Gold Medal Wine Club is more of an old school wine club, focused on providing you with a few high-quality wines a month rather than serving as your sole resource for wine. It mainly deliveries California-based wines, but will send some from outside of the Golden State.
How it Works
Rather than taking an online quiz or having to do a tasting, Gold Medal deliveries your wines depending on your level choice. There are six levels to choose from, each categorized based on different factors such as location, rating and more.
- Gold Level – Wines from small California wineries
- Platinum Level – Rare and collectible California wines with a 90+ rating
- International Level – Wines from family-owned international estates
- Garagiste Level – Artisan wines by independent winemakers
- Pinot Noir Level – The highest rated California pinots
- Diamond Level – Luxury California wines with a 93+ rating
Once you choose your level, you can pick the number of bottles you want and the frequency of delivery. Frequency options vary by level. Gold Medal gives you the option to choose all reds, all whites or a mix of both. With your shipment you’ll receive an industry newsletter with tasting and pairing notes, information on vineyards and winemakers, and more. You can also choose to add gourmet snacks to pair with your wines.
What it Costs
Compared to other wine clubs, Gold Medal’s prices are a bit high, however they do focus on top-rated wines. There are no membership or cancellation fees.
- Gold Level – Starting at $39 a month
- Platinum Level – Starting at $89 a month
- International Level – Starting at $75 a month
- Garagiste Level – Starting at $75 a month
- Pinot Noir Level – Starting at $74 a month
- Diamond Level – Starting at $179 a month
Discounts
- Save 5-10% when you choose to purchase four bottles. This varies by level, and the discount is not available for all levels.
- Members receive discounts at Gold Medal’s online wine store.
What People Like
- Gold Medal provides unique wines, working with small vineyards and winemakers to deliver some of the best varieties.
- An online chat option allows you to reach customer service and ask questions quickly and conveniently.
- Members have access to online video features on every wine the site offers to expand your wine knowledge.
- You can send a shipment to someone as a gift, as well as gift sets containing wine and snack pairings, wine accessories and more. Gold Medal often has promotions running that offer discounts on gifts, especially around the holidays.
- Gold Medal’s level options are very customizable.
What People ‘Wine’ About
- Gold Medal is very secretive about its shipping, leaving shipping prices a question until you actually make a purchase. Gold Medal also does not disclose its state shipping limits.
- You cannot specifically choose the wine you want. You just have to trust the experts and hope you like what they send!