Archive for the ‘about the wines’ Category

Matetic Winery in Chile is this Quarter’s International Wine Series feature

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

A new quarter brings a new featured country in our International Series! We’ve “travelled” to Chile to bring you three stellar wines from Matetic Vineyards, located in the San Antonio Valley.   The valley is located about seventy miles west of the capital of Santiago. This favorable location provides incredible Meditteranean-type climactic influence that results in temperature variations of more than 50 degrees and is ideal for the maturation of grapes.  Historically, San Antonio Valley’s cool climate vineyards have produced flavorful, spicy red varietals that increasingly turn heads in international competitions.

The Vina Matetic Winery was founded in 1999 and came into existence when the Matetic Family decided to diversify its businesses and invest in a winery operation.  When they did this, they decided to make their new winery a biodynamic entity. Biodynamic farming insures that the principles and practices of biodynamics are based on a spiritual/practical philosophy, called athroposophy, which includes understanding the ecological, the energetic, and the spiritual in nature. This type of viticultre views the farm as a cohesive, interconnected living system.

“We chose this path because we love nature and the outdoors,” Matetic recently stated. “This sytem involves harnessing the forces of nature to act with positive enerty. For example, if a bug is bad for crops, find another bug to eat it. When you treat the plants that are naturally good this is evidenced in the vineyard, because when our neighbors are affected by frost we are not.”

The wines we featured this quarter speak for themselves, but have also garnered great accolades!

Matetic “EQ” 2007 Pinot Noir – 90 Points, Robert Parker. 89 Points, Wine Spectator

Matetic “EQ” 2008 Syrah – Chilean Syrah Trophy, International Wine Challenge 2010

Matetic “EQ” 2008 Sauvignon Blanc – 89 Points, Wine Spectator.

What is the best way to store and preserve leftover wine?

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Many times after you’ve finished dinner, you realize that there’s still a little wine left in the bottle. Rather than pour it out or carelessly leave it on the kitchen counter, follow these suggestions to best preserve that special wine to enjoy the following night.

While there are a number of products and methods used to preserve wine (from filling the partially filled bottle of wine with inert gas, to using a hand vacuum pump), here’s a simple and effective way to save your leftover wine: pour the wine into a smaller container, which will help protect it from oxygen. A spare 375 mL bottle works great, especially if it has a twist off top. Keep it in the refrigerator to further prolong its life. Wines with higher acidity or more aggressive tannins tend to keep longer on average, but most wines will start to turn after day two or three.

Holiday Gifts for the Wine Lovers on Your List

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

It’s that time of year again. The twinkly lights are out, the décor is up, the festive music is on, and the malls are packed – everyone is out and about and searching for that perfect gift for everyone on their gift list. It’s the Holiday Season, and time to do something special for the loved ones in your life. If you’re tired of resorting to the cliché gift ideas (or if you have no idea where to begin), then why not step outside the box and surprise your friends and family with something different?

This year, Gold Medal Wine Club helps solve the dilemma with an assortment of new gift packages and wine clubs designed especially for everyone from the wine novice to aficionado. Wine makes a great gift because it’s not something that will be put away and forgotten about – it will immediately be opened, shared, and enjoyed with friends and family. What’s more is with a wine club gift, your recipients will have something to look forward to not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.

Wine Clubs also make a great gift for your boss in the office – or if you are the boss, think about giving wine to your best accounts, employees, and business partners. The Holiday Season is a time to look back on the success you’ve had over the past year, and thank those important people who helped you get there. What better way to show your appreciation and commemorate the year than with a special bottle of award-winning wine?

With a multitude of wine clubs out there, it can be hard to decide which one is the best fit – maybe your Dad is into those really prestigious wines with small production and top-of-the-line ratings, whereas your Son or Daughter might benefit from a wine club more catered to featuring “everyday wines” that still introduce their palates to nicer wines, but without the intimidation factor. With five different wine clubs to choose from, ranging in price point, wine varieties, and quality level, Gold Medal Wine Club is a one-stop-shop for everyone on your holiday gift list.

