Wine of the Month Club Revenue and Competitors

The Original Wine of the Month Club® was founded in 1972 with the purpose of taking the guesswork out of choosing great wine. When all the California greats (Chateau Montelena, Dry Creek Vineyards, Jordan, etc.) were coming of age, Paul Kalemkiarian Sr. set out to taste all that he could to find the best values for his customers at Palos Verdes Wines and Spirits (a premier wine shop in Southern California in the 1970s). Soon after, he began showcasing two wines each month that he considered to be the vest values, and his son, Paul Kalemkiarian Jr., began delivering the selections to the local few that were interested. As popularity grew, father and son began shipping the wine directly through UPS, and the idea of wine in the mail was born. Each month, Paul Kalemkiarian Jr. tastes over 400 wines, which he then pares down to the monthly selections that are featured that month. Paul qualifies each wine according to how well it represents the wine's grape and region. In other words, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County should be distinctively different from that of the same grape and vintage from Argentina. Each shipment of wine is accompanied by Wine of the Month Club's monthly wine newsletter, which weaves together the history of the winemaker, the story behind the grapes, the unique offerings of the terroir, as well as cellaring suggestions, food pairing ideas, Q & A’s, and anecdotes to share.