Naked Wines is a subscription service where members’ fees directly support local wineries and winemakers. In turn, these “investors”, who in this case are customers, receive discounted bottles and handpicked wines from independent winemakers around the world. 

As someone who’s supported local wineries in the past and has extensive experience with drinking wine, I wanted to give the subscription a shot. 

In this review, I’ll go over how Naked Wines works, and show you what becoming a member is like. I’ll also review a few of the different wines you can get with the club, to see how they compare to other wine subscriptions. 

Naked Wines Overview

Contents

• How Naked Wines works
• Delivery experience
• Naked Wines wine reviews
• Naked Wines vs other wine clubs
• Final thoughts: is Naked Wines a good club for you?

How Naked Wines works

Naked Wines Wine Club was founded in 2008 as a way to bring crowdfunding to the wine industry. Although originally formed in the UK, the majority of the club’s members today are in the US. The club also sources wines from all over the world. 

Let’s take a closer look at how Naked Wines works. 

Memberships

Naked Wines’ memberships don’t work the way most clubs do. 

With this service, all you have to do is sign up on the website. When you do, you’ll commit to paying a flat monthly fee into your deposit account. 

Naked Wines then uses this money to source wine and invest in unique independent winemakers you won’t usually see in local liquor shops. These customers’ accounts are called angel memberships, and when you enroll, you’re considered an “angel investor” on the site.

In traditional investing, angel investors are high-net-worth individuals who invest in business ventures in exchange for a percentage of the company. With Naked Wines, you don’t get any percentage of the wineries you invest in, but you do get discounts on anything you purchase on the site.

First month

Although Naked Wines uses your monthly membership deposit to source wines, the money also goes into your own sort of piggy bank. However, the first month is special. When you first sign up as a member on the site, you’ll receive a case of wines rather than being able to put together a wine order as if you were grocery shopping. The standard initial shipment is six bottles, although if you sign up with their introductory offer, they’ll double that and send you a case of twelve at a discount. 

Subsequent months

After the first month, things start to look a little different. Although the club will send you a free bottle each month, it’ll be up to you to place wine orders. Just note that even if you don’t place an order in a given month, you’ll still be billed your membership fee, which can be put towards future purchases. You’ll also still get your complimentary bottle of wine.

Your membership fee goes toward the cost of your wines, and you accumulate money month after month. If you like, you can save up several months’ worth of fees to buy one large case at once, or make smaller orders on a more regular basis. 

Regardless of which route you go, if you order more than $200 of wine, you’ll also get free shipping, which can be an incentive to wait until you’re ready to buy an entire case.

Other perks

Besides the complimentary monthly bottle and free shipping, being a member gives you a couple of perks. One of these is that you get 40 to 60 percent off original wine retail prices on the Naked Wines site. 

Additionally, all bottles have a satisfaction guarantee, so if you don’t like a wine, you can send it back and get a refund for any money spent. 

Also, customers can leave reviews or feedback on the bottles they received on the Naked Wines website. This helps you find bottles you’re more likely to enjoy.

Naked Wines memberships are also quite flexible. You can cancel or pause your monthly deposit anytime you wish without penalties. The club will also refund any additional funds left in your account when you cancel. 

Overall, the Naked Wines membership system can take a bit to wrap your head around. Instead of just getting a membership that chooses the wine and sends it to you, you’ll be in charge of using your monthly fees to save up for and buy various wines. So, if you’re after regular monthly shipments, you’re probably better off going with a club like Winc. 

On the other hand, if your goal is to get access to uncommon wines at good prices, Naked Wines is a good pick. As a result, it’s generally more geared toward wine connoisseurs than beginners.

Placing orders

It’s important to note that the first order you place, if you take advantage of the introductory offer, won’t let you choose your wines. However, there is a short quiz that lets the sommeliers at Naked Wines choose blends that they think you’ll like. 

Once it comes time for your second shipment, however, you’ll have a bit more liberty to play around with the wines you add to your order. 

After creating your account and placing your first introductory order, you can make a regular wine order. You can actually place orders even if you don’t have a membership, but you won’t get the discount that members receive. 

All bottles state the retail price and the member price, and after looking at the two for a bit, you might start to realize just what a good deal the membership is. 

The site feels like a standard retail store, with different pages you can browse to choose your wine. There are two categories to choose from when ordering: single wine or cases. 

You can also filter out choices by the toolbar on the left. There, you’ll be able to browse wine based on region, grape varietal, flavor profile, price, type of wine (red, white, sparkling, dessert, etc), and special filters, such as:

• Critically acclaimed
• Fine and vintage wines
• Best rated by members

From there, simply add the wines you like to your cart. Once you’ve made your selections, you can click on the shopping cart icon and check out. 

Sourcing wines

If there’s one thing that’s unique about Naked Wines, aside from their piggy-bank membership system, it’s the wine selections. This wine club is one of the few that works with independent winemakers from around the world, not just in the US.

Naked Wines offers bottle selections from California, France, Italy, South Africa, Argentina, and more. All the bottles on the site are handpicked by the experts at Naked Wines. Typically, they’ll include the name of the winemaker or wine professional who selected a wine in the bottle’s description. 