The most popular gift choice from Gold Medal Wine Club is the Gold Series wine club, featuring hard-to-find, medal-winning wines from small, family-owned California wineries. Each month, your recipient will receive two outstanding bottles, beautifully presented in gift-wrapped tissue and bows and a full color newsletter publication called “The Wine Press.” This exclusive publication presents information about the wines, the fascinating backgrounds of the winery owners, a behind-the-scenes tour of the vineyards, and special food pairing recipes direct from the winemakers themselves. Starting at just $35 per month, the Gold Series is a great value and truly an impressive gift.

Gold Medal Wine Club also offers upper-level and international wine clubs to help you find the right fit for everyone on your gift list. The Platinum Series features 90+ rated, ultra premium wines from California; the International Series highlights a different country with each shipment and offers a special add-on option of gourmet imported food items; the Pinot Noir Series is the perfect choice for the Pinot lovers in your life; and the Diamond Series selects only those most prestigious bottlings with legendary 93+ rated marks and serious “wow” factor. Sure to be enjoyed by any wine enthusiast on your list, the wine club offerings from Gold Medal Wine Club are just plain hard to beat.

For a limited time, find FREE Bonus Gifts (stainless steel corkscrews, neoprene totes, and Vinturi Aerators – just to name a few) included with various wine club gift options (www.GoldMedalWineClub.com/gift_guide). It’s an easy way to make that holiday gift extra special.

In business since 1992, Gold Medal Wine Club has the reputation as one of the leading independent wine clubs in the world – and for good reason. With unbeatable standards for quality and customer satisfaction, and consistency in offering simply incredible wines to their members at unbelievable discounts, this wine club gift is the choice for this year’s Holiday Season.

Place your orders by logging on to www.GoldMedalWineClub.com or calling 1-800-266-8888 to be sure your gifts will arrive in time for the Holiday.

Bring on the Bubbly!

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

It’s that time of year again…our celebrated annual Champagne Special! This year we had the exclusive opportunity to import a world-class sparkler straight from one of France’s most established Champagne Houses – the Champange Charpentier Terre d’ Emotion Brut. This wine is perfect for holiday celebrations or toasting to any upcoming special occasion! With a unique fruity complexity of pear, peaches and mandarin, and a caressingly silk body bursting with freshness, you are sure to fall in love with this year’s special selection.

For a limited time (now until October 15th), order this exclusive import at especially low prices – up to 40% OFF regular retail! Order online here, or call us at 1-800-266-8888. With a limited number of cases available, we recommend ordering early! Cheers!

Sweet vs. Fruity. How can you tell the difference?

Friday, August 26th, 2011

Many wine tasters confuse the taste sensations of sweet and fruity, and those who DO get it, often find it difficult to explain the difference. So, how do you do it?

One way to tell the difference is practicing with a glass of tea. Taste a sip of tea on its own, and you’ll find it to be bone dry, and perhaps even a bit tannic (that astringent sensation on your tongue). Now, add a squeeze of lemon to the tea and taste it again. The tea is still dry, but there is now a fruity (citrus) component from the lemon. Next add sugar or honey to the tea, and taste it a third time – you should find it to taste both fruity AND sweet.

If you want to try this experiment with wine, practice by tasting a Sauvignon Blanc next to a Riesling. The Sauvignon Blanc will offer tropical, citrus, “fruity” flavors, while the Riesling, which typically has more residual sugar (the amount of sugar remaining in wine after fermentation), will help you differentiate what “sweet” is.

Another way to determine if a wine is sweet, is by taking a look at the alcohol content. During the wine making process, the natural sugar in grape juice converts to alcohol. Higher alcohol wines typically produce a drier style because more of the sugar in the grapes is converted to alcohol. Low alcohol wines (under 12%) are usually sweeter.

Try some of these tests and see if you can tell the difference!

Highly Accoladed Wines Featured in Diamond Series Wine Club

Monday, September 20th, 2010

We’ve just come into our third Quarter for the Diamond Series and we’re really excited about the selections we’ve just released to members!  Our two main features are from Tetra Winery and from L’Aventure, two highly regarded California wineries.

Tetra 2007 RedTetra means “four” and points both to the four vineyards they source for wines and to the fact that four different Bordelaise varietals constitute the wines that make up the winery’s portfolio. The four vineyards are located in the coolest growing region in Napa, giving the grapes ample opportunity to develop their characteristics. The Tetra 2007 Propriety Red garnered an outstanding 94 Points from Robert Parker who states, “The 2007 is stunning, opaque purple-colored, with plenty of creme de cassis, creosote, camphor, incense, subtle oak, licorice and oodles of black fruits… [It] has superb purity, full-bodied texture, beautiful richness and depth, and a finish that goes on for at least 40+ seconds….” In keeping with the winery’s name, it is a blend of the four varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. It was bottled without filtration or fining, maximizing the textures and flavors!

