If you’re a wine lover and are looking for something to do over the weekend or on a random weeknight, consider joining a wine club.
A wine club, like any other club, is made up of members who enjoy learning about how to pair it with food and about the grape varieties from which their beloved wine of choice is made.
In some cases, wine clubs are hosted by hotels through their sommeliers, wine sellers or through media companies that dabble in lifestyle and food content. In Kenya, companies like The Wine Box, Artcaffe and newly launched Chateau 254 have been known to host such clubs.
Here are some of the benefits of joining a wine club.
Stock your wine rack
In some clubs where membership is required, members will often receive a bottle of wine every month. This not only allows you to stock up on the best bottles of wine available in Kenya, but you also get to do it for the price of your membership.
Tastings
Probably the best thing about wine clubs is the wine tastings, often scheduled once a month or throughout the year depending on the club in question. Not only do you get to enjoy an exquisite bottle of wine but you also learn what food to pair it with. Tastings are usually hosted at a partner restaurant which gives you the opportunity to eat out, usually at the table of world-renowned chefs.
Learn more about wine
For most people, wine is an alcoholic beverage drank either on special occasions, with food or because one enjoys it. However, for some people like vintners and sommeliers, wine is a business opportunity. The educational aim of wine clubs is to train your palate to describe and tell where a wine comes from and how it was made. For the curious, it’s an opportunity to articulate your own definition of a great glass of wine.
Meet like-minded people
Making friends as an adult is hard. A secondary benefit of joining a wine club is that it puts like-minded people within the same space allowing for friendships or networking opportunities.
Discounts and offers
As a member of a wine club, depending on who hosts it, you get to enjoy discounts and offers on select wines, priority access to new releases and invitations to dinners, luncheons and events.
Vineyard tours
The most popular vineyard in Kenya is the Morendat Farm, Naivasha which ferments Leleshwa wine. Leleshwa hosts its own wine tours and you book a tour as an individual or as a club.
Looking for something “winey” to do this Friday? Try out the Artcaffe “The Cellar Tasting Club” launched in 2021. The club offers private sessions in addition to becoming a member. Hosted by their sommeliers Valentine and Ruth, the club hosts most of its tastings on Friday nights.
