DEAL: $50 off $200 at Wine.com with HELLOAPRIL

Another good coupon code from Wine.com: $50 off $200 with code HELLOAPRIL
Expires 5/3/2020

This is an offer intended for accounts that have stopped placing orders but should be good on any account. Likely single use as most Wine.com codes are.

See also:

• DEAL: $50 off $150 at Wine.com with code "CIQ50"
• Is Wine.com StewardShip Worth It?
• Maximizing Wine.com Amex Offers

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DEAL: 2013 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir for $25/btl w/Free Shipping [Sold Out]

Retailer: Last Bottle

Wine: 2013 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Rating: 93 WWP, 90.3 CellarTracker, 88 points Wine Spectator
Cost: $25/btl ($34 release price)
Shipping: Free on 4+ bottles

Referral Link ($10 off your first order)

As soon as I saw this wine, I wondered whether it was the same vintage I enjoyed at Seasons Restaurant at the Four Seasons Aviara Residence Club back in 2016. Sure enough, it was.

I remember that wine fondly for two reasons:

1. It was absolutely tremendous, and that meal was one of my favorites ever
2. The waiter accidentally spilled a juicy plate of steak on my lap

As a make-good on the accident, they gave us a second unopened bottle of the wine to enjoy back at the room.

Sometimes when a bit of a back vintage is offered up on a flash deal site, I'm skeptical. But this Failla is a quality wine and I bet it's singing right now. I'm looking very forward to trying it.

Like Last Bottle says: Jump on this one quickly. I'll update this post when it sells out.

Follow me on Twitter @RobertDwyer for faster breaking deals.

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Tree House Brewing Company On The Fly Contactless Delivery

Tree House Brewing Company in Charlton, MA is the darling of the Massachusetts beer scene.

They've got:

• 3 of the top 10 beers in America on Beer Advocate
• 9 of the top 10 Massachusetts beers on Beer Advocate

They're known for the hazy, juicy New England IPAs.

It's rare, if unheard of, to see their beers anywhere else besides directly at the brewery.

A long-standing ritual for Massachusetts beer enthusiasts is to make the pilgrimage to Carlton in hopes that lines aren't too long and today's assortment is strong.

But with Covid-19 things have changed. Instead of checking their website and hoping for the best on arrival, you can place an order online with a credit card and perform a contactless pick-up later in the day.

How it Works

1. Log on to https://www.treehouseonthefly.com at 9:30a sharp (they sell out quickly, especially on weekends)
2. Place your order
3. Pick up you order in Charlton, MA later that day

My Experience

I logged in last Saturday at 9:40a and...they were sold out.

This week I was more on top of it. I logged in at 9:32a and was able to place an order for a mixed-case that included some of their signature IPAs as well as a few cans of their lesser-known beers like a German-style Munich Dunkel, and a Hefeweizen.

Pick-up was easy. In an out in 20 minutes with their well-run, well-documented contactless delivery protocol. It was like picking up our kids in elementary school car line but I left with a case of interesting beers to enjoy.

Everything Tree House does seem to be done well.

Bottom Line

Ironically, this may be one of the better times to acquire beer from Tree House. If you'd like to place an order, log on at 9:30a sharp on a day you're able to travel to Charlton, MA and place your order:

https://www.treehouseonthefly.com/

If you're in the market for non-acoholic merchandise like hats, glassware, or coffee - check out their online store.

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[MA Only Deal] 94 Point Cru Beaujolais for $18/btl

It's not often I can review a flash sale that's still available, but a recent deal from Blanchards with a unique twist provided such an opportunity.

This past week they offered a couple wines as part of a mixed 6-pack. But then they had more inventory of one of the wines than the other and offered a second wave of the offer.

I had a chance to try the 2018 Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Cote du Py and...in my estimation it is outstanding. An absolutley spot on example Cru Beaujolais. Gamay is such a unique grape. Elegantly fruity on the nose. Woodsy on the palate. Food friendly and low alcohol (this one is 13%) but full of flavor.

Absolutely one to check out if you like the category, or if you're looking to explore. 91/100 points on this one for me.

Retailer: Blanchards
Wine: 2018 Burgaud Cote du Py (Cru Beaujolais)
Rating: 94 points Wine Advocate
Cost: $108 for 6 bottles ($18/btl, compare at $26.99 retail)
Shipping: ~$26 for 6 bottles, free in-store pickup

Offer Description Link
Direct Link to Purchase

As of this writing, they have 5 6-packs available.

Follow me on Twitter @RobertDwyer for faster moving deals

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Is Wine.com StewardShip Worth It?