This can be a bit confusing for beginners or if you’re new to the site. At first, the winemaker or sommelier’s name can seem like it’s the vineyard name. However, as opposed to the brand, it’s actually the person who picked the blend. 

Despite this slightly confusing system, however, it ends up being a nice touch. If you get to know which winemakers’ or sommeliers’ preferences you jive with best, you can start choosing bottles exclusively sourced by these individuals.

Naked Wines also doesn’t limit itself to a single grape variety or style of wine. As a result, they source everything from fortified wines to organic wines and more. Currently, they source from 76 different winemaking regions and have 59 different grape varietals on offer. 

Delivery experience

Unlike most wine clubs, Naked Wines doesn’t follow a set delivery schedule. Instead, you can order wine whenever you feel ready for a new case. This is great because regardless of how much wine you get through, you have a lot of flexibility. 

So, if you drink a lot of wine, you can order each month. On the other hand, if you tend to take a while to get through bottles, you can order as infrequently as once a year. 

In terms of delivery, Naked Wines allows direct shipment to your residence, or you can also pick up your orders from various locations through UPS and FedEx. They have both domestic and international shipping, although US-based customers can get free shipping if they order more than $200 worth of wine at a time. 

Naked Wines claims their wines arrive in four to seven working days – mine arrived on the shorter end of that spectrum, in just five days.

One thing to remember is that if you’re not ready to collect the shipment at home, someone aged 21 or above has to be available to sign and receive the package. My wines were delivered on a Saturday, so this wasn’t an issue. 

Actually, the only day of the week that Naked Wines doesn’t deliver is Sunday. However, the Saturday option is convenient if you aren’t home to sign for the package during the week. 

My delivery included a summary of all the wines included and a coupon code for a meal kit delivery. It didn’t include tasting notes or any free gifts, however, so it was a reasonably bare-bones order.

Naked Wines reviews

Now that we’ve gone over how Naked Wines works, let’s get into what their wine is actually like. When you order your introductory offer with Naked Wines you don’t get to choose what’s in the box. However, you do get to select whether you get all reds, whites, or a mix, which is what I chose.

I received twelve bottles with my shipment, and here are my thoughts on each of them.

The Cellar Cru, 2020 American Red

The Cellar Cru is a red-blended wine sourced from Sonoma Valley. It combines Dolcetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, and Merlot grapes.

This Californian red blend has a bold and rich taste, so I think it’s ideal for more experienced wine drinkers. You might find this wine a bit intense and bitter if you’re a beginner. 

The Cellar Cru also has an acidic taste because of the additional fruity notes from blueberry, raspberry, and plum. It’s tannic and smooth and goes well with a good steak, lamb, or chicken. 

David Akiyoshi, 2021 Lodi Chardonnay

David Akiyoshi is a winemaker known for his California Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 and Lodi Chardonnay 2018. These wine selections are sourced from Yolo County, California. 

This 2021 Lodi Chardonnay is bold and dry and has notes of citrus, tree fruit, and oak. It also has a lemon aftertaste. The 2021 Lodi Chardonnay pairs best with pasta, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. 

Miriam, 2021 California Chenin Blanc

The 2021 California Chenin Blanc is a little on the lighter side. Among the wines I received in my first shipment, this had one of the lightest tastes. It’s smooth and combines sweet and acidic notes from apples, pears, peaches, lemons, and pineapple. 

There are also tropical undertones in this wine. The 2021 California Chenin Blanc pairs best with cheese and seafood.

Karen Birmingham, 2021 Clarksburg Pinot Grigio

This 2021 Clarksburg Pinot Grigio is bright and smooth and has lemon and lime flavors.  This wine is made by Karen Birmingham and comes from California.

Clarksburg Pinot Grigio also balances acidic and sweet notes, as well as its rich and bold taste. The wine goes well with spicy dishes or cured meat.

F. Stephen Millier, 2021 Black Label Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

Stephen Miller is one of the few independent winemakers who became famous because of Naked Wines. He’s renowned for the Late Harvest Zinfandel, Mokelumne River’s Pinot Noir, and the Black Label Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel. 

This famous Black Label Lodi’s flavor is a combination of red plums, blueberries, and blackberries. There are subtle spices in it, which complement the fruity notes. 

With Zinfandel as the main grape variant, the Californian red wine has a bold and dry taste. It pairs best with beef, chicken, or lamb.

Tom Shula, 2021 California Red

The 2021 California Red by Tom Shula has a pretty unique taste. It’s rich and bold with a subtle chocolatey hint at the end. Made with Syrah as the main grape, this red blend also combines rich Cabernet, Tannat, and Merlot. 

Tom Shula’s California Red also tastes acidic because of the red fruit notes from cherries and raspberries. There are also black fruit notes such as blackberry and plum. This red wine pairs well with meat and poultry dishes. 

Stephen Miller Angels Reserve Pinot Grigio

Stephen Miller has had more than 36 harvests. He’s famous for his Late Harvest Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. One of his latest releases is Angel’s Reserve. 

It should be noted that this is the same Stephen Miller who made the Black Label Lodi Old Zinfandel. 

This Angel’s Reserve is light and tastes of ripe fruit. There are also floral notes, and the blend has a crisp finish. The wine tastes best with chicken, sourdough bread, and shellfish.

