It only makes sense that while I’m sitting here writing this review, I’m sipping on one of my favorite wines from Winestyr, our new wine club. What is Winestyr? They are the best wine club that exists in the market today, and they provide a wine experience that gives consumers access to wines from the most interesting small producers in the country by cutting out the middle-person (wholesalers and retailers). Winestyr ships them right to your doorstep.
I would consider myself an amateur wine drinker. My girlfriend and I enjoy drinking wine, but I wouldn’t say that we are connoisseurs to any degree. We typically just go into the store and buy a bottle in the price range we’re looking (not too cheap, not too expensive). We’ll ask for recommendations occasionally, but other than that we know nothing about the vineyards we are drinking the wine from. Winestyr changes that and provides a unique opportunity to support small-production wineries with the highest quality wine.
Winestyr offers wines from vineyards that you might discover when you head out to some of the best small wineries in California, Oregon and Washington. Up until this point, there was no way to get these wines from places other than the wineries. You can't find them on store shelves in Chicago (and most other cities). Winestyr’s wine club is the best way to get a steady flow of what their experts have identified as the most unique and best wines from small-batch wineries. Members receive them with preferred pricing and $0 shipping. The Winestyr showrooms in Chicago are also a great way to experience the wine in person and learn more about what makes Winestyr so awesome.
Winestyr offers the wine experience in their Chicago showrooms and through their online delivery. We had a great opportunity to experience both.
The Wine Club by Winestyr
The Wine Club by Winestyr is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to a wine delivery service that offers both uniqueness and flexibility. These are the two reasons that get us most excited about our wine shipment.
The uniqueness of their wines is what sold me on Winestyr. They are hand-selecting the best of the best when it comes to small wineries and then supporting them by providing a direct-to-consumer distribution channel. Otherwise there would be no way to get the wine from these vineyards! From a comparison perspective, most wineries producing less than 50,000 cases of wine per year are considered to be small. Winestyr partners with wineries producing between 1,000 and 10,000 cases of wine per year, which means they are really small vineyards. Those numbers are insane! For me, the ability to try a wine I’ve never had before, while supporting a smaller winery or give a bottle as a gift to someone that I know and am confident they have never had it before makes it all worth it. And, yes, they taste damn good.
In the wine club shipment, you receive a printed copy of the wines you are receiving and details about each wine and the vineyard. It’s great to be able to read about the winery and then try the wine. We end up looking up the vineyards online, seeing where they are located, and checking out their websites. It’s what makes the experience unique.
The wine is slightly more expensive that what we typically spend per bottle (generally $20-$40), which is why we opted for the once every other month option as a way to treat ourselves to three bottles of wine every other month. It’s the perfect balance for us right now. For those looking for three or six bottles per month or per quarter, Winestyr can provide that to you as well.
Winestyr Showrooms - Chicago
The experience we had at Winestyr’s West Loop Showroom in Chicago was phenomenal. It reminded me of the tasting rooms at vineyards I visited in Europe. There are a lot of well-dressed individuals laughing, drinking, relaxing and having a great time! For the two hours we were there, we mentally got to leave Chicago and feel as if we were at a tasting room or vineyard in France. The best part about it was the wine! We were taken on a journey by the knowledgeable staff at Winestyr, talking us through each of the wines we were tasting and answering all the questions we threw their way.
I would recommend heading to one of Winestyr’s showrooms in Chicago with your significant other, a friend or a small group of people that will love and appreciate wine! It’s a great opportunity to learn more about Winestyr and experience what the buzz is all about. It’s by appointment only and they definitely book up quickly!
Use code DAPPER25 to receive $25 off your first wine club shipment!
Details about the wine!
The wines we received in our first shipment:
2014 Rinconada Vineyard Pinot Noir by Sandhi Wines - Santa Rita Hills, CA
Fresh and bright with quite a bit of earthiness, this wine is a dead ringer for some of the incredible wines coming out of Burgundy. Only 350 cases produced.
2016 Super MSG! Rhone Blend by Fausse Piste - Columbia Valley, WA
A crazy blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, Counoise and Grenache, this wine provides some earthy funkiness that you don't often find in the United States. A fun wine from a killer producer. Only 360 cases produced.
2016 Hollis Cabernet Sauvignon by Stewart Cellars - Napa Valley, CA
This rich Napa Cab checks all of the boxes but it comes at a great value with so many wines from Napa selling for $100+. Pair with a NY strip steak and call it a night.
The wines we experienced while we were in the showroom:
2017 Chenin Blanc by Methode Sauvage - San Benito County, CA.
An intriguing white wine with more complexity than most Sauvignon Blanc and more refreshing qualities than most Chardonnay. Only 300 cases produced.
2013 Signature Chardonnay by Alder Springs - Mendocino County, CA
A high elevation Chardonnay with a bit of age on it, this wine is drinking beautifully right now thanks to its beautiful fruit and well integrated oak.
2018 Poco Tinto by Ferdinand Wines - Napa Valley, CA
Such a fun wine here! Bright, prickly and so refreshing served chilled on a summer day.
2016 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir by Sojourn Cellars - Sonoma Coast, CA
A rich Pinot Noir with a backbone of spice and earth that holds it all together. This wine is a total crowd pleaser. Pair with cedar plank salmon or braised chicken.
2010 Colcanyon Estate Merlot - Malibu, CA
Only 144 cases produced from a tiny vineyard that recently burned down in Malibu, this Merlot is unlike any you've ever had. Lots of fruit, earth, pepper, and spice - an intense wine that's worth a try.
Disclaimer:
I have been compensated by Winestyr for this review. Consistent with all my reviews, this is 100% my personal opinion about Winestyr. Everything above holds true regardless of the fair compensation for the professional quality content.
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