We aren’t just another wine club - we provide our club members with everyday wines along with a daily blog full of great wine information. Our articles are full of wine news, pairing suggestions, restaurant reviews, and party tips designed to help wine buyers ranging from complete novices to experienced drinkers looking for the next best bottle. Sure, we want you to purchase a membership to The South Beach Wine Club, but we also want you to stop by every day to see what's on our minds. And once you're here, we hope you comment on what you read.

The club is designed for those who like to enjoy wine every day and those who know that wine helps make a party great - no matter what size! But who has time to make that extra trip after work to the wine store, trolling through endless bottles of wine? You should spend your time enjoying the wine, so we pick great bottles at great prices for you. No more guess work!

We keep it simple - 3 different tiers: 2, 4 or 6 bottles per month.

The price is listed in the total price - no hidden shipping costs at check out.

Customize your shipment to be all reds, all whites, or a mix - because you never know.

Perfect gift for those busy friends who always like to have a bottle of wine around.

Regularly updated blog to provide you with helpful party tips, wine suggestions, and pairing ideas.

My girlfriend is a fan of kicking off a casual evening with friends by serving a delicious bowl of nuts for everyone to munch on. While she does this, I’m normally making cocktails and pouring glasses of wine. Between the two of us, we’ve put together a few delightful wine-and-nut combos to try the next time you gather friends:

Peanuts
One handful of peanuts has a way of becoming two or three, so to refresh yourself between bites, sip something with a little fruitiness to contrast the salt. Many Washington and Oregon Rieslings will do the trick. For something drier, reach for Cava. This refreshing, and often inexpensive sparkling wine from Spain fits right in with the sorts of easygoing gatherings (i.e. tailgates and bowl-game parties) where casual jars of peanuts are right at home.

Cashews
Match the cashews’ irresistible buttery richness with a wine that has some luxurious oaky weight. Many Australian and California Chardonnays, especially those that have been barrel fermented, offer just that. Or, go in the opposite direction with a lighter style of Chardonnay, one that’s labeled “un-oaked.” With this match, you’ll be contrasting the nut’s creamy flavor with the wine’s bright, refreshing fruit.

Walnuts
Walnuts mesh well with dried fruit flavors (think figs, apricots and raisins), so it’s no surprise that the nut will go beautifully with little glasses of tawny port – a wine that’s rife with the aromas and tastes of dried fruits and nuts. Though it’s often served as a dessert wine, tawny port also makes an inviting aperitif when lightly chilled.

There are, or course, more nuts out there to pair with wine. If you have a pairing suggestion, let me know.

Answer – a pretty messy tragedy!

I will admit, this image makes me want to get a roll of paper towels and a glass. Yes, I would ring out the towels over the glass. Yes, I would enjoy drinking the “floor wine.” Yes, I believe the alcohol in the wine would kill any germs. No, I don’t think that’s going overboard.

Don’t let this happen to you! Don’t purchase cheap wine racks, or else you could possibly say goodbye to your investment.

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A gorgeous Washington Syrah or red Burgundy may be, in theory, the perfect match for the luscious leg of lamb you’re serving.  But, sometimes, it pays to choose wines based on who’s joining you for dinner rather than what’s being served. When you’re hosting friends whose enthusiasm for the fruits of the vine don’t quite match your own, the gracious thing to do is offer them what they prefer, not what you’d prefer them to have. True, many wine lovers at your table will delight in your thoughtful pairings, reveling in, for example, how that juicy lamb heightens the spice and fruit in the bold Syrah you serve. Yet for the guy who drinks only white, the pairing may fall flat, no matter what you offer.

If your friends are curious about wine, then it’s equally gracious to introduce them to wines that provide easy-sipping introductions to the wine world. That means you likely won’t want to pull out a bottle of your darkest, moodiest Malbec or your biggest, boldest Cabernet Sauvignon. Go ahead and buy the wine you think will match the food you’re serving. But also make sure you have everyone covered by adding an extra bottle or two to the lineup.

Some like it sweet. Dry just doesn’t fly with many wine drinkers, so always offer a few sweeter-style picks. White Zinfandel and some Rieslings should fit the bill. Riesling is just so easy to enjoy. The best Rieslings possess a sweetness that is balanced by acidity, so many newbies find it palatable. German Rieslings are, in my opinion, the best but they may be too complex for the beginning wine drinker.  US style Rieslings are light and not too expensive, making them perfect for such a dinner party. Some bottles I’d recommend: 2007 BV Coastal Estate California Riesling, 2007 Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Riesling (Washington State), and 2007 Bogle Vineyards California Riesling.

