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Platinum Series Wine Club by Gold Medal Wine Club

Platinum Series Wine Club by Gold Medal Wine Club Review

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Product Grade
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Best Feature:
Consistently delivers exceptional wines at great values
Worst Feature:
Doesn't offer instant email notification for gift recipients
Best Uses:
Experiencing premium, hard-to-find California wine
Pricing:
$39.50 - $49.50 per bottle (S&H NOT included)
Manufacturer:
N/A

Where to Buy

Store Name
Price

Overview

Gold Medal Wine Club has become a leading independent wine club provider since launching in 1992, and it currently manages five different wine club memberships. The Platinum Series is one of Gold Medal Wine Club’s more premium memberships and focuses on small-production, hard-to-find, award-winning red and white wines from boutique wineries in California. The featured wines each month are predominantly red and are carefully chosen using a strict selection process. Before Gold Medal Wine Club will even consider a wine for the Platinum Series, it has to have won multiple medals at major wine competitions and earned at least a 90-point rating from a national wine publication such as Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast or Wine & Spirits. With over 20 years in business, Gold Medal Wine Club has built such incredible relationships with California winemakers that they are able to provide their members with access to the best wines sometimes exclusively and/or before they have even been released.

Membership to the Platinum Series is flexible, and there are no signup fees or annual dues. Each shipment will contain 2 different types of wine, and you can choose whether you want to receive 1 bottle of each or 2 bottles of each (i.e. 2- or 4-bottle shipments). You can also specify whether you would like to receive bottles of red wine only or if you don’t mind trying out the occasional bottle of white. Lastly, you will choose how often you want to receive shipments (on a monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis), and, if you are purchasing a gift membership, how many shipments you would like to send your recipient. In addition to your wine, you will also receive Gold Medal Wine Club’s glossy newsletter that provides details on the featured wines, wineries, winemakers and growing region. The newsletter will also include tasting notes, a letter from the winemaker and reordering information. Gold Medal Wine Club is confident that you will be completely satisfied with your membership, but, if you ever decide you want to cancel, you can do so at any time without incurring any cancellation fees.

Membership to the Platinum Series by Gold Medal Wine Club will cost $79 to $99 for a 2-bottle shipment or $158 to $198 for a 4-bottle shipment (tax and shipping not included). If you only want to receive bottles of red wine, there will be a $10 surcharge added to your bill. Shipping costs will vary depending on the number of bottles in your order and its destination. As a reference, 2-bottle shipments will cost about $10.50 if you are shipping within California and will vary from $11.50 - $13.00 if you are shipping to other states.

Product Report Card Grade

We give the Platinum Series by Gold Medal Wine Club an A because they consistently deliver high quality, unique wines that you aren’t likely to come across in your local wine store. Full disclosure, yours truly has been a member for over a year and a half, and I will continue to be a member as long as my monthly budget can afford the extravagance. The wine is amazing, the newsletter is educational, and you can get great discounts on reordering your favorite wines. Membership is pricey, but it is worth it if you are already shopping around in this price range. Gold Medal Wine Club has a very strict selection process, which we appreciate, and all of their featured wines have received at least a 90-point rating from a national wine publication and won multiple medals at major wine competitions.

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Comparison at a Glance

Pros/Cons
Pros
Premium, limited-supply wines at exceptional values; strict selection process; previous wine selections publicly archived on website; great, responsive customer service; flexible membership; great discounts on reorders; excellent discounts on reordering (up to 35%); referral bonus; gifts are beautifully packaged; if you request red-only shipments, you'll still get 2 different kinds of red wine
Premium, limited-supply Pinot Noirs at great values; excellent reordering discounts (up to 35%) and easy online reordering system; great customer service; all previously featured wines publicly archived on website; referral bonus; gift shipments are beautifully wrapped
100% satisfaction guarantee; affordable, flexible membership; thorough selection process; archives all previous selections on website; Design Your Own Club™ program; environmentally-conscious company
Cons
Doesn't offer instant email notification for gift recipients
Bimonthly shipping is only option; doesn't offer instant gift notification by email; domestic Pinot Noirs only produced in California wineries (none from Oregon)
basically none