Matt Parish, 2021 Rosé

This was the only bottle of rosé in the order, and is one of the few times I’ve received a rosé with a wine club subscription at all. The 2021 Rosé by Matt Parish has the most potent aroma of all the bottles I received, with a distinctive scent of blackberry oak and various species. 

The wine is juicy and has citrus notes and bold, sweet flavors of raspberry and plum. There are also hints of watermelon, strawberry, and grapefruit. 

The 2021 Rosé by Matt Parish is a light drink to pair with quick snacks, fruity desserts, seafood, and spicy dishes. 

Ashleigh Holland Washington, 2021 Almeisan

The 2021 Almeisan by Ashleigh Holland Washington combines Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and hints of Muscat. From its aroma, you can immediately predict it’s fresh, with floral and sweet notes. 

The Almeisan combines various fruit variants, including honeysuckle and the golden apple. It also has cherry and green tea sorbet flavors, which balance out the wine’s acidity. 

This wine pairs well with herbs, roasted chicken, and scallops.

David Akiyoshi, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Another selection by David Akiyoshi is the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. This special wine selection has a bold and dry taste.

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve combines oaky, black fruit, and earthy notes. It has a more mature taste compared to the other selections I tried. This is a good wine to pair with meat and poultry.

Karen Birmingham, 2020 Lodi Malbec Reserve

The 2020 Lodi Malbec Reserve has rich and dark flavors because of the combination of French oak and ripe plum. It has a velvety texture, making it smooth to drink. However, this red wine can be intense if you’re a beginner. 

The 2020 Lodi Malbec Reserve also has subtle chocolate and vanilla notes. These are well-balanced, so they help make the drinking experience less overpowering. Karen Birmingham’s Lodi Malbec Reserve is best paired with poultry and red meat. 

Sin Fronteras, 2020 El Mechon

The vintage 2020 El Mechon by Sin Fronteras is a red blend made from a combination of Tempranillo and Cabernet grapes. This selection has deep and dark cherry flavors that are bold and intense. 

Despite the intensity of the blend, the drink has a velvety texture, and unlike most red wines, you won’t immediately feel the heat upon swallowing. One thing to note, however, is that this wine’s taste is more acidic than sweet because of the black fruit notes. 

The 2020 El Mechon pairs well with meat and poultry dishes. 

Naked Wines vs. other wine clubs

Naked Wines is quite different from other clubs.

Members pay a flat fee each month as opposed to having various membership tiers. The money they pay each month goes into a personal piggy bank which they can then draw from any time they want to place an order. Members then choose when and if they want to order wine. 

In contrast, other wine clubs like Firstleaf are subscription-based. This means that members pay based on how many wines they want to get and how frequently they want to get them. They’re not in control of the shipments in the same way they are with Naked Wines.

Additionally, Naked Wines has a huge variety of wines for you to choose from. Many clubs end up forcing you to repeat bottles due to limited selections. With Naked Wines, however, it’s hard to run out of new wines, so you’re constantly trying something different.

What also sets Naked Wines apart is how it works with independent and startup winemakers. Although there are other subscriptions that try to support independent winemakers, Naked Wines focuses exclusively on this type of winery. Because of these partnerships, they can also get discounts for their angel investors.

Naked Wines also stands out from other clubs because it allows anyone to purchase wine on the site, not just members. In contrast, many wine club memberships require you to sign up in order to place any kind of order. The big benefit of being a member is you get a significant discount.

Finally, Naked Wines has an introductory quiz, as Winc and Firstleaf do, but it’s pretty basic. It doesn’t go as in-depth, and is really only used for your initial wine offer selections. After that, it’s up to you to choose your own bottles. 

One slight downside to Naked Wines compared to other clubs: they don’t ship to quite as many states. There are a few states that permit wine shipments to their residents, but Naked Wines doesn’t deliver to at the moment.

Final thoughts: is Naked Wines a good club for you?

View the latest price of a Naked Wines subscription.

Naked Wines is a crowdsourced wine club that connects with independent winemakers, allowing them to source some of the best-tasting wines available and sell them at reasonable prices. As a member, you are free to choose the bottles you want and when you want them delivered. 

Although there is a lot of variety in terms of the types of bottles you can choose, the subscription can be pretty confusing to understand at first. On top of that, you may have to save up your monthly dues for a while in order to cover the cost of an entire case of wine. 

So, is Naked Wines for you? If you’re a seasoned wine drinker and are looking for hard-to-find and premium bottles, this is a good pick. 

Overall, I would give Naked Wines a 4.5 out of 5. Although there are tons of wines and lots of unique varietals, the whole service can be a bit confusing. Still, it’s a great option for giving back to the winemaking community, and trying blends you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.

About the author

Jessica Fleming-Montoya

My name’s Jessica, and I’m a full-time writer and part-time wine lover. I love being able to share expertise through the power of words.

I’m a self-proclaimed wine expert who’s been a patron and member of multiple vineyards. As someone who’s lived in the California Napa Valley and studied wine formally at the university level, I’ve gained a good chunk of knowledge on wine, its origins, and the current market.

I particularly like a good burgundy, but failing that, dry white wine is my go-to. Today you’ll find me sharing my wine expertise with the world. I may or may not have a glass of wine by my desk as I do it.

