International Wine of the Month Club Review
The International Wine of the Month Club is a monthly wine subscription club that allows you to choose between four different clubs.
They are family owned and have been in business since 1994. Their selection process is led by Don Lahey (wine educator and author) and follows a two-tiered tasting process that their wine panel uses to select fine wines for each of their clubs.
They contacted me and asked if I would review 4 sample wines from their different club selections. They said, “We’d love to introduce you to what we’ve been doing over here for the last 30 years and have no expectations other than that.”
Fair enough!
So, I went ahead and asked them to send me the wines and in this review I’ll share my honest opinion of the International Wine of the Month Club.
You’ll see pictures of each wine I received, pictures of the tasting notes I was sent and my full review after tasting each wine myself.
And in the interest of being honest, the links in this review are affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. However, I’m proud to say my reviews are always my honest opinion, regardless.
How it Works
With four different international wine clubs available, you choose the subscription club that fits your preferences. No matter which club you choose, you get two bottles of wine with each shipment.
There are four clubs to choose from:
- The Premier Series Wine Club
- The Bold Reds Wine Club
- The Masters Series Wine Club
- The Collectors Series Wine Club
Once you choose the club you want, you then select whether you want two reds, two whites or one of each. Then you customize your delivery frequency: monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.
Each shipment includes detailed tasting notes and winery profiles, providing insights into the wine, the winemaker and key tasting characteristics.
With your initial shipment, you’ll also receive a free wine gift bag as a thank you for joining.
The International Wine of the Month Club Options
Now let’s cover the four different clubs that are offered. Each club has its own benefits, costs and specific design.
The Premier Series Wine Club
Their most popular offering delivers premium wines known for exceptional quality and outstanding value. Each shipment features two estate-bottled, limited-production boutique wines sourced from different renowned wineries.
Selections highlight international wines from some of the world’s most celebrated wine-producing regions, ensuring a diverse and exciting tasting experience.
Members can customize their shipments by choosing two red wines, two whites or one of each. Every delivery also includes detailed winemaker profiles and comprehensive tasting notes to enhance your enjoyment and knowledge of each bottle.
The Bold Reds Wine Club
This exclusive selection showcases two robust red wines with bold fruit flavors, well-structured tannins and perfectly balanced oak from barrel aging. Each wine is crafted by different distinguished wineries.
Expect full-bodied California Cabernets, single-vineyard red Zinfandels, Rhône Valley Châteauneuf-du-Papes, award-winning Carmenères, Cabernet-Malbec blends and more.
Each bottle represents the best of renowned wine-producing regions from around the world.
Every shipment includes detailed winemaker profiles and comprehensive tasting notes, enhancing your understanding of the craftsmanship and unique qualities behind each wine.
The Masters Series Wine Club
This unique membership combines the best of both worlds by delivering one bottle from the prestigious Collectors Series and one from the Premier Series. It offers the luxury of experiencing and cellaring top-tier wines while still enjoying the exceptional value and quality of boutique selections.
Each shipment includes two estate-bottled, limited-production wines from different distinguished wineries, highlighting international selections from the world’s most renowned wine-producing regions.
Members can customize their preference by choosing two reds or one red and one white with each delivery.
As with all the clubs, each shipment includes detailed winemaker profiles and detailed tasting notes.
The Collectors Series Wine Club
This premium club is perfect for collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate wines of rare quality and exceptional aging potential.
The offerings include extremely limited-production wines that are crafted to be enjoyed now but also designed to be cellared, allowing them to develop fuller, richer and more complex characteristics over time.
These rare selections are made with meticulous care, often from the oldest vines, using only the finest vintage grapes and undergoing extended barrel aging.
The result is an extraordinary experience of craftsmanship and flavor that reflects the best expressions of their regions and varietals.
Each delivery features two estate-bottled, boutique wines from different distinguished wineries, showcasing international selections from the world’s most celebrated wine-producing regions.
Members can tailor their subscription by choosing either two reds or one red and one white. Every shipment is accompanied by winemaker profiles, detailed tasting notes and food pairing suggestions.
Now let’s cover the pros and cons of the International Wine of the Month Club.
Pros
- Multiple clubs to choose from at different price points.
- Can customize your delivery frequency.
- Can design your own club for more flexibility in choice and frequency.
- Able to choose between reds, whites or both.
- Expertly selected wines.
- International variety.
- Cellar notes are included with each shipment.
- Gifting options available and flexible.
- Can setup fixed-duration orders from 2 to 12 shipments.
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – Will replace or refund a wine you don’t like.
Cons
- Shipping not available to Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi and Utah.
- Some promotional offers may require a minimum commitment period before cancellation.
- Someone must be home and over 21 to accept delivery as required by law.
My Experience
My wine was shipped out of Illinois to New England.
It arrived in a sturdy shipping box with the typical bottle protection most all clubs provide.
And most importantly, the wines were in great shape with no damage.
I received four bottles to try, a thank you letter and tasting notes (cellar notes) for each wine.
Tasting Notes
Below is a picture of the tasting notes I was sent, one for each wine.
They included detailed information about the wine, its history, tasting notes and food pairing suggestions.
I found these cellar notes to be very detailed, more so then some tasting notes I’ve received from other wine clubs.
Reviews of Each Wine
When all is said and done, it comes down to the quality of the wines you get. So below, you’ll see my full review of each of the wines I received.
Now keep in mind the selections change month to month, so you may not find these particular wines in your shipments.
But, I do believe these wines represent a good sample across the four different series of clubs the International Wine of the Month Club offers.