Details
Shipping Included
No
No
No
Cost per Bottle (Est.)
$39.50 - $49.50
$34.50 - $44.50
$15
Membership Minimum
No
No
Yes (2 shipments)
Wine Options
Red or Combination
Red
Red, White, or Combination
Domestic and/or International
Domestic (California)
Domestic (California) and International
Domestic and International
Selection
Premium, hard-to-find California wines that have received at least a 90-point rating from a national wine publication and won multiple medals at major wine competitions.
Premium Pinot Noirs from boutique wineries in California and around the world that have (mostly) received 90+ ratings from a national wine publication and may have also been awarded a Gold Medal at a major wine competition.
Estate-bottled, limited production wines from boutique wineries in some of the world's most renowned wine producing regions.
Newsletter
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shipping Options
Monthly, Bimonthly or Quarterly
Bimonthly (February, April, June, August, October and December)
Monthly, Bimonthly or Quarterly
Shipping Details
First shipment will arrive within 7 - 10 days of placing your order. Subsequent shipments will arrive sometime after the 15th of the month depending where you live.
Shipments will arrive sometime after the 15th of the month depending on how far away you live from California.
Shipments arrive on the 3rd or 4th week of each month.
Gift Information
Offers a free gift card that you can customize and include in your 1st shipment. The bottles are beautifully wrapped and packaged in gift box that features specially commissioned artwork of wine country on the outside.
Complimentary and customizable gift card is included with gift purchase. Bottles in gift shipments are each wrapped in colorful tissue paper, placed in gift bags and stored securely in a beautifully illustrated gift box.
Offers free e-cards and free printable gift cards to notify gift recipients.
Extras
Offers the PLUS! Program that allows current members to add an extra bottle of high quality wine to each shipment for an additional $35 - $45 (or $39 if you pre-pay).
None
Offers the Design Your Own Club™ program in which you can customize your membership and combine it with any of their other clubs (beer, cigars, cheese, chocolate, cigar or flowers).
Satisfaction Guarantee
No satisfaction guarantee, but they will replace any bottles you receive that are corked/damaged at no additional charge. They will refund you for any returned unopened bottles unless they are unable to restock the wine back into inventory for any reason. You can cancel your membership at any time without incurring cancellation fees.
No satisfaction guarantee, but they will replace any bottles you receive that are corked/damaged at no additional charge. They will refund you for any returned unopened bottles unless they are unable to restock the wine back into inventory for any reason. You can cancel your membership at any time without incurring cancellation fees.
Yes, MonthlyClubs.com offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee! If you are unhappy with any item you receive, MonthlyClubs.com will replace it or refund your money. You can also cancel your membership at any time without incurring any cancellation fees.

ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review

Pros And Cons

Pros

  • Premium, limited-supply wines at exceptional values
  • Transparent selection process with previous wine selections publicly archived on their website dating back to 1993
  • Great, responsive customer service
  • Flexible membership
  • Easy online reordering system with excellent discounts (up to 35%) on your favorite bottles
  • Referral bonus of 2 bottles of wine if you refer a friend for membership
  • Gifts are beautifully packaged
  • If you request red-only shipments, you’ll still get 2 different kinds of red wine

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer instant email notification for gift recipients

