BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Inside The Invite-Only Wine Club That Costs $100,000 To Join

Following
This article is more than 2 years old.

As the world adapts to the pandemic, many people are looking for new travel memberships and elite experiences to indulge in. For wealthy wine lovers, the answer is The Vines, aka a new "exclusive explorer's club and the first worldwide community dedicated to winemaking." And to make it even more exclusive, the membership is by invitation only.

To be considered, you can get an invite from owner Michael Evans, or you can fill out an online questionnaire for the shot at getting an invitation. Once invited, members get to visit the world's most iconic wine regions and learn how to make vine with the masters themselves, and even create custom blends. The idea is to get to know the world by making wine by having outposts at select vineyards. Members could make their own wines by building relationships with the most inventive, celebrated growers and winemakers.

"For our members to actually get to make their own Brunello with Giacomo at Casanova di Neri, a Napa Cab with Jeff & Tony at Hourglass, or even a custom champagne with Michel Drappier, is just otherworldly — it's like learning to shoot hoops from Michael Jordan," Evans told me. "And the wines they create are unique in the entire world — the only barrel (25 cases) of that specific wine which they created with guidance from our master winemaker partners."

In addition to travel, members get cases of wine delivered throughout the year and get access to wine, food, culture, adventure-themed events. As the club grows, The Vines will aim to offer winemaking opportunities in 12 different regions and expand beyond winemaking, offering members a series of one-off experiences like making Sake in Japan and Mezcal in Mexico.

Evans launched The Vines membership club in early 2020 after successfully founding and running the luxury resort and private vineyard, The Vines of Mendoza in Argentina. He decided to develop this sister project to get people to know the world by making wine. It has since expanded once the first members expressed an equal desire for getting to know these regions on a unique and intimate basis, as a local would.  

"While we occasionally go with our members to a top Michelin-star restaurant, we get most excited about the off-the-beaten-path place where our partners and friends dine with their families," said Evans. "In Italy, we go truffle hunting, dig clams in Oregon and make cheese in France. We also play a bit with the high-low concept where, for example, we host an annual party at Franklin BBQ in Austin, but we pair the BBQ with 100 point wines from all over the world."

Ultimately, according to Evans, it's about building a global community of adventurers with shared passions around all aspects of wine culture. "While wine brings us together, the social and communal aspects of being with a well-traveled group of passionate wine lovers is really special and powerful," he said. "In fact, we have a number of members that don't make wine every year, simply taking pleasure in the group of members and curated experiences."

He added, "The Vines brings people together creating moments to remember, stories that ripen with each telling, and amazing wine that honors those moments and memories."

The cost for such rare memories? Initiation fees are $100,000 and annual dues are $1,500- $3,000 per quarter. Winemaking costs per barrel range from $7,000 to $37,000 based on site.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out my website or some of my other work here