Wine.com's StewardShip offers unlimited shipping to the continental US for one year for $49.95.

If you're just going to place an order or two, it's not worth it.

But if you:

• Have patience for stacking portal cashback with promo codes along with "free" shipping 
• Like the convenience of being able to order just a bottle or two at a time
• Might be interested in sending wine as a gift
• Would like to send wine to yourself while on vacation

...then StewardShip might be for you.

Why StewardShip?

Wine.com charges $13.65 to ship a single bottle of wine in Massachusetts.
They charge $37.30 for a 12 bottle case.

Wine.com wants $49/yr for StewardsShip.

Wine.com also:

• Participates in shopping portals (check rates here)
• Regularly runs promo codes for 20-33% off (here's a 33% off code, for example)
• Has Amex Offers for 20-30% off (how to maximize these offers)
• Has a pretty good assortment of wines
• Ships relatively quickly

Of these, the most important characteristic of StewardShip is the ability to stack a promo code with free shipping. A lot of their promotions are a discount OR free shipping. With StewardShip you can use a promo code and your shipping is included with your StewardShip subscription.

Bottom Line

If you're just going to order from Wine.com once or twice a year, StewardShip isn't worth it.

But if you're willing to put in the time and effort to stack StewardShip with portal cashback, promo codes, and maybe Amex Offers as well - then StewardShip enables wine.com to become one of the best recurring online wine deals.

Affiliate link, thanks in advance if you use it

Sign Up for Wine.com StewardShip

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OFFER: Cobb Wines Tasting 4-Pack

Cobb Wines is a sought after producer of terroir driven California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Winemaker Ross Cobb has an impressive track record, having worked with Williams Selyem, Flowers and Hirsch. He's also the winemaker for Primus frontman Les Claypool's wine, Claypool Cellars.

I saw a nice offer for a 4-pack with free shipping along with a virtual tasting opportunity so I wanted to pass it along here.

Cobb Wines Tasting 4-Pack (1 bottle of each)

• 2017 Doc's Ranch: JoAnn's Block Chardonnay
• 2017 Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 2017 Coastlands Vineyard Old Firs Block Pinot Noir
• 2015 Rice-Spivak Vineyard Pinot Noir

$199 per 4-Pack with Free Ground Shipping Included (originally priced at $300)

To Order

Direct Link

Virtual Tasting

Cobb is hosting a couple of online virtual tastings where you can sample wines from this offer, or from your cell while he's broadcasting live from Coastlands Vineyard.

Friday, May 8 at 5 PM Pacific
Click to register for May 8

Saturday, May 16 at 5 PM Pacific
Click to register for May 16

Further Reading

5 Outstanding Terroir Driven California Pinot Noir Producers

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[Sold Out] 95 Point Cru Beaujolais for $24.95/btl w/free shipping

Cru Beaujolais can be a tricky category to explore. Large retailers like Costco, Total Wine, and grocery stores hardly stock any Beaujolais. And what they do stock is either lower end Beaujolais-Villages or Beaujolais-Nouveau. For example, Wine.com has only a single Beaujolais in stock for delivery to Massachusetts, and it is a Beaujolais-Villages.

That's a shame because Cru Beaujolais can be a tremendous value. The hard part is finding retailers that deal in the category. So offer was one I especially wanted to mention.

Retailer: First Bottle
Wine: Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvee Tardive 2018

Rating: 95 points Vinous, 95 points Wine Advocate

Cost: $29.95/btl, $24.95/btl for 6+ bottles

Shipping: Free on 6 bottles

Direct Link

Refereral Link for $10 off your first order

I've been seeing a lot of deals lately. Some of the more time sensitive ones I've only been posting on Twitter. Follow me @RobertDwyer

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OFFER: 6 Vaughn Duffy Pinot Noirs for $199

I've been seeing a resurgence in wine deals lately, and wanted to pass along this one in particular.

I say that because it's been a while since I've tasted Vaughn Duffy's Pinot Noirs, and the last time I did they were absolutely outstanding.

Those wines I tasted back 2012 were so aromatic and lively. Almost electric, if that's a term that can be applied to wine. The 2010s were some of Vaughn Duffy's very early vintages (Matt has assisted other winemakers for years). Now that they've got even more experience under their belt I'm looking forward to checking in.

Since their tasting room has been closed due to shelter in place guidelines, they're rolling out an offer to help replenish our wine racks.

$199 Vaughn Duffy Pinot Noir 6-Pack

• 2015 Stori Vineyard
• 2016 Suacci Vineyard
• 2017 Suacci Vineyard
• 2017 Russian River Valley
• 2018 Russian River Valley
• 2017 Fay’s Reserve

It's a pretty great deal because their appellation Pinots go for $40/btl and their single vineyard Pinots go for $55-$58/btl. So it's $300+ worth of wine for $199.

