Feeling In The Pink

My friend Jeannine likes Penfolds. She particularly likes the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignons from this Australian wine company. One of her greatest wine experiences was enjoying a big glass of Penfold’s Bin 707 Cabernet. I know because I was there when she tried it. I remember her considered and convincing tone when she told me that it was the best wine she’s ever had. I believed her.

Jeannine has what many wine lovers miss out on. That is fun.

Although I’d give her more credit, she says she’s no connoisseur and knows nothing about wine. Many people think this way. For some reason, they believe they need a degree to enjoy one of humankind’s loveliest creations. That’s just crazy talk.

Jeannine’s so-called inability appreciate wine, however, certainly doesn’t keep her from enjoying a glass of wine now and again, especially when it says Penfolds on the outside. You could say she’s a fan of the Australian wine icon.

And what’s wrong with that? Who doesn’t like getting behind a team? That’s the fun part!

One of the most pleasant ways to feed the wine lover in us all is to find a winery or two you like; drink their wines; follow their activities; visit them; become a fan. It’s never been easier to follow your team, er, winery. Most winemakers have at the least serviceable websites. The best have websites chock full of information about their wines, the winery, the vintner and the winery dog (which every winery seems to have); and they are just plain fun. One of my favorites is Bonny Doon’s website, www.bonnydoonvineyard.com. They’ve got 30-second cartoons featuring their wines.

And best of all, most wineries have wine clubs. This is perhaps the coolest thing to happen to wine since Dom Perignon figured out how to put bubbles in Champagne. Depending on the club, every month or two you’ll get anywhere from a couple bottles to a half dozen bottles from the winery. Plus as a member, you’ll have access to limited bottlings of special wines. Some winemakers make wine just for club members.

Wineries have been skittish about sending wines directly to Georgia because of our regulations. That attitude is changing. A Supreme Court ruling in May 2005 made it illegal for states to bar wine shipments from out of state if they allow in-state wineries to ship wine. While the ruling has no bearing on Georgia’s laws, it has invigorated wineries to explore direct shipping as a bigger part of their operations. Some are more willing to make the effort to comply with Georgia rules. [NOTE FROM GIL: Since 2005, Georgia law now allows most shipments of wine from out-of-state wineries and wine clubs.]

But maybe you don’t want to commit to just one winery when the whole world of wine is waiting out there. Don’t worry. They have a wine club for that. Organizations like the California Wine Club will send you an assortment of wines every so often to maintain your life’s spicy variety. The California Wine Club, celebrating its 15th anniversary, is one of the better ones. It features smaller, family-owned wineries mostly from California. But clubs come in all shapes and sizes. Some focus on style of wine, such as Vinesse’s Light & Sweet Club (www.vinesse.com); others bring you the pleasures of a particular region, such as the Monterey Wine Club (www.tastemonterey.com), or both such as the Oregon Pinot Noir Club (www.oregonpinotnoir.com).

Last year, I joined the California Wine Club. About two weeks after I joined, I received a Viognier and a Syrah from Paso Robles, plus a 12-page magazine featuring the winery. The Viognier was passable, but the Syrah was quite enjoyable. The cost, including shipping, was about $40.

Could I have done better in the aisles of my local wine shop? Sure. But I have to admit it was fun anticipating my package’s arrival. After I opened it, I couldn’t wait to try my new wines. As I sipped the Syrah, I read about the people who made my wine, where it came from and how the winery got its name. Fun!

And that’s the point. Fun! The raison d’etre of any fan club, whether it’s the Braves’ 400 Club or the Falcons’ Birdwatchers. You don’t have to be a starting pitcher or a star quarterback to enjoy these teams. You cheer when they win and blame the referee when they lose. With wine, you cheer when your wine gets a high score and curse the wine critic when he disagrees with you.