Others are serious, but no need to feel intimidated when an educated wine-lover comes to dinner. Simply look for wines from currently sought-after regions, such as Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara, Rhone-style blends from Paso Robles and Syrahs from Washington State. Just know that the prices of wines made from preferred grapes from preferred regions can vary. The 2006 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a great value at $18 per bottle, but could be considered too light when compared against a 2006 Chalone Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir (a $30 bottle). Whether or not such guests love the wine, they’ll relish the opportunity to sip something from a region currently scoring high on the wine world’s buzz-o-meter. You could also throw a Rioja (sometimes labeled by the grape, Tempranillo) into the mix. This Spanish red is also plenty soft and easy to sip, with strawberry, cherry, and berry flavors. Reach for those labeled “crianza” – they’ll be lighter and fruitier (and, conveniently, less expensive). The 2004 Lerin Navarra Tempranillo, a South Beach Wine Club wine, would be perfect for such a dinner party.

If you still aren’t sure about what to serve, remember that something for everyone is the way to go. Guests may find higher-alcohol wines hard to take. Try to have a lower-alcohol pick on hand (look on the label for bottles under 12.5 percent alcohol). When in doubt consider that Chardonnay and Merlot still rank among the top-sellers, so if you have a bottle of these waiting in the wings, you have an excellent chance of pleasing every palate.

Long recognized as the finest of Spain’s renowned wine regions, Rioja is steeped in a tradition forged almost exclusively from refined, exceptionally long-aged red wines. In fact, you can catch a glimpse of this legendary past with the delightfully old-fashioned gold wire netting that still covers many bottles. Yet these days, a flood of trendsetting new wineries called bodegas (say it with me now bo-de-gas) are introducing wines made in a more modern style. Better still, in addition to its spectacular reds, even Rioja’s lesser-known whites and roses are now getting into the act.  A suggestion: spend some time in the Spanish section of your wine shop – of course, after having read this article.

Rioja made its first big splash on the wine scene in the mid-19th century, at a time when French vineyards to the north were hit by a devastating double whammy of powdery mildew and phylloxera, a vine-killing parasite. As French wines evaporated from the market, wine merchants desperately searched for great wines to replace them. Knowing that Rioja produced magnificent red wine – much of it aged in oak barrels like the finest Bordeaux – French merchants made a beeline for this previously untapped region. For Rioja, the trade had an explosive impact, causing growers to plant thousands more acres of vines and securing a reputation that’s endured to the present day.

Aficionados have always cherished Rioja’s classic old wines, which have an unblemished reputation for elegance and earthiness. Traditionally, these were fermented in huge wooden vats and then aged for years in small, American oak barrels, which added a tantalizing vanilla aroma. Today, in addition to the classic style, you’ll find many bodegas fermenting wines in modern stainless-steel tanks for crisper flavors.  Also, in an effort to create greater complexity, bodegas are also aging in French rather than American oak. Whatever the style, the reverence for older wine remains, and Rioja’s labeling system reflects this – dividing oak-aged red wines into three categories: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. Look for one of these three designations on bottles of Rioja. If you prefer fresher, fruitier flavors, select Crianza, which is the youngest of the three. For greater depth, try a longer-aged Reserva. And for an oak-driven reflection of centuries past, opt for the painstakingly long-aged Gran Reserva.

For Rioja red wines, the most important grape variety, by far, is Tempranillo. It yields an elegant and complex medium-bodied wine, capable of plenty of aging. Although some wines are made solely from Tempranillo, more often Riojas are a blend of Tempranillo seasoned with smaller amounts of Garnacha, Graciano, and/or Mazuelo.

Although Rioja is still known primarily for its red wines, white Riojas, which feature Viura, Garnacha Blanca, and/or Malvasia grapes, are threatening to change all that. They’re made in a wealth of exotic styles, from traditional, long-aged white Reservas to chic, barrel-fermented versions; for those, look for the words “Fermentado en Barrica” on the label.

Don’t skip past the roses, either. Although roses from the nearby Navarra region tend to get better press, Rioja roses can also be diverse and interesting – in particular, the rare Reserva versions that are aged before release.