To Order

Visit this page and video on Facebook

Then message them on Facebook or drop Matt an email at: matt@vaughnduffywines.com

They had 14 6-packs available when they announced the offer yesterday, so I'd recommend ordering soon if you're interested.

I'll look forward to comparing notes with you on these wines as I taste through them.

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Fresh off the truck review: 2015 Gaja Sito Moresco

Gaja is an Italian producer best known for their Barbaresco. Their single vineyard wines go for $590/btl and their appellation wines go for $250/btl.

Their wines deftly strike a balance between new world sensibilities while remaining true to their Italian roots.

Their Sito Moresco Langhe red wine is a combination of Nebbiolo grapes from Barbaresco and Barolo. It's crafted to be more enjoyable in its youth as opposed to proper Barbaresco and Barolo that are more age-worthy on average.

Affiliate link, thanks in advance if you use it

2015 Gaja Sito Moresco
14% Alcohol

Gorgeous medium-bodied wine, ruby red in color. Deep, rich, inviting fruit with brambly/dusty/thorny underpinnings. Silken mouthfeel with enough grip to be taken seriously, but each taste invites another sip.

93/100 WWP: Outstanding

I bought this as part of this $50 off $150 Wine.com deal.

Further Reading: My Most Exciting Wine of 2010: The 2005 Cigliuti Serraboella Barbaresco

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YMMV: Wine Access Amex Offer(s)

Check your Amex Offers for 20-40% off Wine Access

I'm seeing and hearing about a few different WineAccess Amex Offers currently:

• $100 off $250
• $50 off $150
• $50 off $250

These offers can be used 3x per card. Offers ends 9/30/2020.

1. Load the AmEx Offer to your preferred card online

I saw the $50 off $250 offer on a number of my cards, but none of the offers on my wife's cards. This seems to be a more variable offer than some they've run in the past.

2. Create a Wine Access Account

Wine Access has a refer-a-friend whereby you get $50 off your first $150 order.

Here's my referral link to get started if you're new to Wine Access:

http://share.wineaccess.com/v/robert_48

After going through the referral link you should see this at the top of the page:


3. Go through a Shopping Portal

You can get additional cashback or points & miles for Wine Access orders. To find the best cashback rates use Cashback Monitor.

An unfortunate trend I've seen lately is that shopping portal terms say they only pay out on orders for new customers. It's always worth a try, but keep that in mind if you're an existing customer.

4. Spend the required amount to trigger the AmEx Offer and Free Shipping

The way AmEx Offers work you charge the required amount and if the offer has successfully been linked to your account prior to purchase you should receive an email from AmEx right away saying you triggered the offer. The offer is processed a few days later as a statement credit.

Wine Access offers free shipping on $120+ orders (or 6+ bottles).

If you're trying to hit round numbers just north of the amount required for the offer, you can often add "top up" wines at checkout.

What to Buy?

Here are a few suggestions at low, medium and high price points. I've had the Kinfolk before. I think it's very good. $15-$20/btl (depending on how many bottles you buy).

I haven't tried this particular Foxen bottling but I've wanted to try their single vineyard wines for some time.

Kosta Browne (trip report) is a perennial favorite. Rare to find it available at a discount. Wine Access offered the 2017 Russian River Pinot Noir a while back. That's arrived and I enjoyed it tremendously.

• 2018 Kinfolk Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
• 2016 Foxen Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard
• 2017 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

These are affiliate links, thanks in advance if you use them

Bottom Line

If you're targeted for the offers that are 33% or better, this is a pretty sweet deal. Especially when combined with a new customer referral ($50 off $150) and a shopping portal.

There are a number of wine-related Amex Offers that have been reliably recurring the past few years. Of these, I think Wine Access and Wine.com are the ones to watch, because they carry good wines from reliably outstanding producers. A lot of the other offers are for wine clubs where they pick the wines, which are invariably relabeled mass produced wines that aren't very good.

Further reading: DEAL: $50 off $150 at Wine.com with code "CIQ50"

HT @TheRetailTrader and @swaindack

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DEAL: $50 off $150 at Wine.com with code "CIQ50"

Wine.com has a single-use code (per account) for $50 off $150:

CIQ50

Stack this with some ongoing Amex Offers and shop through a portal to maximze savings.

Unsure what to buy? See:
10 Widely Available Reliably Outstanding Wine.com Wines

Shout out to @Philznc 

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