Along with apple pie, hot dogs, hamburgers and baseball, we need to add one more thing to the list of things qualifying as quintessentially American: the monthly wine club.
For many years, I simply supposed that these schemes were universal, but since my references to them in conversations with European friends have been met with some puzzlement, I have come to realise that, while not unique to my country, the wine club represents a particularly American conjunction of wine and capitalism.
American wine clubs are as simple as they are myriad. As a consumer, you typically pay a monthly fee...