Plonk Wine Club is an award-winning subscription that has a wide range of wine bottles – from selections made of lesser-known grapes to more famous varietals. It has whites, reds, rosés, and sparklings from a range of different wine-making regions worldwide.

As someone who enjoys the taste of organic wine myself, I decided to try the subscription out and see if it was really worth joining.

In this guide, I’ll share more information about Plonk Wine Club, including how the ordering and delivery processes work. I’ll also go over some of the bottles that were included in my subscription to figure out if they’re worth buying.

Plonk Wine Club Overview

Contents

• How the Plonk Wine Club works
• Wine delivery
• Plonk wine reviews
• Plonk vs other wine clubs
• The verdict: is Plonk the best wine club for you?

How the Plonk Wine Club works

Plonk Wine Club is a wine subscription that focuses mostly on organic wines, making it popular with health-conscious shoppers.

The club has only been around since 2010, but offers premium wines that you can get shipped out on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

Here’s a closer look at how the wine club works.

Available memberships

Unlike Winc Wine Club, Plonk doesn’t offer any sort of quiz when you first sign up. This means that it’s not as personalized as some of the other clubs on the market.

Instead, you’ll be asked to choose between three different types of subscriptions:

• Mixed Organic Wine Club: a combination of reds, whites, and rosés sourced from more than 20 international and domestic regions
• Red Organic Wine Club: premium red wines sourced from top wine-making regions worldwide
• White Organic Wine Club: premium white wines from unique grape varietals sourced from local wineries

All of the subscriptions are organic, regardless of whether or not you choose red only, white only, or a mix of both.

Once you’ve chosen the type of bottles you want to receive, you’ll get to select how many bottles you plan to receive each shipment: four, six, or 12.

You’ll also get to choose whether you’d like monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annual shipments. This is great because it lets you customize your deliveries depending on the size of your household and amount of wine you typically drink.

Keep in mind that Plonk is quite high-end, so the prices get pretty steep once you start adding more bottles to your order. In fact, you could easily spend over $1000 a year with Plonk for frequent deliveries with lots of bottles in the order.

Another thing to note is that Plonk doesn’t have a way for you to personalize your subscription. The bottles are curated by sommeliers, but you can’t rate them once you try them, so you have the chance of getting two bottles twice even if you didn’t like them the first time. There’s also no satisfaction guarantee in the event that you don’t like something, so you won’t get a refund or replacement.

The good news is that Plonk offers a replacement or refund for corked, broken, or damaged bottles. So, if your wine arrives with any kind of issue, you can at least get compensation for this.

Besides its memberships, Plonk also lets you gift a wine bottle shipment to your friends or family for holidays and birthdays. All you need to do is order the club’s gift plan using your account. Then, select the gift option and enter the recipient’s details.

Placing your order

Getting started with Plonk is very straightforward. Because the subscription is curated and not personalized, you don’t have to do much to place an order.

All you have to do is choose which membership, how many bottles, and the delivery frequency you want. Then, you’ll add your shipping and payment details and place the order.

One thing to note when placing your order is that the four and six-bottle subscription consists of different bottles. But, if you go for the twelve-bottle shipment, you’ll actually get two bottles each of six different wines. Because of that, the twelve-bottle shipment is really better for families who get through a lot of wine.

Plonk offers an introductory coupon for your first shipment. They don’t charge you for shipping, either, which can help balance out the higher price of the club overall.

Wine sourcing

Plonk focuses on only sourcing organic wines. Because of this, everything they offer is grown and produced using biodynamic and organic methods.

All the wines are free of:

• Pesticides
• Acidifiers
• Colorants
• Artificial sugars
• Chemical substances
• Alcohol enhancements

Because there are no chemicals or additives in the wines, the bottles tend to be quite high quality. On top of that, you can really taste the nuances in the wines they select. If you’re a wine connoisseur who’s looking for rare finds and unique flavors, Plonk is a great pick.

Plonk sources its bottles from a combination of small-batch and premium wineries in various wine-making regions worldwide. This is interesting considering that ‘Plonk’ is Australian slang for low-quality and cheap wine!

Plonk Wine Club also includes younger wines aged between two to four years. This gives you a wider variety of flavor profiles, leaving you with a broader spectrum of flavors in your shipment.

The wine delivery

Wine delivery is a bit slow with Plonk. Shipments are sent out at the beginning of each month, so if you place an order past the company’s shipment date, you’ll have to wait a full month to get your order.

I placed my order around October 20th, so I had to wait until early November for my wines to ship out. I wasn’t in a rush, but if I had been, the wait would have been a bit frustrating.

Despite the potential delays with the shipping system, Plonk does let you reroute your delivery to another address if you won’t be home to receive it for some reason. So, if you’re out of town when the shipment gets sent out, you can reroute it via their website to wherever you’re staying.

Keep in mind that because of legal restrictions, Plonk can’t ship to Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Utah, Washing ton DC, or Puerto Rico. So, if you’re traveling to one of those areas, you won’t be able to reroute it.

You’ll also need to have someone over the age of 21 receive the alcohol delivery when it arrives. Plonk uses FedEx as its courier service, so if there’s no one home to sign, they’ll store your shipment for up to two weeks in one of their warehouses. You can then go pick it up using the slip they leave on your front door.