And, in evaluating the quality of the wines, this was definitely a good sample as it consisted of typical offerings across the four different series of wines the club offers.
Seigneur De Grezette Malbec
This wine was included as part of the Premier Series and the Masters Series, depending on the club you choose.
It presents a rich, plum-to-dark garnet hue in the glass with legs that cascade slowly, providing a graceful reflection of its 14.0% alcohol content.
The nose opens with a delicate bouquet of subtle confectionery sweetness, a whisper of warm spice and vibrant red berries, giving it an enticing complexity.
On the palate, it unfolds with the lively charm of ripe red raspberries, succulent grape notes and a hint of spice that adds depth without overshadowing the fruit.
The tannins, finely textured and softly integrated, provide structure while remaining refined and unobtrusive.
Its finish lingers beautifully, with juicy essence of red fruit, leaving a lasting impression of balance and finesse rather than tannic grip.
Overall, I found this wine to be tasty with its fruitiness, non complex and a good choice for a multi-functional food pairing wine. Let it breathe a bit if you want more of the red fruits and less of the darker grape flavors.
Pair with flavorful cheeses like Asiago or Blue. I had it with a sauteed mushroom dish and it went along nicely. But really, there isn’t much you can’t pair this wine with. Whatever you choose, you can expect the red fruit to make itself known when pairing this wine with food.
Tait The Border Crossing McLaren Vale Shiraz
You would find this wine in both the Premier Series and the Bold Reds wine club.
This Shiraz pours a sumptuous, deep plum hue in the glass. With generous legs, it’s not surprising it has a robust 15.5% alcohol content.
The bouquet captivates with smoky butter, dark ripe fruits and rich cocoa, all underscored by a delicate hint of spice. Remarkably, despite its elevated alcohol level, the nose remains smooth and free of any harshness, allowing the aromatic complexity to shine.
On the palate, a symphony of bold flavors unfolds with luscious blueberry, velvety mocha and an abundance of dark fruit notes that create a rich and indulgent tasting experience.
The finish is both long and luxuriant, with the vibrant fruit and mocha nuances lingering far beyond the sip.
While the tannins make their presence known, they remain secondary to the wine’s flavor-driven profile, adding just a whisper of structure to this well-balanced expression of Shiraz.
Overall, this one was my favorite, from its smoky aroma to its lush and juicy flavors. Very bold and decadent!
Give this wine a little time to aerate if you want to experience the cocoa and mocha flavors a bit more. With that said, a fresh pour revitalizes the blueberry flavors.
It’s definitely a sipper on its own, but feel free to pair this wine with a rich beef or venison burger. Yum!
Casa Silva Cabernet Sauvignon
This 90-plus-point Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from the prized grapes of Chile’s renowned Colchagua Valley, displays a deep, inky hue in the glass. Its slow-falling legs offered a prelude to its richness.
On the nose, it offers an inviting medley of aromas: supple leather, ripe blackberry and a whisper of fragrant cedar. A subtle trace of alcohol makes a fleeting appearance, a gentle reminder of its 14.0% ABV, yet it harmonizes effortlessly without distracting from the bouquet’s complexity.
The first sip reveals a layered palate where dark blackberry intertwines with the warm spice of allspice and a delicate suggestion of red fruits. The tannins, vibrant and youthful, sweep across the palate with fresh energy, filling every corner of the mouth with a refined texture.
The finish is impressively long and impeccably balanced, with a seamless interplay between the luscious fruit flavors and finely tuned tannins. This Cabernet is a masterful expression of its terroir, offering depth, structure and an enduring finish.
You could easily pair this wine with beef, duck or lamb or just sip it on its own. After a bit of air, you may find the tannins soften a bit and the darker blackberry flavor notes come through a bit more. I even noted a hint of mocha after letting the wine sit in my glass for 20 minutes. Think of cafe mocha, no sugar.
Definitely give it a chance to breathe. Perhaps even decant it, if you know you’ll be serving it to a few guests and will consume it over an evening.
All in all, a great tasting wine with bold flavors, lots of blackberry, balanced complexity and the ability to pair with many different dishes. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
You can find wines like this one as part of the Bold Reds wine club.
Viberti Langhe Nebbiolo
And finally, this wine was found in the Collectors Series, the Masters Series and the Bold Reds wine club.
In the glass, this Nebbiolo presents a delicate garnet hue. Not very deep in color, but maybe akin to a well-matured Pinot Noir.
The nose is immediately inviting, offering delicate aromas of fresh cherry, warm sandalwood and soft floral notes that create a lovely aromatic profile.
On the palate, the wine reveals a blend of vibrant cherry, sweet marmalade and ripe red plum with each flavor unfolding gracefully. The tannins are light and playful, providing just enough structure to carry the wine through to a long, satisfying finish and a juicy texture.
This Italian Nebbiolo is an enjoyable, easy-drinking selection that offers both elegance and charm. It pairs well with light cheeses to begin the evening, followed by a tender pork loin to complement its nuanced flavors.
A perfect wine for an effortless yet refined dining experience.
My Overall Opinion of the International Wine of the Month Club
Overall, I greatly enjoyed each of the wines I received and found the tasting notes to be very comprehensive.
I liked the simplicity of the club choices. The club gives you just enough options to choose from, without overwhelming you as some other clubs do.
I also liked the fact that you also have options if you want to give any of the clubs as a gift to someone else.
Most importantly, having tasted the wines, I’m comfortable recommending this wine of the month club to my readers.