So now that you’re prepared to tame and tackle the Spanish wine section, I hope you begin to spend more time exploring these  shelves.

I may discuss Zinfandels quite a bit in my articles, but I felt compelled to give this overshadowed wine the spotlight. Zinfandel lovers usually have to struggle a bit to find these wonderful wines; they always seem to hide in small quantities both on store shelves and restaurant menus.  But any Zinfandel lover will tell you that between the bold flavor and great value, it’s worth moving past more common varietals in order to discover the next rich, juicy bottle.  And please, try not to upset any Zinfandel lover by questioning how they can possibly enjoy White Zinfandel, which is COMPLETLEY different!

Although it is related to the Italian Primitivo grape, Zinfandel is a quintessential California varietal. It is the most widely planted red grape in the state, and more of it is planted in California than anywhere else in the world. Much of it is used to make White Zinfandel, a slightly sweet blush wine. It is also sometimes used as a blending grape in other red wines. But it is the ultra-ripe, intensely flavored red Zinfandel wines that have created the craze. They have a lush richness that is just plain hard to resist.

One of the reasons Zinfandel is so much fun is that it’s not a wine that wants to be overanalyzed. No need to stare off into the distance as you try to discern the nuances of a vintage or the oak regimen of the winemaker. Zinfandel can be bright and medium-bodied or jammy and decadent. Either way, Zins’ raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, cherry, chocolate and spicy black pepper flavors are positively delicious.

Zins’ richness is something to keep in mind when pairing it with foods – it will simply overwhelm anything delicate or subtle. Zinfandel is just about the best burger wine in the world. It goes well with any rich and meaty dish. If you have a favorite pot roast recipe or are wondering what to pair with a crockpot stew, look no further than a Zinfandel. The same goes for grilled foods. That smoky, charred flavor just sings when contrasted with the jammy richness of a Zin. Zinfandel’s richness and body can also tame the flame in spicy, peppery, chile-spiked food. From Tex-Mex to Cajun potato wedges and spicy sausages, Zinfandel is a great pairing for your flavorful favorites.

If you’re now intrigued, and want to go pick up some bottles of Zinfandel for yourself, may I suggest looking at California’s Dry Creek Valley (a sub-region of Sonoma) and the Sierra Foothills (part of Amador County).  These two regions offer outstanding Zinfandels, and will certainly convince you of the quality of this style of wine.

If you crave juicy wines with a hint of chewy depth, Rhone blends should be part of your wine repertoire. Made up primarily of three grapes – Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre – Rhone Valley blends originated France, but have become more popular in New World countries as well.

France’s Rhone Valley is like two different wine zones crammed into one. In the north, the Syrah variety reigns supreme as the only red grape in famous Hermitage and Cote-Rotie wines. But in the hotter south, blends are the name of the game, and a whopping 13 different varietals can be included in some wines! In all southern Rhone blends, including famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Cotes-du-Rhone, the three main varietals are major players. Typically, Grenache takes on a leading role, strongly backed up by Syrah and Mourvedre. Any other varietals making the mix will appear in much smaller amounts.

Winemakers in the Rhone use so many varietals because of the complexity each grape brings to the wine.  The three main varietals provide the backbone. Grenache adds bright, red raspberry flavors, and because it’s naturally lower in tannin than many other reds, easy-going drinkability is always part of the package. Syrah, called Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, adds spiciness and darker, blackberry-type flavors, plus the ability to gracefully age. It can also lend beguiling scents of smoke and leather. Mourvedre is intense and meaty. It adds even more aging ability, plus an inky, dark color.

In the United States, the big-league popularity of Rhone varieties is largely due to the efforts of a group of daring California winemakers known as the Rhone Rangers. With a belief that California’s climate has much in common with the Rhone Valley in France, this posse of winemaking rebels turned their backs on ever-popular staples such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, focusing instead on Rhone mainstays. These days, the Rhone Rangers’ influence extends throughout the entire west coast, including Oregon and Washington. But many of the top wines are found in California’s Central Coast, including areas such as Paso Robles and Santa Barbara.

If you’ve ever gotten even a whiff of Aussie wine, chances are you know all about the down-under success of Shiraz. But Grenache and Mourvedre feel right at home in Oz as well. In addition to wines labeled Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre, keep an eye out for Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvedre and Shiraz-Grenache wines in which Shiraz claims the lion’s share of the blend, rather than Grenache. For fresh, exciting Aussie-Rhone takes, pay particular attention to bottles hailing from Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.

