Start a wine club and invite the oenophiles you know

Wine clubs were once the domain of crusty old men and the crusty old wines they enjoyed.

Today, whether as a fun night out or for serious education, wine clubs are as varied as the labels lining retail shelves.

Mail order clubs bring the wine world to your door. Once few and far between, there are now countless mail order clubs to explore via the Internet, wine publications and your favorite wine merchant.

Schaefer's Wines & Spirits, for instance, invites members to Tri-Wine with three wines from the world's great growing regions. Each wine comes with a fact sheet, a mini-wine course of information that includes producer background, pronunciation and serving suggestions. Launched in 1990, Tri-Wine is managed by the experts at Schaefer's. The minimum four-month membership ($45 a month), may be stretched over a 12-month period. For details, visit www.schaefers.com, call (800) 833-9463 or stop by the store at 9965 Gross Point Road, Skokie.

The California Wine Club (www.cawineclub.com) explores the byways of the Golden State's wine country to offer members the best in family-operated wineries.

You may not recognize the labels; many small producers opt to sell exclusively through their own tasting rooms to avoid the cost of national distribution. So, for $32.95 a month, California Wine Club proprietors Bruce and Pam Boring bring these tasting rooms to you in two-bottle shipments. Along with the wine comes a 12-page, full-color Uncorked magazine that provides tasting notes, recipes and an up-close-and-personal look at the families behind each wine.

Mail order clubs make great holiday gifts, but check shipping regulations and dates. Tri-Wine, for instance, ships at the beginning of each month, so for orders placed by Nov. 15, recipients will receive an announcement of your gift before the holidays. The California Wine Club advises that orders be placed by Nov. 23 for Hanukkah arrival; Dec. 14 for Christmas.

If you prefer a night out, social wine clubs offer convivial events to mingle with other oenophiles. The newly formed Chicago chapter of The French Wine Society, for instance, will host 150 French wineries at its inaugural "French Wine Affaire" from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 25 (location to be determined.) For details about classes and events visit www.frenchwinesociety.org.

While these clubs and social groups are fun and easy, for maximum impact, serious cork dorks should form tasting groups.

To start, gather six to eight folks equally thirsty for wine knowledge. Meetings should be consistent -- generally once a month -- and dates sacredly observed. Generally, members rotate as host, providing a well-lit room free from extraneous noise and aroma, table with chairs and spit cups for all, and six to 10 wines. Member are responsible for their own glassware.

The theme may be announced, such as Oregon Pinot Noir, but to give mouth and mind a real workout, wine are served blind, with labels obscured. Bottles may be served in brown bags, wrapped in tin foil or dropped in athletic socks. Be certain to number each bottle. Also be certain to hide corks to discourage snooping! After a simple "welcome wine" to cleanse the palate, members sit, bottles are passed and the tasting begins. In monastic silence, members slurp and spit, noting qualities and defects and assigning each wine a score. After about 45 minutes (the longest most people can be quiet when tasting wine,) commentary is shared, each wine's identity is theorized and scores are tabulated.

Finally with much anticipation, wines are unveiled Miss America-style, from lowest score to highest. Amidst the ensuing, "I knew it!" or "How did I get it so wrong?" Bottles are passed again and simple wine fare served, either provided by the host or potluck amongst the members. Before the evening ends, wine costs are tabulated and shared among the members.

Of course, moderation is key when tasting wine, especially if you're driving. Whenever possible, spit, spit, spit. Be certain to wear dark clothing because spit buckets sometimes spit back!

Ross' choice

Apremont

2006

Pierre Boniface

Savoie, France

• Suggested retail and availability: $12.99 at wine shops

In the late 20th century, the House of Savoy o'er leapt political boundaries and Alpine peaks to hold sway in eastern France, Switzerland and northern Italy. The wines of modern Savoie (sah-VWAH) express this history, uniting the delicacy of Swiss wine, Italy's minerality and France's complexity. Light and off-dry with green apple freshness, this Apremont excels in wine's traditional duty - to enhance food, especially seafood and especially Alpine cheeses.

© 2007