Membership and the year
Is Belmour a wine club?
No. Belmour does not sell wine, ship wine, or take a cut of any wine sale. Membership is a structured year with a group of verified cellar owners, with certification.
What exactly do I get for $350?
The opening session, six group sessions with the same eight to ten members, four shared bottle evenings, two private sommelier sessions, twelve Cellar Letters, the Room and the directory, and certification once your records are ready.
When does the program start?
Membership begins the day you pay: your cellar, your first sommelier session, your temperature record, and the Cellar Letter start right away. The first groups enter in December 2026, and your group's date is in your acceptance email.
Do I attend alone?
No. You enter with your group of eight to ten and stay with it for the full year.
How are groups formed?
Around practical fit: region, availability, and collecting interests. The same group stays together for the year.
Is it in person?
The program runs live, online. The retreat, once a year, is in person and optional.
What if I miss a session?
The written recap reaches you, and the next session is on the calendar. Missed sessions are not refunded.
Is there a monthly option?
No. One payment a year. The room only works if it is stable.
Do you refund?
Dues cover the full year and are not refundable once membership begins. A full refund is provided only if Belmour cannot deliver your group.
What happens at renewal?
We email you 30 days before, with the amount and the date. If you do nothing, membership continues. You can stop the renewal from your account.
Can I join from Canada?
Yes. Belmour covers the United States and Canada.
What is a sommelier?
A wine professional who reads a cellar, knows when a bottle is ready, and knows what a collection is missing. Belmour's two sommeliers hold the private sessions, lead the opening sessions, and review certifications.
Certification
What does certification prove?
It attests to how your cellar is held over a documented period, based on photographs and one year of logged temperature. It is not an appraisal, and it does not assign value to your bottles.
When can I start?
As soon as you join, if you already hold a year of records that meet the method. Otherwise, your record starts now and certification follows once the year is covered.
What equipment do I need?
A temperature logger that records dated readings for a full year and exports a file we can review.
What if my readings are out of range?
Nothing fails. We say so in writing, tell you what is causing it, and you apply again once it is corrected.
Will my insurer accept it?
It is documentation, not accreditation. It supports a conversation with your insurer.
Can I certify without joining?
No.
What is Jeroboam?
Belmour's second tier. It opens after a first certification for cellars of 750 bottles and above, and it becomes available with the first certification cycle in 2027. It cannot be requested now.
The Room and privacy
Do I have to publish my cellar?
Yes. It is the condition of entry. You control the level of detail and whether your location is visible.
Who can see my cellar?
Members, and only what you choose to publish. Nothing is public, indexed, or sold.
Who sees my certification records?
Belmour and its reviewers. Never other members.
Are sessions recorded?
No. What is said in your group stays in your group.
Do you sell my data?
No. Never.
How many members are there?
The founding cohort is capped at 250. Numbers below 250 are never reissued.