OPEN
10AM-6PM
Voted #1 Wine Shop 10 Years in a row!
OPEN
10AM-6PM
Voted #1 Wine Shop 10 Years in a row!
Why our wine club is better than the national clubs.
Is it true? I’m sure you’ve seen the blitz ad campaigns in the Citizen Times, NYT and WSJ. In ¼ to full page ads, you’re offered something special. Something unique. A national wine club selling you something few can. Clean, quality, hard to find wines with no or little additives. And to ease you in, some will give you $100 to try them. I’m sorry to tell you that they’re not giving you the full story. To guide you through this thicket, we’ve devoted our entire newsletter to this one topic. By the end, I think you’ll see why the average member drops their national wine club after 1.5 to 2 years. But most of our club members have continued to stay with us over the last decade. Topic by topic here’s how our wine club compares to the national ones.
Better Value. Right out of the gate, you’re saving about $3 a bottle at Metro. Wine bottles are heavy which makes them expensive to ship. When they tell you it’s free shipping, don’t believe them. You still pay that cost and it’s taken out of the quality of the wine. Metro’s club is always priced at a discount so that the box price is competitive with the average Internet price. And you get further value when we find a great wine at a great price. When we do, you get wines that would normally cost you up to twice as much. Speaking of shipping, don’t forget an adult will need to be home for the day. You’ll have to wait there to sign for your shipment. At Metro, you can pick up at any time we’re open. And we’re open 7 days a week.
Real Wineries! Many nationals tell you their wines are limited or exclusive. Wines you’ll never see in a shop like Metro. And they are partly right – you’ll never see these wines at Metro. That’s because many buy bulk wines. The clubs then slap on their own label. We encourage you - Google these wineries. Virtually none can be found on the Internet. And how exclusive are these wines if they are sold nationally to anyone who joins their club? Metro fills your club box with real wines made at real wineries. They tend to be small wineries, many from family operations that have tilled the land for generations. These are vintners who use no or little additives and take pride in the care of their wine and land. When you buy from Metro, you support these families. And don’t forget. If a national club is not selling you bulk wine, chances are that Metro can get their “exclusive” wine for you too.
Better selection. Besides low quality, the biggest complaint we hear about national clubs is the small selection. Once they’ve shipped you everything they offer, they begin the cycle again with the same wines. And with bulk wines, the nationals can change the labels. But it’s still the same bulk wine in the bottle. Our club offers you all the wines available to Metro from around the world. Importers are constantly adding new wines to their portfolios in a battle for quality. We in turn offer them to you in our club.
You choose the style of wine and price you pay. Metro is competitive with national clubs by offering you the style of wine you like. Just tell us if you prefer a smoother fruit-driven domestic style or a more savory, structured Euro style. That begins your adventure! We select the wines for you. You’ll try grapes you know and those you don’t all in the style you want. In our traditional clubs, you’ll also receive notes describing the wine and pairing suggestions.
Unlike the national clubs, Metro offers you a custom club. You design the club to receive a very specific type of wine as well as decide the number of bottles, the frequency, and the price. Let’s say you want three bottles of Italian Chardonnay each month at $70. Or perhaps a case of rose for $220. We’ll set that up for you. You get the same service as the traditional club except we do not include the notes and pairing suggestions.
Wine Club Details: If you are interested in joining the club, please give us a call at 828-575-9525. Anyone can answer questions. Julie manages your club. She will sign you up and build your box each month. We’ll ask for your wine preferences, put your card information in our encrypted system. After that, your wine club box will be ready on the 1st or 15th of each month. Drop by at your convenience to pick it up. Here’s the details:
Tuesday Night Wine Club: Please tell us whether you want red or white wine in either domestic or Euro style. You will receive either 6 bottles of white or 6 reds. You can receive both white and red if you opt for 12 bottles, 6 bottles of each. Your box will be ready on the 15th of each month (or the frequency you select).
6 bottles for $85 or 12 bottles for $170
Saturday Night Wine Club: Please tell us whether you want red or white wine in either domestic or Euro style. You will receive either 6 bottles of white or 6 reds. You can receive both white and red if you opt for 12 bottles, 6 bottles of each. Your box will be ready on the 1st of each month (or the frequency you select).