In terms of the contents of the shipment, Plonk sends out a few gifts in addition to the wine bottles. These include:

• Tasting notes and pairing suggestions
• Additional recipes for meals that go well with the wine selections
• A free issue of IMBIBE Magazine
• Discounts for reordering
• One complimentary bottle if you have renewed your membership
• A free Plonk corkscrew for your first order

Plonk wine reviews

Now that you have an understanding of how Plonk works, and the way they source their wines, let’s take a look at the bottles included in their shipments.

When you place an order, you won’t have any control over the bottles. Instead, a wine expert will curate your box for you to put together rare finds and unique, organic bottles.

I received just four bottles in my box, and I did a review of each of the wines they chose to give you an idea of what Plonks curation is like.

Union Sacre, Sangiovese

Union Sacre Sangio Carbonic Sangiovese 2021 is a chillable red wine sourced from Paso Robles, California. The grapes come from the San Juan North Vineyard.

The wine is manufactured using whole, uncrushed clusters of the Sangiovese grape variety.

Because it’s a chillable red, this is a nice pick for summer months or warmer days. It has berry flavors as well as floral notes, and has hints of strawberry jam. There are also undertones of candied rose petal that give you a smooth and velvety finish.

Union Sacre is best paired with grilled chicken, sausage, potatoes, peppers, and onions. It also tastes great with pasta.

Longaví, Glup Naranjo

Longaví, Glup Naranjo 21 is a dry-framed orange wine made of pure Moscatel from the sixty-year-old vines in Itata Valley, Chile. It’s a pretty unique wine that undergoes a ten month aging process in French oak barrels.

The wine is on the sweet side with a lychee aroma and honeysuckle undertones. Still, it’s a bit dry, so it doesn’t feel overly sweet.

This orange wine is best paired with fish, such as mandarin and pan-seared salmon. It also goes well with pork tenderloin.

Dom Rafael, Mouchao

Dom Rafael, Mouchão features a blend of Castelao, Aragonez, Trincaderia, and Alicante Bouschet grapes. These grape varieties are sourced from Portugal.

The wine has honey and olive oil flavors with notes of star anise, clove, and deep ruit. It also has a subtle acidic taste that balances the grapes’ bitterness.

This bottle is best paired with your favorite bolognese pasta and meat. It also pairs well with lamb and pork chops.

EQ, Sauvignon Blanc

EQ, Sauvignon Blanc is a certified organic wine bottle from Hermoso Vineyard, just six miles from the Pacific Ocean in Chile. This Sauvignon Blanc is slightly savory, with salty notes.

EQ is a medium-bodied wine with flint and grapefruit notes. It pairs well with shrimp and South Asian flavors, such as Thai or Indian curry.

Plonk vs. other wine clubs

Like most wine clubs, Plonk has a wide variety of delivery options, letting you choose the frequency of shipments and number of bottles. However, unlike most clubs which start at a minimum of six bottles, Plonk starts at four bottles.

The advantage of this is that if you don’t drink a lot of wine or live in a smaller household, you aren’t inundated with wine. On the other hand, even their smallest shipment can cost you more than some other clubs that will send out six bottles.

Plonk also includes tasting notes and wine information, as with many other shipments. The difference is that instead of sending information about the club, they send a copy of IMBIBE magazine, which gives you more general industry information. This is a nice perk if you’re just looking for general industry news or to make other wine purchases.

One thing to note about Plonk is that this is a curated subscription, much like the WSJ Wine Club. That means that you can’t personalize your shipment, but you do get bottles that are selected by wine connoissieurs. As a result, they’re not necessarily tailored to your tastes, but are generally good wines anyway.

If you want a tailored club, Firstleaf might be a better pick. This club includes an introductory quiz and allows you to flag wines that you don’t like. That way, you get a subscription that adapts more to your taste preferences as time goes on.

In terms of the differences between Plonk and other clubs, the main thing to note is that they only include organic wines. Most subscriptions will feature a mix of organic and inorganic wines, so if you’re focused on natural blends, this is a great way to ensure that’s what you’re getting.

Another difference between Plonk and other clubs is that since the wines are premium, organic varietals, they’re also more expensive. Despite the higher pricetag, the club tries to offset the costs for customers by including shipping in the cost of the subscription.

The verdict: is Plonk the best wine club for you?

Overall value

Price
Check on Plonk

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Pros

• Features wines selected by a certified sommelier
• All wines are organic and have no additives
• Has both international and domestic wine selections
• Offers smaller shipments for those who don’t drink a lot of wine
• Shipping is included
• You get freebies such as a wine magazine, tasting notes, and a corkscrew

Cons

• Doesn’t allow you to personalize your order
• No introductory quiz
• High price tag even for smaller shipment sizes

 
Plonk Wine Club boasts organic and biodynamic wines that are sourced from quality winemaking regions around the world. They have bottles with both famous grape varieties as well as lesser-known varietals.

Because of the premium quality of the wine, Plonk has also got a premium pricetag. So, it might not be best for those on a budget.

Plonk lets you choose from a number of different shipping frequencies and amounts of wine per shipment. However, if you go for their larger bundles, you’re likely to get repeat bottles in your order.

So, is Plonk Wine Club for you? If you’re a health-conscious wine drinker who’s got a lot of experience with wine, this might be a good subscription. Since you get high-quality, organic bottles, you’re more likely to get rare finds that are hard for you to come by on your own.

