IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ON NEW WB GROUP - MONOPOLE CRÜ

While BerserkerDay is upon us, and the viewership is at a feverish pitch during this timeframe, I’m excited to announce a new level of elective membership – Monopole Crü.

Grand Cru Crü has always been an ad-free membership, and I’ve added special BerserkerDay benefits (and most people sign up just for the BerserkerDay benefits! ) This year, some opportunities have become available (with a dollar value of $55-$60 thus far), and, with that success, there are opportunities in the pipeline that would only work in a smaller, more exclusive group.

Monopole Crü will have a minimum contribution of $100 per year, which will include all the benefits of Grand Cru Crü plus much more to come. As the founder of this vibrant community, I look forward to finding even more special offers and benefits for this new level of membership. I will have the very first one on Preview Day, as a very special and limited quantity Early Purchase Offer that will be made available to Monopole Crü for 2 hours prior to releasing to GCC for the rest of the Preview Day.

GCC members will continue to have an ad-free experience, and the Preview Day/Early Purchase offers benefits they’ve always had and enjoyed. I’ve not raised the $25 minimum for GCC since its inception 10 years ago, but this year I will be raising it, slightly, to $35, as of March 1, 2021. To those who have setup recurring payments, I may have to reach out and notify you if it comes up short, but I will also be setting up a new, better payment system as soon as all the BerserkerDay craziness is behind me, so that will be pending on exactly what will occur with the new system.

Some of those who join GCC elect to pay more than the $35 minimum per year, but 99% of you pay the $35. To those who have paid $100 (or more) I will grandfather your membership in, even though you didn’t know you were going to receive it. Working on that now, and it’s a small and exclusive group.

For those who wish to join, feel free to submit the remainder/difference between your last contribution and the new Monopole Crü benchmark of $100, and, until I install the new system, choosing ‘Grand Cru Crü’ in the dropdown will still work, as I’ll know, based on the amount, in which group to place you. The language on the payment page and the intro page when you click through to GCC payments will also be edited once I switch over.

Monopole Crü will have its own unique badge, as well, shown here

, so keep watch for these Wine Berserkers superstars

I’m passionate for our community’s continued success, and want to thank you all for everything you’ve each done to contribute.

Was going to up my contribution amount anyway when the time came as I’ve easily gotten much more than $25 worth of value through all the interactions I’ve had with everyone in the community. And I’m not even counting the special promotions like the WineBid one and BD preview day. Add all that up and it’s an easy decision on this. Looking forward to what’s to come. Thanks Todd et. al for all the hard work!

All those grandfathered in didn’t even know they were getting the new classification, so you, officially, are the first ‘new member’

You’ll love this offer coming up on BerserkerDay. Monopole Crü will get to take advantage of this one particular ‘Early Purchase Offer’ for 2 hours prior to the rest of GCC thereafter

One suggestion. Maybe have BD auction purchases count toward the new status, as the proceeds go to WB.

Sounds interesting, Todd. I’m in.

Good idea - can weave that in as well, for auctions of a certain pricepoint!

Just upgraded my contribution level as well.

Upgraded

Upgraded!

You all will be excited about the 2-hour special offer tomorrow on Preview Day…trust me.

Upgraded!

Any warning of what time?

As soon as I can

Everything will launch at once, for the most part, as I’ll be giving GCC permissions to view the Preview Day and Early Purchase Offers forums, and since Monopole Cru is the elite group within GCC, obviously MC gets all those privileges as well, simultaneously. Hopefully by 8 am Pacific.

There’s plenty of this super limited offer to go around for Monopole Cru, but once it reaches GCC, it’s GONE. It will NOT make it to BerserkerDay, and I don’t think it will make it until noon.

We may not always agree, but I do appreciate what you do in providing this forum. Upgraded.

Donation made to upgrade

This is a great lesson in behavioral finance. You ask for $25 and I give it to you because I get daily enjoyment from this site and some added BerserkerDay benefits. That said, I have never thought about giving more. You ask for $100 with a tease of an additional benefit. I hope the tease is something I will like but who really knows. At the end of the day, I upped my membership because there is no doubt I get 27 cents of benefit every day. I spent many days during the end of my career talking about behavioral finance and nudges. No doubt that your nudge caused me to realize that.

Got you both in! I am looking forward to finding more of these fun offers throughout the year. Really a stupid move on my part to go through all this the day before BerserkerDay madness starts (tomorrow being Preview Day)…

As for ‘tease’, Steve, there is, and will be more real benefit. Deals like the bonus for the Grand Reserve card will be reserved (so to speak) for Monopole Cru, and super crazy stuff that pops up for BerserkerDay will be, like tomorrow’s, in that group as well. It will most definitely be worth it, by a long shot. And for those who just want the Preview Day/Early Purchase Offers, and no ads, for two bucks a month…we still have that! Or pay nothing and use an ad blocker

I am truly excited about this - will be a fun little plaything for us all.

Great idea Todd! I kinda like being “grandfathered” into a “small and exclusive group.” Don’t tell anyone, but I think this “place” is worth at least $100 a year.

I have no doubt. I am just saying that even if I don’t use the extra benefit, it is 27 cents a day for all I get out of this forum daily. There are days I learn something about wine. There are days I learn something about life. There are days I get a good laugh. Many days it is all three. That doesn’t even take into consideration what I save by learning about a good deal somewhere. Definition of no brainer for me.