Do you enjoy sharing a glass of wine with your friends or family members every once in a while? How would you like it if you could get a great selection of wines delivered to your doorstep regularly? With a wine subscription, you can have just that.
In recent years, more and more wine delivery services have emerged, offering hand-selected bottles of wine for their customers. Subscription memberships give customers exclusive discounts, access to limited-release wines, free delivery and sometimes free tickets to wine-tasting events. With a wine subscription service, you can save both time and money when it comes to keeping up your wine supply.
What is a Wine Subscription?
Wine subscription is a service that offers home delivery of a new selection of wines once every month or quarter. Also known as wine clubs, these are generally offered by specialty wine shops and vineyards that wish to establish communities of loyal customers.
Their origin can be traced back to 1972 when Paul Kalemkiarian Sr. came up with the idea of wine in the mail. He would designate two bottles of wines as monthly selections, load them on to his truck, and deliver them to his regular customers. Today, the wines are curated to your taste and delivered as per your preferences.
How do Wine Subscriptions Work?
In exchange for a monthly, quarterly or annual subscription fee, you get specially-selected bottles of wine delivered to your home regularly. These selections can usually play to your tastes and preferences.
Wine subscriptions can include red wine or white wine, or even a mixture of both, curated to a particular type or a theme. With wine subscription, you generally choose for yourself:
- Which cases you want to be delivered and how many you want to be delivered at a time
- The interval at which cases are delivered (usually monthly or quarterly)
- How long you subscribe to wine delivery services
Many wine clubs offer loyalty points or rewards to those who subscribe. You can collect these points and redeem them while making your purchases.
What to Look for When Choosing a Wine Subscription
Not all wine clubs are created equal. Although most of them may look the same on the surface, there can be vast differences in the quality of the wines they offer. Here are a few things you may want to consider while choosing a wine subscription:
- Make sure it fits into your budget
- If you are particular about the taste of the wines that you get, go for a curated wine club that tailors your wines to your palate
- Find out if the shipping charges are comparable. Many clubs deliver without charging for shipping.
There are many wine clubs out there that offer cheap quality wines without giving any information about them. It’s best to avoid these companies. Go for one that values your preferences and customizes your selection to your taste.
What are Top 10’s Wine Subscription Options?
Here are Top 10’s wine subscription options for you to consider:
- First Leaf – Creates your curated box of six bottles according to your preferences. The subsequent shipments will better match your tastes based on your feedback.
- International Wine of the Month Club – Quality wines from Argentina, Italy, and France, with winemaker profiles and extensive tasting notes.
- Fatcork – Bubbly wine from the Champagne region of France.
- Nakedwines – You pay a flat fee every month, which you can use to buy boxes of wine.
- Nocking Point – Bold wines with label art, sent along with ground coffee and apparel
- Plonk Wine Club – Carefully curated subscription service that makes natural wines using sustainable practices.
- Vinebox – Wines in vials along with educational material. You can use the credits that you get to purchase the full bottle of your liking.
- Vinesse Wines – Dependable selection of wines curated according to your taste.
- Viticole Wine Club – Customized bottles of organic wine made and delivered twice a year.
- Winc – Affordable subscription that gives you the option of choosing your bottles or going with the recommendation.
Don’t Fall for the Introductory Offers
Many wine clubs lure potential subscribers with excellent introductory offers and deals. However, these savings will usually cease once you join. Don’t get carried away by such offers. Make sure you always prioritize quality over price.