Local wineries and wine stores make it easy for you to find your next bottle of wine By Jillian Chandler
Online shopping has become popular over the past decade, but even more so once the pandemic hit. While many of us may have missed browsing the aisles, hand selecting each item then gently placing it into our basket, many are enjoying the freedom that virtual shopping has afforded them—mainly time saved and shopping safely with most everything you’re looking for at your fingertips with the press of a button.
While the Inland Northwest continues to open, whatever the current phase is, the last thing you have to worry about is ensuring your wine rack and fridge are filled with your favorite local wines.
As many area wineries and wine shops offer wine club memberships, this benefits consumers in a number of ways: hand-selected wines from the professionals, catered to your preferred tastes; pickup onsite or delivery to your door; a tantalizing surprise with each new bottle you open and taste; and, of course, convenience!
Latah Creek Wine Cellars in Spokane Valley, Washington, offers their award-winning wines online. Just fill your online shopping cart with your favorites, and select whether you'd like to pick up your order from the winery, or have it shipped. They are able to ship to nearly half the states in the county, including Idaho and Washington, New York, Alaska, Florida, Washington, DC, and more!
“We are so excited to have our wines and more available for purchase online!” shares Natalie Barnes, winemaker at Latah Creek. “The convenience of being able to shop 24/7 is fantastic. It is great to be able to order wine and/or gift baskets for any occasion and have it delivered right to their door, or send it as the perfect gift for anyone on your list. It allows us to be available to customers at the times that are most convenient for them.”
Latah Creek also offers their WineClub, with five different categories, featuring the best of their wines chosen to each member’s taste and budget. There are several benefits to joining Latah Creek's WineClub, shares Natalie, from special discounts to invitations to WineClub member-only events, complimentary tasting fees and more. Each WineClub selection is based on a few parameters, according to Natalie, including wines that are ready to drink right now (pre-release and/or library wines, new releases, and wines that pair with the season). Visit LatahCreek.com and select “WineClub” to find out more and sign up for the category that best suits your palate.
Wine4U, based in Sandpoint, Idaho, is a wine club subscription service that prides itself on being able to provide wine lovers—both near and far—access to exploring a wide range of different and unique wines and varietals that may have never been discovered otherwise! Pick-up times are available for those local to Sandpoint, but for those residents in Idaho further from town, they can ship it to your door. Wines are handpicked for clients to try. Wine4U currently offers two tiers to the wine club, priced $35 and $65 respectively. To find out more about this wine collective, and to sign up to join, visit Wine4UOnline.com.
In 2007, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was introduced to a one-of-a-kind upscale wine and gift shop, where owners and husband-and-wife team Mary Lancaster and George Balling offer a broad selection of wines from most regions, both domestics and imports. If you are looking for that perfect wine to pair with your next meal or to gift a family member, friend or co-worker, look no further than The Dinner Party.
“With our expertise, we help with wine selections that suit your palate, pair well with your meals and broaden your experience,” smiles Mary.
At The Dinner Party, they offer wines for every taste and budget, with current wine selections online ranging from just $13 to $135 per bottle.
You can choose between their two wine clubs: the Party Pack and the Sommelier Club. The Party Pack wine club gives members the opportunity to try the best new wines available, with all selections designed to expand one’s wine experience and knowledge. Club months are February, May, August and November, with three bottles per pack averaging $20 per bottle. The Sommelier Club gives members access to the shop’s most sought-after, highly allocated wines—focusing on collector wines from both domestic and international producers. Selections for this premier club are priced at the $125 to $200 range, with one bottle selected for each club month (March, June, September and December). Visit TheDinnerPartyShop.com to sign up and get shopping.
You can sign up for LiveForBlu Gallery Wine Bar's exclusive Club, in which they celebrate the best wines in the Northwest and beyond.
Club members receive one or more monthly bottles, and members are welcome to mix and match any number of club membership options. Owner Cameron Howard, with the assistance of a Level 1 Certified Sommelier, selects only the best tasting wines to be shared with Club members, who also receive discounts and perks within the Gallery Wine Bar, which can be found at 505 Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Sign up today at LiveForBlu.com and click on "The Club."
Possibilities has been a staple in downtown Coeur d'Alene since opening its doors in 2004, adding their monthly Wine Club six years later. For more than a decade, owners Lee and Jill Kausen focus on wines from the Northwest, along with an extensive selection from California and more limited selection of imports. They invite those interested in the wine club to stop in the store so they can personally share all the benefits of being a member.
"We have the opportunity to taste through a number of wines on a weekly basis, selecting the wines that we think are worthy of being a club wine, keeping in mind the profile of what people like, but also moving individuals to try something out of the box,” shares Jill. Offering wine and custom gift baskets, huckleberry products and gourmet food, visit CdAGifts.com.
Vino! A Wine Shop in Spokane offers not only their Wine of the Month Club but their Connoisseur (Discount Buying) Club. They offer their highly esteemed Cellar Collection quarterly, with all wines priced less than $100.
At Vino!, they sample nearly 200 wines each month, selecting the best wines from around the world in specific price categories, which range from around $15 per month to less than $50. Check out VinoWine.com to get started today!
For additional online shopping and/or wine club options, check out Vine & Olive (VineandOliveCdA.com) and Castaway Cellars (CastawayCellars.com) in Coeur d’Alene; Pend d'Oreille Winery (POWine.com) in Sandpoint; and Nectar Wine and Beer (NectarWineandBeer.com) and Arbor Crest Winery (ArborCrest.com) in Spokane.
When it comes to selecting that next bottle of wine, you can leave it up to the trusted professionals. All you need to worry about is imbibing that lovely glass of wine. Cheers.
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