My wife and I have been together for 18 years, and while our relationship is stronger than ever, Valentine's Day just gets more and more difficult. I don't want to repeat gifts, but over the years, I've really tried everything in the romance playbook. When we were in puppy-love, I did all the standards: jewelry, candy, giant teddy bears. As we've gotten older, I want to get her something that she'll actually use, that shows I really know her as a person. I confided in a friend from work, and he suggested a wine club membership since he knows my wife and I both like a nice glass of wine at the end of a long day.
I thought a wine membership would be a perfect "gift that keeps on giving," especially since we like wine but don't really know anything about it. I did some online research and found a lot of different options, some of which were insanely expensive. Finally, I decided on the perfect one: a subscription to Tasting Room. I chose it because it had the best program for helping you refine your tastes and learning more about wine, but it also takes your tastes into account and sends you bottles based on your preferences. I'll admit I also liked the price. Because they partner directly with California vineyards, they can send you bottles for just $13 a bottle. That was way less than some of the other options out there.
Here's how it works: First, they send you six bottles of mini-wines that you can taste and review, which helps them learn your likes and dislikes. I gave the starter kit to my wife on Valentine's day, along with a nice homemade dinner of penne in lemon sauce with shrimp. We had such a good time trying out all the wines, and I even discovered I liked the Cabernet more than the Shiraz. Learning already! Then, they sent us a wine profile that really broke down the details of what we liked in terms of flavors, grapes, and vineyards. It was a really visual way for us to start feeling like sommeliers.
Next, Tasting Room sent a shipment of full-sized bottles based on our preferences. We chose a combination of whites and reds and got 6 of each in the box. That was perfect for us since I love white and she loves red. Each month we get a new shipment, and we just keep learning more and more. Now we have people over for dinner and I can plan our meals based on what will go with the wines we like. I know all sorts of new things, like what the heck tannins are, which really impresses my friends.
Of all the gifts I've given my wife over the years, I think she's liked our Tasting Room subscription most because it gives us opportunities to have experiences together all year round. We're growing as a couple, and having a lot more fun with our nightly routine.
Update: The folks at Tasting Room are extending a special limited-time Valentine's Day offer to our readers! Follow this link to get your wine tasting kit for just $6.95 (originally $39.95)!
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