Laventure 2007 cuveeOur second feature comes from Paso Robles winery L’Aventure. Owner Stephan Asseo once stated, “Life is truly a great adventure. You are faced with a series of challenges and decisions, and what you do ultimately guides your life.” He also boasts that this family owned winery doesn’t need a grandiose ego pushing behind it, as the “wines speak for themselves.”  We couldn’t agree more! The 2007 Estate Cuveehas an opaque ebony center and purple margins. The powerful and complex aromas push graphite, “viande”, dark fruit, licorice and tea-leaf, while the rich tapestry of flavors include wild blackberry, tar, gooseberry and acacia. The legacy of this wine of 91+ ratings by Robert Parker since 2000 (with an outstanding 98 Point rating in 2004) is truly remarkable.  The consistently high quality really does speak for itself and words hardly do it justice!

The Diamond Series features only the highest rated bottles. You may, of course, purchase these or any bottles in the Diamond Series a la carte. But if you’d like to join this quarterly Series on a regular basis, know that membership is limited to 500 members. That said, there are still a few spaces left, so go ahead, treat yourself and your palate to the world’s finest!

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What criteria do you use for selecting wines?

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Wine BottlesHere at Gold Medal Wine Club, we use fairly strict criteria when we select wines for the club. As an overall guideline, the wines we feature are medal winning and from small production wineries.  Our five Series allow you to make selections based on rating, availability and price – the higher level the Series, the higher the accolades.  As another guideline, we also try to select the medal winning wines that come from boutique wineries; selections that you generally wouldn’t find in your local mart or grocery store.

Realistically speaking, however, not all of the wine you drink or buy will come from our club (though through our wine store and discounted reorder program, we’d certainly be happy to become your number one provider!)

That said, when you’re out there on your own, what matters most to you when you select a bottle? Is it price? Brand recognition? Varietal?  How do you choose your bottle when faced with that daunting wall full of wine at the grocery store or bottle shop? A recent study from various universities found that on a global scale, American criteria for wine selection is similar to those of the international community (with some variance) and points to previous experience with a bottle as the number one f actor in wine selection.  Coming in at a close second was recommendation from a trusted source, such as a wine review or wine club, followed thereafter by Variety, Origin, Brand, Medal (accolades), and “Read about it.” See the full article and write up by Wine Business Monthly.

The study focused not only on purchasing habits in retail stores, but also on wine selection criteria in restaurants. The study found that still the number one criteria was previous experience with the bottle, followed by, logically, the wine pairing with the dish for the evening.

Do your criteria change when in a restaurant vs. when in a store? What is most important to you when buying a bottle? Feel free to leave your comments below! We’d love to have your input!

Sharing Secrets about your Wine Club Membership….

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

wine_pouring_flopped_175What do we love? We love wine, of course! But we also love viticulture. We love the stories that develop over a bottle of wine. We love visiting wineries. We love food and wine. We love the living, breathing qualities of wine. We love that feeling we get after a frazzling day of work and finally having the chance to plop down on the couch with a glass of wine. But what we really love, what truly makes our hearts sing, is sharing these experiences with others! Its why we do what we do – because sharing wine with others can be one of the most rewarding experiences out there, especially when what we’re sharing is a truly fabulous bottle. We’re in the business of bringing high quality wines to your door; this much is obvious from our website. But what’s not so obvious is the amount we’re willing to bend our memberships to make them something that suits your needs. Which brings us to our last love, giving you what you really want.

