Subscription: Gold Medal Wine Club
Cost: 6 options to choose from, ranging in price from $37 to $179
Cycle: 6 options – some ship monthly, others quarterly
Features: Wine (and lots of it!)
We all know how obsessed Matt is with his beer. Recently, he got his hands on a box of beer from the Craft Beer Club. Well, I hate to break it to him, but I may be more obsessed with wine then he is with brewskis. Here in Eugene, we have a plethora of wineries within a 30-minute drive from just about any starting locating in Eugene. The four that you can easily tour in a day are Noble Estate, Silvan Ridge (where I am a wine club member – yum!), Sweet Cheeks and King Estate. And – piece of unsolicited advice – I recommend touring them in that order.
Gorgeous presentation of the Gold Series offering
Beer is available at the finish line of nearly all races. Wine? Wine isn’t. It should be – I would race more and run faster. I asked my fellow Run Oregon Bloggers their preference: those who responded indicated either “wine”, or “beer and wine”. Only one person (besides Matt, of course), mentioned just beer — and it was Robin! I was surprised!
2013 Reserve Pasofusion by Castoro Cellars
There are some really great races that do have wine available at the finish line. Two of my favorites are the Grapes of Half, and the Silvan Ridge Twilight 5. To prove my theory of running faster knowing wine is at the finish line waiting for me, these are two fairly challenging courses (hills!) yet I always finish close to my fastest pace. Funny how that works.
Being a member of a club, whether it be a local winery, one you visited on vacation and signed up for shipments, or one that provides a mix of wines from all over, is an excellent way to be exposed to new varietals, flavors, notes, and awesome bottle labels. Am I the only one who loves beautifully designed wine labels? I have a bunch of them displayed in my kitchen.
“The Road to Great Wine Begins at Your Door”. So yes, this is the truth. I received a shipment from the Gold Medal Wine Club, which contained a 2013 Reserve Pasofusion, and a 2014 Cuvee Blanc, both by Castoro Cellars. Both of these wines are small batches, with 600 and 550 cases produced respectively. Literature is provided with the shipment to describe, in amazing detail, the history of the wine, the palate profile, and some suggestions on perfect pairings with food.
2014 Cuvee Blanc by Castoro Cellars
This shipment is a part of their “Gold Series” club, which provides shipments monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly, usually providing one red, and one white variety per shipment. The price of each shipment is $37. There are six different series to choose from, with varying price points, and there really is a series for everyone. Personally, I am eye-balling the “Diamond” Series, which has all 93+ rated wines from California and the world’s most renowned wineries.
I am thoroughly enjoying the two wines I have received from Gold Medal Wine Club. Providing a shipment for my friends and family this coming holiday season is a definite consideration. The price points are reasonable, there are many options to choose from, the shipment comes beautifully packaged … and the wine tastes REALLY good!
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