The ample warmth and sun of South Africa perfectly suits heat-loving Rhone grapes. Although the region is steeped in centuries of tradition dating back to the 1600s, South African winemakers have recently adopted Rhone varieties as their very own. As in other New World areas, you’re likely to see the classic Rhone trinity alongside an infinite number of variations on the theme. Don’t shy away – South African mixes featuring any of the Rhone varieties can be meltingly soft and easy to love.

Whether you throw parties regularly, or occasionally have friends over, wine will always add something special to the evening.  In addition to the bottles, there is certain wine “paraphernalia” that a household will benefit from having.  And, because so many homes don’t have these little necessities, they make great gifts. So, if you are looking for more gift ideas for your favorite wine lover, here are some suggestions:

Wine drinkers can never have too much stemware. For red and white wine drinkers, consider a set of four Bordeaux or Burgundy crystal glasses (I’d recommend Riedel). Champagne drinkers would enjoy flutes, either new or a lucky discovery at a local antique store or arts festival. Petite dessert-wine glasses, with bowls about the size of an egg, also make lovely gifts – especially when presented with a half-bottle of late harvest Riesling or Sauterne.

Aside from stemware, you can purchase a stainless steel Champagne bucket to serve as a table-side chiller, or to chill wine out on a patio. You could even have it engraved to commemorate a special occasion, like a wedding, anniversary, promotion or retirement.

Decorative bottle stoppers are also useful gifts that are always welcome. These range from the whimsical (animals, seashells, travel motifs) to the serious (silver-plated and monogrammed).  If you think these may be too inexpensive, think again. Some hand-blown glass stoppers cost upwards of $50.  Of course, you could always purchase a few cheaper ones – you never know how many bottles are going to get opened up.

An insulated wine carrier is a practical gift that can be used for picnics and to carry chilled wine to dinner parties. Carriers range in style from sporty, soft-sided pouches to old-fashioned wicker cases to futuristic aluminum totes. There are even fine leather cases and hard-sided cases designed to work on a motorcycle.  These are perfect for the friend who always brings wine in a brown bag.

If you’ve ever set your wine glass down at a party and couldn’t find it again, then you’ll understand the appeal of wine charms. These tiny charms (think of a charm bracelet) are designed to be slipped onto the stem of a wine glass and come in many themes. They’re usually sold in sets of six or eight and make a great hostess gift.

Maybe I should add that every household should have a wine opener, be it a Rabbit-style corkscrew, a waiter’s corkscrew, or something else in between.  Because without an opener, any other wine tool is useless!

My sister graduated from high school today, and in preparation for the graduation party, wine for toasting was bought in GREAT quantities. The decision was made to purchase a variety of sparkling wines, including some good Champagne. It is important to note that all sparkling wines are not necessarily Champagne. As a rule, only bottles from the Champagne region of France may be labeled Champagne. However, you can find outstanding sparklers from wineries around the globe. These wines must be labeled as something other than Champagne, such as sparkling wine, cava or cremant – but they are just as perfect for toasting a special occasion such as a graduation.

While some sparklers do a great job of standing in for Champagne’s elegant bottles, other bubblies are unique. Many of these great “alternative” sparkling wines come at much lower price tags than pedigreed Champagnes.

Even in France, luscious sparkling wines aren’t only the domain of Champagne ; in fact, sparkling wines are made all over the country. Some fine examples are the sparkling wines from the Loire Valley; some are labeled Cremant de Loire, while other sparklers may be labeled by sub-regions, such as Vouvray or Saumur. Most will be made with the lush, fruity, brightly acidic Chenin Blanc grape.

Spain’s sparkling wines are produced predominantly in the Catalonia region of Spain and are most often labeled cava, which is the Catalan word for an underground cellar. Cava is primarily made from grapes typical of the region. Aside from being loved for their wallet-friendly price (you can easily find bottles for under and around $10), cavas are known for being nicely crisp and fruity, but not quite as acidic as a French Champagne.

Italy definitely has its illustrious high-end sparkling wines at high prices; however, when you’re looking for an easy-sipping crowd-pleaser, try Prosecco. It’s fruitier than Champagne and not quite as fizzy. Lighter in body, it’s also a good choice for holiday brunches.