On the other hand, if you’re on a budget or are just getting started with wine drinking, Plonk probably isn’t for you. In that case, you’d probably be better suited to a more affordable, personalized subscription like Winc.

Because of the high price tag and lack of personalization, I’d give this club a four out of five. Still, if you’ve been drinking wine for a while and want to get your hands on hard-to-find bottles, I’d say it’s worth trying out the bottles, even if it’s just for a few months.

About the author

Jessica Fleming-Montoya

My name’s Jessica, and I’m a full-time writer and part-time wine lover. I love being able to share expertise through the power of words.

I’m a self-proclaimed wine expert who’s been a patron and member of multiple vineyards. As someone who’s lived in the California Napa Valley and studied wine formally at the university level, I’ve gained a good chunk of knowledge on wine, its origins, and the current market.

I particularly like a good burgundy, but failing that, dry white wine is my go-to. Today you’ll find me sharing my wine expertise with the world. I may or may not have a glass of wine by my desk as I do it.

Firstleaf Wine Club is a personalized wine subscription that sends you bottles according to your preferences. It also offers a wide selection of wines, ranging from budget-friendly options to high-end ones, so you can find something even if you don’t like to spend a lot of money on wine.

As a wine connoisseur myself, I wanted to see whether Firstleaf was any good, and I wasn’t disappointed.

In this review, we’ll explain what to expect when subscribing to Firstleaf, how its delivery and shipment process works, and what the membership and ordering process is like. Plus, we’ll also take a look at some of the wine selections Firstleaf offers.

Firstleaf Wine Overview

Contents

• How Firstleaf works
• Delivery and shipment
• Firstleaf wine reviews
• Firstleaf vs other wine clubs
• The verdict: is Firstleaf right for you?

How Firstleaf works

First, let’s start by going over how Firstleaf works and what to expect when you sign up for your first order.

Introductory quiz

At Firstleaf, your wine subscription begins with an introductory wine preference quiz. Basically, this questionnaire helps Firstlead’s algorithm suggest bottle selections that match your wine tastes.

This quiz is great for beginners who aren’t quite sure what sorts of wine they’d want to order. But even if you’re a seasoned wine drinker, the quiz is also nice because it helps save you time picking through hundreds of bottles to determine what you want to include in your subscription.

Firstleaf’s wine preference quiz has thirteen questions, which ask about things like:

• Your sweetness preference
• Your impression of a few common wine bottles
• How adventurous or safe you are with choosing wine flavors
• Whether you’re a beginner or an expert on wines
• Various food suggestions that could go with the wine you drink
• Your choice of various flavor profiles
• How often do you drink wine

At the end of the quiz, Firstleaf calculates your results. The wine club will, of course, base your first six bottles on your answers.

The one thing to note is that although the quiz is a nice perk, it’s definitely not foolproof. Sometimes the quiz suggests wines that really miss the mark.

The good news is that you are free to change out these bottles according to your preferences at any point in time. And once you receive your first batch of wine, you can log back into your account and let the site know which ones you liked and which you didn’t. This helps Firstleaf’s algorithm determine the best wine bottles for your next delivery.

Membership options

When you first sign up to Firstleaf, you’ll get an introductory price for the first six bottles. You can also select a 12-bottle delivery, but this will increase the cost by quite a lot.

After the first shipment, you’ll have to pay twice the introductory price plus shipping for your next delivery. The good news is that Firstleaf wines are all quite reasonably priced, because the club has direct connections with vintage vineyards and boutique wineries.

You can also adjust the frequency of the shipment as well as the number of bottles in each one, which can also help keep the cost down a bit.

If you’re ever struggling to choose which bottles to order, you can take advantage of Firstleaf’s on-call concierge. The concierge is WSET-certified and can provide wine suggestions, food pairings, and assistance with things like skipping a month or making changes to your membership.

The concierge is available via phone and live chat – all you have to do is log into your account and connect with them. From there, the concierge will have a quick conversation with you to help pull up suggested bottles and recommend food pairings to go with them, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Once you’ve signed up for a Firstleaf membership, you’ll get a few extra benefits, such as discounted pricing on individual bottle orders. All wine bottles are typically priced at about 60% off once you’ve joined Firstleaf.

If you ever decide you don’t want to use the club anymore, Firstleaf offers free cancellations or the option to skip a month’s delivery.

Plus, before your next delivery goes out, Firstleaf sends you an email confirming your upcoming shipment, including details about your delivery. This way, you have a bit of time to decide what bottles you’d like to order.

Ordering process

As mentioned, each shipment can come with either six or twelve bottles.

If you’re the only one at home, this might be a bit too much wine to drink all in one go. But, you can always choose to get less frequent deliveries so you have more time to get through the wine.

After taking the quiz and having your first shipment delivered, Firstleaf’s site only shows bottles that they think you’re likely to enjoy.

In general, I’d say they do a decent job at choosing good bottles. However, keep an eye on what they put in your shipment. Sometimes they make last-minute changes, switching out bottles you would have liked for ones that don’t quite fit your preferences as much.

You’re also encouraged to rate the bottles you’ve tried, so that Firstleaf can better suggest wines for your next shipment.

