the growing international demand for kiwi wines. One thing that caught my attention is that most of the local wine clubs in New Zealand tend to be more about socialising and appreciation than about finding customers who will purchase monthly wine selections. I found this very refreshing.
Ask the Expert
For information on New Zealand wines, and to check whether the New Zealand wine club of your choice is offering the good stuff, you can turn to the
Kiwi Wine Fan Club
(opens in new window). Describing itself as "a totally loose unit of wine lovers," this website features great articles and wine reviews. They also give out Best Wines of the Year awards for each NZ varietal.
For a more mainstream opinion, you can check out the top New Zealand wine experts' websites:
Geoff Kelly's wine reviews
(opens in new window) and Bob Campbell's
Bob's wine reviews
(opens in new window). As a tip, it is easier to find what you are looking for in the latter.
New Zealand Wine Clubs Abroad
The Sunday Times Wine Club
is one of many UK wine clubs offering a good selection of New Zealand wine. As a matter of fact, at the time of writing this article, they were offering a special 20% discount on all New Zealand wines.
In the US, the California-based International Wine of the Month Club has also been known to offer some excellent New Zealand wines.
Also based in the US, the New Zealand Wine Club is like a combination between the local NZ wine appreciation clubs and a typical monthly subscription wine club. Members receive a newsletter, bi-monthly recipes, and invitations to members-only events such as dinners and wine tastings. As a member, you can decide to receive wine shipments, which will cost between $70-100 per selection, plus shipping and local taxes.
Another good choice for a New Zealand wine club outside of New Zealand is the
Southern Hemisphere Wine Center
which specializes in wine from Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and, of course, New Zealand.
Kiwi Wine Lovers' Clubs
Founded 18 years ago, The North Shore Wine and Food Society is a "club of people who love wine." It holds monthly wine tastings followed by a meal. They also host two yearly parties, give wine tasting tours, and run special tasting events. Membership costs $40 per year, and members get a discount on event tickets. If you are located around the country's North Shore region and you are looking to join a New Zealand wine club with no purchase obligations, the NSWFS is an excellent choice.
The Cellar Club is another New Zealand wine club dedicated to the appreciation of wine. It was founded in Wellington by a group of wine lovers. Their main activity is their monthly presentations by local wine industry experts.
VineClub™ is another unusual kiwi wine club. It has set up a rewards system by which you earn commissions for getting people you know to buy from them too. The system sounded rather confusing to me. Nevertheless, after checking out Bob Campbell's scores for some of the wines in their case offerings, I concluded that the quality of the bottles in each case was typically above average.
The family owned Villa Maria winery offers a very competitive option if you are looking for a New Zealand wine club. One of the country's leading wineries, it has accumulated an impressive number of international awards over the past 30 years. Membership is free of charge, and it gives you access to exclusive offers as well as a subscription to their monthly newsletter.
More in the vein of a typical international wine club, the
NZ Wine Society
offers monthly wine case selections in a price range between $149 and $198. They are largely focused on New Zealand and Australian wines.
As a conclusion, wherever you may be located; if you love kiwi wines, there is always a New Zealand wine club available to help you get to know and taste the best of them.