For California sparkling wines, look for the word “Carneros” on your label, which is a growing region that straddles both Napa and Sonoma counties. It is one of the country’s best places to grow those quintessential Champagne, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. The words “methode traditionelle” on the label means the wines were made in the same labor-intensive manner used to make French Champagne.

If you’re ready for something off the beaten path, look for sparkling Shiraz from Australia. It’s definitely a sparkling wine of a different color, but it’s a good choice when you want the festivities of bubbles, but crave the heft of something red.

Many of these bottles will be present at the graduation party, and I look forward to sharing them with friends and family. If she’s lucky, I may even allow my sister a glass (don’t tell the Voorhees police department).

Today’s inexpensive wines are better than ever. So what’s with that guy who always orders the priciest bottle? Is he just showing off, or are there legitimate reasons some wines are more expensive than others?

Over the past few decades, winemakers all over the world have utilized high-tech equipment, and have employed sophisticated techniques to help ensure that consumers aren’t buying bum bottles. Armed with experience and the latest technology , they can inexpensively produce oceans of enjoyable wines. It all adds up to store shelves being jam-packed with consistently good wines at bargain prices.  But what really differentiates the bargain wines from the “top-shelf” bottles?

Aside from simply being fun to drink, a good wine meets recognizable standards. First off, it should be “varietally correct,” tasting like the grape or grapes from which it is made. A good wine also won’t have any unpleasant flavors or aromas. An alcoholic burn is a bad aroma, while a barnyard or asphalt aroma can be enjoyable to some (and so not a flaw). Finally, it should be balanced, without any one trait dominating the others, such as excessive tartness or sweetness.

Defining greatness in wine is much more difficult. That’s because ultimately, the only person who can judge whether a wine is truly great, and perhaps worthy of a higher price, is you. Even so, aficionados would agree that a great wine offers the best flavor characteristics of its grape varieties, and is reminiscent of the soil and climate of the place in which the grapes were grown. Its flavors and aromas may be so clear and enticing that resistance to its allure is futile. You have no choice but to give a great wine your full attention. Its flavor may go on for such a long time that it seems as though it might never end. And you hope it never will.

Unfortunately, magnificent wine doesn’t often come cheap. One of the biggest factors is basic supply and demand. There’s an extremely limited supply of the world’s most prestigious wines, and surprising numbers of people pay exorbitant amounts to get their hands on them.  Winemakers have identified a number of things they can do to radically upgrade quality – but, sadly, at a price. These may include:

·         Growing grapes only on the best sites – the scarcest, most expensive land

·         Severely limiting grape yield – fewer grapes per vine concentrates flavor but provides much less wine to sell

·         Harvesting by hand instead of by machine

·         Hand-sorting each bunch of grapes, using only the best for top wines

·         Buying many brand-new small oak barrels every year, which can cost up to $1,000 each

·         Properly aging the wines

·         Producing and blending with very small batches of wine

Remember, with the quality of all wines at historic highs, wine lovers may justifiably choose to never spend more than $10-$15 and still enjoy good bottles. Wine’s beauty, at any price, is in the glass of the beholder.

Ideal for the wine novice and the ardent apprentice alike, the modern stemless wine glass puts wine right in the palm of your hand. And, conveniently, it fits in your dishwasher, so you can say goodbye to hand-washing. The newest revolution in glassware is casual yet sophisticated. Styles range from no-frills glass tumblers to hand-blown Austrian crystal in shapes designed to enhance specific types of wine. Are you ready to nix the stem? Here are some considerations to help you decide:

Some of the pros of stemless glasses are that they are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, easier to store than wine glasses with stems, and are trendy and unpretentious. In addition, these glasses are excellent for serving other beverages – scotch and soda and vodka tonics are particularly good.  The white wine glass feels very sturdy in your hand, just like any normal glass.

In my personal opinion, the cons of stemless glasses outweigh the pros. Whether or not you believe that stemless glasses look less elegant, you should know that the lack of a stem cuts down on the functionality of the glass. You cannot always get the properly shaped glass with every stemless brand, so you’ll end up missing flavors and aromas of wine.  Additionally, the fact that there is no stem means swirling the wine is much more of a challenge, not to mention the fact that holding the bowl with your hand heats up the wine.  And, if you have smaller hands, the larger glasses for reds are awkward to hold.