Wine sourcing

Firstleaf has partnerships with boutique wineries and vineyards, meaning that most of the bottles you’ll find on the site are artisanal. This wine club sources its bottles from wine-making regions worldwide, such as Sonoma County in California and the Cape South Coast in South Africa.

Some of the best wines Firstleaf offers include Tailored Republic, Audette Nuit, Iron Arrow, and Isolde’s Rapture.

Delivery and shipment

Firstleaf allows you to track your order on its website. There’s no specific delivery time, but the wine club guarantees that the wines will arrive between 8am to 9pm.

The day your shipment arrives, you’ll receive an email notification from Firstleaf. Since the delivery contains alcohol, someone will need to be at home to sign for the package and present a valid ID. Otherwise, Firstleaf will not release your delivery.

Firstleaf delivers bottles through FedEx, so if you won’t be able to get to the door, you can add FedEx holding locations under your shipping addresses in your Firstleaf account. These holding locations can hold your package for a week. With this setup, you can pick up your package at a time that works for you.

Every shipment comes with wine-tasting notes, information about the region where bottles are sourced, and suggested food pairings.

One thing to note is that Firstleaf doesn’t ship to Utah, Rhode Island, or Mississippi due to liquor laws. If you live in one of those states, you won’t be able to join Firstleaf.

Firstleaf wine reviews

I just received my first package of six bottles from Firstleaf, and I was pretty impressed, to say the least.

After taking the quiz, the ordering process was a breeze. It was easy to pay, giving me the choice between PayPal and a debit or credit card, and my package arrived in less than five days. Since not all clubs accept PayPal, I found this to be a nice perk.

On top of that, the shipment really did get to me in just four business days. Whereas many other clubs will take at least a week to get things sent out, Firstleaf did an excellent job on turnaround time.

My shipment was a combination of red and white wines, but most were red.

Ĝenerala Paixão, NV Vinho Branco

The Generala Paixão was my favorite wine from the shipment, thanks to its full body and fruit flavors. It has bold fruity intensity and floral aromas that really satisfy your sweet tooth.

The wine comes from Portugal, which I’ll admit is a wine-growing region I wasn’t previously familiar with.

I enjoyed this white wine’s perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. It had a robust acidity, and notes of cardamom, nutmeg, apple, and citrus.

In terms of pairings, this wine goes well with salty cheese, roasted chicken, or fruit.

Monjitas Blancas, Torrontés Mendoza

While the majority of the other selections in my subscription were sweet, Castillo Quebrado is more on the tangy side. I took a sip of this and immediately tasted lime and lemon. The wine comes from Mendoza, Argentina, an area that’s famous for producing premium wine.

The tasting notes cite orange peel, potpourri, and citrus blossom as flavors to look out for. Personally, I felt that it had more of a lemongrass flavor.

The wine has low acidity levels and is very fruity. It’s said to pair well with spinach frittata, seafood salad, or goat cheese.

Old Quarter, Malbec

Old Quarter’s Malbec has a kick of dark spice. This selection is a unique variation of a black-blue grape combination, but the flavors unexpectedly blended perfectly.

This bottle combines black cherry, graphite, and blackberry. Its dark and fruity flavors have a unique balance of acidity and sweetness.

Old Quarter tastes great with empanadas or pasta. It’s also a great choice to pair with a cheeseboard.

Winter Fox, Syrah

Winter Fox’s Syrah comes from California, and is a 2018 bottle which means it’s been aged for a few years. It’s a full-bodied, textural wine with a strong aroma.

This Syrah has a nice kick at the end. It combines white pepper, cedar, and maple flavors with tart cranberry and fig.

This wine pairs well with wild game or grilled meats and vegetables. As a result, it’s a great pick for the holidays.

Izak’s 177, Grenache

Izak’s 177 Grenache comes from Swartland, South Africa. A newer wine, this bottle is only from 2020. I’ve long been a fan of South African wine, so I was particularly excited to try this blend.

The Grenache’s most prominent notes are cinnamon and oak. It’s a rich, dry wine with a spicy finish. You can taste the tannins in this wine, along with notes of cloves at the back of the tongue.

This wine pairs well with chicken and roast veggies, making it another good choice for a holiday meal.

Wisdom Point, Cabernet Sauvignon

Wisdom Point’s Cabernet Sauvignon is another wine from South Africa, this time from the Western Cape. This is a very herby wine with notes of redcurrant and black cherry.

Unlike your typical cabernet, this wine has a light body. Its acidity is quite bright, and the tannins are fairly mild.

If you want to pair this wine with a meal, it goes well with smoky cheese and braised pork.

Firstleaf vs. other wine clubs

Firstleaf offers an introductory quiz, which is common among most wine clubs. But what makes this wine club great is its knack for figuring out the best bottles for your taste.

When I signed up for Firstleaf, my quiz helped them send out bottles that I actually enjoyed. Not only was the experience more personalized, but there wasn’t a single wine I would have sent back. Although I did have to change out a few choices that weren’t perfect for me, this was easy to do.

Compared to other wine clubs like Winc, NakedWines, and TastingRoom, Firstleaf also has a better selection of wine bottles sourced from a greater variety of regions. Plus, it’s a subscription that’s quite a bit cheaper than Plonk, WSJ, and other big-name wine clubs.