I’ll use the Gold Series to set an example of the kind of tweaking we can do to your membership. The Gold Series is the most popular of our five wine club memberships. It is the least expensive of the selections, but the wines are high quality and very versatile. The website explains that the standard membership consists of two highly sought after small production, California wines, sent out on a monthly basis. Generally, it is one red and one white, but sometimes two different reds. The website also offers a Red only or White only option. But, what’s not advertised are alterations to this: if it is your preference, we can make sure that we always send you one red and one white, even in the months when “two reds” is the standard mix. Or, maybe you like red wine, but only Cabernet and Merlot, and in terms of white, you want to avoid Chardonnay and Viognier? (This is all hypothetical, of course. I can’t imagine why anyone would limit himself or herself in this way, but I do understand people have their preferences, and sometimes you just know what you like!)  Well, to sum it up, we can accommodate these requests as well. Perhaps location is your thing. We can send you a shipment only when we feature wines from a particular area like Napa Valley. We’ll work with you to find out your particular preferences. In months that we feature something you’d rather not receive, we can send you something from a previous month’s selection, or we can skip that month entirely, or maybe there’s something else you want to do. Fine by us!

B&W Grapes_4And what if two bottles each month just isn’t enough for you? (Now, we’re speaking my language…) The website offers a four bottle membership, which is essentially two of each of the featured wines from the month. But, believe me, by no means does it have to stop there. If you’d like to have four bottles each month but want three reds and one white, we can do that. Or three whites and one red? Yes! Like to try six wines each shipment? Yep, we can do that too. There is virtually no limit to the number of bottles we send you in a month.

And here’s another thing. Moving from the topic of wine selection to frequency of shipments, the website offers monthly, every-other, or quarterly shipments. But we actually can send shipments any time and as often as you like. If you want to have shipments only in months ending in “y”, we can do that. Or, only with the months with a major holiday, we can do that, too.  As often as you would like a shipment, we’ll send one your way.

Want to save a few bucks on shipping costs? How about joining a club membership on a quarterly basis, but receiving all the wines from that quarter at once? Keeping to the example of the Gold Series, you could receive the wines we featured in January, February and March all together in March (totaling 6 different wines in March), then continue on a quarterly basis from there. It will save you money on shipping, but the only downside is that you’ll have to wait two months in between shipments…

Wine PourLike the look of two of our Series, but can’t decide which one to choose and joining both is going to be too much wine? How about alternating? You could join the Gold Series every other month of the year, and in the alternate months, receive one of our premium clubs, like the Platinum or Diamond Series. You could even receive the Platinum Series on a monthly basis, but in your and your partner’s birthday months, treat yourselves to our highest rated wines club membership, the Diamond Series.  Don’t let us stop you…Go wild! Get creative!

What I’m trying to make obvious for you is that this is YOUR membership. Don’t let the website fool you – we are YES people and we want you to have a great experience with the wine club. If that means you want only 92+ rated wines from Monterey and Napa Valley and you want them only in the months of the year when you visit your Aunt Sadie at her home in Boulder, Colorado, well, that’s just peachy with us. We’ll send ‘em your way. Just tell Aunt Sadie to share!

Call our Customer Service phone number to customize your membership or to talk about your options for a gift: (800) 266 – 8888.

Check out our Comments from Members!

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Like some of the wines you’ve received in your shipment lately? We’d like to know about it!  Let us know by filling out a “Judge the Wines” form, and you’ll be automatically entered to win a half case of wine in our next quarterly drawing! 

Check out what some of our members have said about recent selections:

“Got it today…reorderd it today. Great Zin!” – John Sellinger about the Rusina 2006 Zinfandel.

“Nice acidity and balance. Clean and easy to drink. This was great with mac ‘n cheese!!!” — James Dietz about the Donati 2006 Chardonnay.

“We LOVED this Syrah…just ordered a case. Thanks for another great find, GMWC!” — Cathy Stewart about the Pianetta 2004 Syrah.

Happy tasting & enjoy your wine judging experience!

Are you on the VIP List?

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Save 40Make sure we have your email address, and you’ll be the first to hear about special discounts,exclusive promotions and private wine sales…before the public even knows about it! Throughout the year, we’re able to offer a range of special deals, and we want you to hear about it first. Having your email address on file is also a good idea when it comes to your scheduled wine club shipments. As each wine delivery is sent out, we’ll send you an email notification of the shipment with personal tracking information – this way you can plan and anticipate its arrival. Many of our wine club members are already enjoying the benefits of email notifications, and you can too!

Please give us a call today at 1-800-266-8888, and we can easily verify your account information and add your email address to our private list. And rest assured, we always keep email information confidential and never share it with anyone. Be in the know. Join the VIP list today!


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