Upon hearing of my invitation to a tasting for a Web 2.0 wine club whose founding purports to mark "the end of the wine snob era," my Comestaccomplice rejoined, "that would exclude you!" While I'd not consider myself a snob, I do enjoy good wines. Thus, I was curious to learn how ClubW distinguishes itself from the seemingly endless vintages of subscription services.
Cofounder Mark T. Lynn describes ClubW's mission
What is a good wine? My usual reply to that enduring question is, "if you like it, it's good." ClubW explores that notion further by showcasing affordable wines from lesser-known producers, and offering unpretentious guidance by knowledgeable sommeliers. There's even a smart-phone app that plays a descriptive, corresponding video when a wine label's QR code is scanned. In addition to merchandising wine, the club also provides an online community through which contemporary, like-minded œnophiles can connect and share the joys of swirling and sipping. Let's taste!
Of the five selections I sampled that evening, four were from California. I began with the 2010 Jeanne D'Arc California Chenin Blanc, an unfiltered, cloudy, orange wine. A fashionable quaff for fashionable quaffers, it bears little resemblance to a traditional Chenin Blanc. Its nose, for example, reveals olfactory hints more suggestive of the sea than of the honeysuckle one would expect from, say, a Vouvray. And while the tasting notes described its flavors as being "vaguely reminiscent of bourbon," I found them to be more reminiscent of a hard cider—somewhere between apple and pear. Although this wine may never rank among my favorites, it was fun to discuss as well as to drink.
The next pour came from a bottle of 2010 Infinite Monkey Theorem Albariño. Well established in Iberia, this grape has found a more recent home in California. Unlike the floral nose of its Spanish counterpart, however, the ripe pear bouquet of this Lodi varietal yielded an aroma similar to—albeit vastly milder than—that of a Poire William. On the palate, the wine again seemed to diverge from the flowery flavors I've come to associate with an Albariño. This refreshing departure represented a sort of interpolation of flavors between those of a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio.
My first red of the evening was the 2009 Folk Machine Central Coast Pinot Noir. I could hear the California bear's roar as I raised my glass and took my first sip. With considerable smoke and residual sweetness on the palate, there is nothing timid about this Monterey Pinot Noir. A popular ClubW selection, it would seem well suited to an informal social gathering.
Hailing from Colorado, the 2010 Infinite Monkey Theorem Malbec was the tasting's only non-Californian. Rich and full, with strong hints of mocha, this red is, according to the tasting notes, "as dark as the halls of Mordor." At $24.99, however, it would seem like an expensive hobbit. In light of the fact that the price of a highly drinkable Malbec from Argentina or Cahors (its ancestral home) is roughly half that of the IMT, the Coloradan might appear less attractive. Regardless, I can now boast of having tasted a Malbec from the Rocky Mountain State. Could that make me a wine snob?
The 2010 Three Ceremonies Red Wine ended the evening on a slightly sweet note. While not so sweet as a dessert wine, this Golden State variant of a Southern Rhône displays plenty of fruit and reveals hints of sweet plum. Its blend of Carignan, Syrah, and Zinfandel served as a luscious partner to the chocolate we were offered.
When I asked a few attendees how likely they were to join ClubW, responses varied. While some told me they would definitely join because they liked the online video descriptions, others felt that New York's vast array of wine options obviates the need to join a club. What do you think?
ClubW
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