Metro Wines Blog - Metro Wines Asheville
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!
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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.
"At the Bar" and "On the House"
Thursday, December 7th, 4-6pm
@MetroWines on Charlotte Street
Meet Distributor Ayres Newsom and taste 5 wines from the world’s most famous region for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Burgundy! These small-production wines appear at a few wine dinners around town each year, but almost never in wine shops – until now!
Ayres Newsom will pour five wines from the world’s most famous wine region and answer your questions and remove the mystery from these wines. Micro-producers produce so little of these wines, almost none of these wines ever make it to the United States. But because the importer and distributor are located in Asheville, we have great access to these fine wines.
As one winemaker says, “I put my heart in every bottle of wine.” Each family owns the vines and personally works in the vineyards, pruning the vines, hand-picking and sorting the grapes, and overseeing the winemaking process in its entirety.
Crémant - Jean-Luc Joillot Agnes
From Pommard, 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. In blind taste tests, people choose this Crémant over many famous Champagnes. Like a true Champagne at half the price!
Chablis – Francois Servin Vaillons 1er Cru Chablis 2022
Muscular, with a firm streak of minerality underlying the lemon cream fruit. Quite crisp on the finish in its youth. A good candidate for aging, and a wonderful wine for the dinner table.
Montrachet – Paul Jouard Chassagne-Montrachet 2021
The most revered Chardonnay region on the planet. This wine is produced from just one acre. Classic Montrachet with floral, white peach and smoky pear. Nicely integrated with a bit of minerality and oak mid-palate that lingers to the finish.
Givry – Chofflet Valdenaire Givry Heritage 2020
Grown in reddish limestone soil with a little bit of clay. Elegant with flavors of black currant, raspberry, and cherry. Some vegetal notes of bark, typical of village-level red wines from Givry.
Beaune – Claudie Jobard Beaune "Les Epenottes" 1er Cru 2019
Just four barrels produced each year. The vineyard is next to the famous Epenots Premier Cru vineyard in Pommard & just below the sought-after Clos des Mouches vineyard in Beaune. Expect subtlety, complexity and elegance, with layers of cherry, tobacco, spice and flowers. The texture is like silk.