6 bottles for $121 or 12 bottles for $242
Custom Club: You tell us the style, price and number of bottles. Your box will be ready on the 15th of each month (or frequency you select).
Call Julie at (828) 575-9525!
Gathering with friends over a glass of flavorful wine is a timeless and cherished social experience. The rich and nuanced taste of a well-selected wine adds depth to the conversation and enhances the overall enjoyment of the moment.
Kris Curran undoubtedly ranks among California’s highest profiled winemakers, particularly for her gift for creating outstanding Pinot Noir. She’s voted as one of Wine Spectator’s Top Winemakers almost annually due to her pioneering station amid the industry’s forward-thinkers.
Kris’s love for animals led her to Science, which led her, ultimately, to winemaking. She initially graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with an Animal Science Degree, followed by her second Bachelors, this time in Winemaking from Fresno State. From there Kris took up a position at Cambria as Assistant Winemaker and later became a founding member at Koehler. She progressed to Sea Smoke where she produced seven vintages but left when Foley Wines offered her the Winemaker position, where she made wines under the Foley, Lincourt and Two Sisters brands.
Today Kris continues to fulfill her innovative standing as the first Californian vintner to popularize Grenache Blanc which she started making in 2003. Her love for Spanish varietals prompted her to take up the challenge of mastering different production techniques: “I have come to appreciate the unique personality of each varietal with which I work. I combine this understanding with my scientific knowledge in pursuit of crafting the best wine possible.”
Sicilian Love Stories
In case you missed author Jay Wilkinson's excellent presentation and book signing in November of last year, Ciao Asheville is pleased to announce that Jay will be back in mid July with a sequel presentation titled "Sicilian Love Stories", which tells the story of the four great Sicilian-culture-tinged romances in Jay's book "A Lie Will Suffice". Jay is a dynamic and engaging speaker so you won't want to miss this event. Stay tuned for more details.
Film Showing
Roberto Benigni's
Life is Beautiful
Winner of 3 Academy Awards!
Sunday, March 3, 1pm
Metro Wines
169 Charlotte Street
Join Ciao Asheville and Metro Wines for a showing of this 1997 comedy-drama film. There will be a group discussion of the film following the showing. Snacks provided "on the house" and wine will be available for purchase. This film is in Italian with English subtitles.
This event is *free* but registration is required. Seating is limited so call Metro Wines at 828-575-9525 to reserve your seat.
"When some people hear “burgundy wine,” they immediately think of red wine. “Burgundy” does not refer to the color of the wine, however, but to the region of France in which the wine is made. That region is called “La Bourgogne” in French, “Burgundy” in English.
Some of the world’s finest red and white wines are produced in this storied region. These sought-after red wines are made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape, and the world-famous white wines are made entirely from the Chardonnay grape.
While these wines are known throughout the world, few people realize that Burgundy is by far the smallest major wine-growing region in the world. In fact, the heart of Burgundy is only about 30 miles long by one mile wide – tiny by wine standards. Obviously, the villages are tiny, too, and are a mere kilometer or two apart.
Herein lies one of the most complicated aspects of Burgundy – namely, the terrain presents a compact arrangement of microclimates. These microclimates present a complex assortment of altitudes, slopes, exposures and soil types. Literally, two vineyards separated by a stone wall or a dirt road will produce grapes that make wines which can be very different in flavor as well as quality. It’s no wonder that Burgundy produces a greater variety of single-grape wines than any other region in the world and it’s also no wonder that Burgundy can be a minefield for the wine lover in the United States.
Wines made in Burgundy receive their quality classifications, called appellations, based on the region, village or individual vineyard in which the grapes are grown. In most cases, the more defined the growing area of the grapes, the more consistent the quality of the wine produced by those grapes. Oftentimes, the finest wines are produced by vineyards that are no more than a few football fields in size."
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Contact for MetroWines: John Kerr
Charlotte Street! It's the Next BIG Thing
"Big Shop Selection. Small Shop Service"
Understanding the language of wine can be a journey, much like wine tasting itself. As rich and complex as the beverage it describes, wine terminology can feel elusive to many. Fear not, fellow wine enthusiasts, we're here to help.
