One of my biggest gripes about wine clubs is the lack of benefits they offer. Sure, you can expect a modest discount, invitations to wine dinners, and your regular shipments, but that's about all. With so many wineries out there, it's really hard to pick one or two clubs to join. However, after a recent trip to Chappellet, I learned about the GEMS of Napa Valley. This is a sort of partnership between Chappellet and eight other wineries in the area.The partnership is exactly the sort of thing I'd like to see more of in the Valley. Most wineries operate in a secular state, without much care for the world outside theirs, including neighboring wineries. Sure, they often refer guests to a nearby favorite; a sort of scratch my back, I'll scratch yours mentality, but that's about it. I've always thought it would be great to combine forces, and bring together clusters of wineries to work together on a deeper level. Whether that means combining some wines into mixed shipments, or doing cross-promotion to customers who might really enjoy discovering a new wine from another winery, there seems to be room to explore this sort of thing.That's what the GEMS club does in a way. As a member, you get complementary tastings at Chappellet and eight other wineries for you and three guests. At first, I was thinking, "How many of these wineries would I actually want to visit?" and then I looked at the list. It includes Robert Biale, Hunnicutt, Ladera, Terra Valentine, Robert Craig, Silverado, Hall, and Patz and Hall. I was pretty amazed.I love Robert Biale. They make the best Zin around, and have a fun team working for them. It's always a top pick when guests are in town. Same goes for Terra Valentine. Their Spring Mountain location is beautiful, and the Cabernets, stunning. Patz & Hall has a well-deserved reputation for their Chardonnay and Pinots, and Ladera kills it with their Howell Mountain wines. Each winery on the list has something very unique going for them; the unique wines, locations, and staff who work for them bring out the best in the Valley. And they all make fantastic wines that are distinctive. You won't tire of having the Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cab, a Wurtle Cab from Terra Valentine, or a Howell Mountain Cab from Ladera.Personally, I think this is one of the better offerings from a winery in the Valley. I'd love to see more cooperation between small groups like this, and it offers members a great way to experience what makes the entire area so special. A brand like Chappellet is comfortable offering this because they know they're unique, and I doubt they risk losing memberships to their partners. That sort of trust extends beyond their brands, and spills over onto the consumers, who are always looking for great new experiences while wine tasting.Learn more about the GEMS club at Chappellet's website.