Key Features

Products
Each month, the Platinum Series showcases 2 different bottles of premium, collectible wine from boutique wineries in California. All of the featured wines will have received 90+ ratings from a national wine publication and been awarded multiple medals at major wine competitions. Despite the caliber of these wines, it is unlikely that you would find them at your local wine shop because they either come from a lesser-known winery, were produced in a limited quantity or are pre-releases/exclusive to Gold Medal Wine Club members.
Membership Options
There aren't any sign up fees or monthly dues required to join the Platinum Series. Unless you are purchasing a gift membership with a specific number of shipments, membership is ongoing until you call to cancel. When you sign up, you will choose whether you want 2- or 4-bottle shipments and whether you want shipments that contain mostly red wine with the occasional bottle of white or if you prefer only red wine. You will also choose whether you would like to receive shipments on a monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis.
Recently Featured
You can review all of the previous wine selections in the Platinum Series on Gold Medal Wine Club's website, but here are a few recently featured bottles:
  • A 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Maroon Wines in the Coombsville District of Napa Valley. It was awarded a Gold Medal and a 95-point rating at the Beverage Testing Institute's World Wine Championships.
  • A 2009 .Block B' Estate Syrah from Parmelee-Hill Wines in Sonoma Valley. It was awarded a Gold Medal, "Cellar Selection" and a 94-point rating by the Beverage Testing Institute, and it also received a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Only 190 cases produced.
  • A 2005 Miriam Cabernet Sauvignon from Mario Perelli-Minetti Winery in the Soda Canyon area of southeastern Napa Valley. The Beverage Tasting Institute rated it 92 points, and it was also awarded "Best of Show" and a Gold Medal at the Beverage Tasting Institute's World Wine Championships. Only 270 cases produced.
Newsletter
Each Platinum Series shipment comes with a glossy newsletter that offers background on each of the featured wines. In addition to tasting notes and accolades, the newsletter also contains a personal note from either the winemaker or owner of the winery and provides educational information (compiled by the Club) on the winery, winemaker, growing region, varietal, etc. Lastly, the newsletter also provides reordering instructions and discount information.
Extras
Current members of the Platinum Series have access to Gold Medal Wine Club's PLUS! Program, which gives them the option of adding an extra bottle of wine to each of their shipments for a reduced price. Featured wines in the PLUS! Program have been produced in limited quantities (less than 250 cases), so it is a great opportunity to sample unique wines that you won't find elsewhere. To join, it costs an extra $39 per month if you pre-pay (i.e. as part of a gift membership) or it will cost $35 - $45 per month if you pay as you go.
Gift Information
To notify gift recipients, Gold Medal Wine Club offers a free gift card that you can customize and include in your 1st shipment. The bottles will arrive beautifully packaged in gift box that features specially commissioned artwork of wine country on the outside. Inside, each bottle is wrapped in colorful tissue paper and placed in a reusable gift bag.
Shipping Schedule
Once you place your order, the 1st shipment will arrive within 7 to 10 days, and then subsequent shipments will be delivered sometime after the 15th of the month depending on where you live.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Gold Medal Wine Club is confident that all members will be completely satisfied with their experience in the Platinum Series. If you ever receive a damaged or corked bottle, Gold Medal Wine Club will quickly replace it at no extra cost to you. Since there is no minimum membership requirement, you can easily cancel your membership at any time, and for any reason, without incurring any cancellation fees.

Reputation

Gold Medal Wine Club has received excellent reviews from its customers online and from publications such as Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and the Wall Street Journal. For more discerning wine drinkers, the Platinum Series will not disappoint. My husband and I have been members for over a year and a half, and, while it’s pricey (especially for red-only shipments), we have been very impressed with how consistently Gold Medal Wine Club is able to deliver unique, high quality wines. The Platinum Series takes all of the guesswork out of wine shopping for us, and we have been extremely satisfied with the value we are getting out of our membership. We’ve only ever received one bottle that was corked, but Gold Medal Wine Club’s customer service immediately responded to our email with a very nice note and replaced it with a new bottle within ten business days. Beyond just getting to drink amazing wine, I feel like the Platinum Series membership has helped to better educate me on California reds. The newsletter is incredibly informative and provides background necessary to appreciate the nuances of different varietals, particularly the ones that you are less familiar with. While I would definitely suggest treating yourself to a membership, I would also recommend it as a great gift idea for anyone you know that likes wine. Gold Medal Wine Club does a beautiful job of packaging/personalizing gifts, and it’s always fun for the recipient when they continue to get presents from you over a period of a few months.

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