FirstLeaf is an excellent option when you’re a beginner who’s still exploring what types of wine you like best. But, other wine clubs might be better if you’re a more experienced wine drinker willing to pay a higher per-bottle cost, and you know exactly what types of wine you want to try

The verdict: is Firstleaf right for you?

Firstleaf is a budget-friendly wine club where you can get signature bottle selections from great wine-making regions at very reasonable prices.

The Firstleaf ordering process is straightforward, easy to navigate, and user-friendly. You’ve got flexible shipment and ordering options, as well as a useful quiz to help you figure out which bottles to order. Plus, the delivery arrives quickly and securely through FedEx.

So, is Firstleaf right for you? This wine club is ideal if you’re unsure of what flavors you enjoy. If you don’t have a particular wine in mind, Firstleaf does a great job handpicking the best wine bottles catered to your preferences.

With this club’s broad range of choices, it’s also a good subscription for adventurous drinkers. If you enjoy trying out new bottles for experimenting, try Firstleaf.

Just note that this club doesn’t ship to every state. And, since you’re locked into buying six or more bottles at a time, it can be a lot of wine if you’re a solo drinker.

Overall, I would rate this wine club a 4.5 out of 5. Its broad wine choices, affordable rates, and personalized shipments made it a convenient subscription to get started with. Also, its easy cancellation policy didn’t make me feel like I was locked in for too long.

The only things I would change with Firstleaf would be for them to ship to all 50 states, and for them to give you the option to order two to four bottles as opposed to six.

About the author

Jessica Fleming-Montoya

My name’s Jessica, and I’m a full-time writer and part-time wine lover. I love being able to share expertise through the power of words.

I’m a self-proclaimed wine expert who’s been a patron and member of multiple vineyards. As someone who’s lived in the California Napa Valley and studied wine formally at the university level, I’ve gained a good chunk of knowledge on wine, its origins, and the current market.

I particularly like a good burgundy, but failing that, dry white wine is my go-to. Today you’ll find me sharing my wine expertise with the world. I may or may not have a glass of wine by my desk as I do it.

The WSJ Wine Club is a subscription service that focuses on sourcing different wine bottles from around the world. They ship out cases of twelve bottles per shipment and offer a variety of wines from different grapes.

As a wine lover myself, I wanted to give the WSJ Wine Club a try and see how it compared to other subscription services.

In this review, we’ll take a closer look at my WSJ Wine Club experience, and show you what to expect when you order from them. Plus, we’ll review a few different wines that they offer, to see if they’re any good.

WSJ Wine Club overview

Contents

• How the WSJ Wine Club works
• Delivery experience
• WSJ wine reviews
• WSJ wine club vs. other wine subscriptions
• The verdict: should you join the WSJ Wine Club?

How the WSJ Wine Club works

As the name suggests, WSJ Wine Club is an affiliate of the famous Wall Street Journal. The club launched back in 2008, and focuses exclusively on bulk shipments of premium wine.

Let’s take a closer look at how WSJ Wine Club works.

Memberships

When signing up for the first time in WSJ Wine Club, you can take advantage of their introductory offer. You don’t need to plug in a code or anything; the discount gets applied at checkout.

With the offer, your bottles work out to roughly $5 each for the first shipment. Just remember that following this first order, the price goes up to at least twice that, depending on which membership you choose.

There are two memberships at WSJ Wine Club: the Discovery Wine Club, which includes twelve bottles of international wine, and the Premier Wine Club, which offers twelve high-end wines.

Both memberships are quite similar. The real difference lies in the quality of the wine. If it’s aged blends you’re after, you’ll get better picks with the Premier Wine Club.

If I’m being honest, the only real difference between the two clubs is the price, and the Premier Club is about $100 more than the Discovery Club. So, I wouldn’t say the Premier Club is actually worth it.

Shipment frequency

Regardless of which membership you choose, you’re locked into quarterly shipments. Considering the fact that each shipment includes an entire case of wine, this is actually about right. But, if you’re not a big wine drinker, even the quarterly shipments might be a bit too frequent.

If this is the case, skipping a shipment is very easy. Just log into your account and opt to skip or cancel on the settings page. If you go down the cancellation route, the club usually tries to convince you to stay by offering you a second round of discounted wine, or by giving you extra freebies in your next shipment.

Also, it’s important to note that the club gives members an extra shipment in the holidays, and another additional one during the summer. You’ll be billed for these, of course, in addition to your usual quarterly subscription. If you don’t want them, remember to opt out, in your account settings.

Wines you’ll receive

Although the WSJ Wine Club doesn’t have an introductory quiz for figuring out your drinking preferences, you can rate the bottles you receive. If you rate something poorly, the club won’t ship those bottles in the future.

However, the bottles they choose to replace it with are still chosen at random. So, even though you won’t receive blends you’ve explicitly said you dislike, that doesn’t mean the replacement will always be a better bottle.

What else is included

Besides the 12 bottles, your membership also includes several complimentary wine gifts. My first order included two stemless wine glasses, as well as two additional bottles. The bottles were repeats of one of the twelve initial wines, but it was still nice to get some freebies.

You also receive extensive tasting notes and wine information. Each bottle comes with a full sheet of information the grape, winery, winemaker, tasting notes, and food pairings. You also get a booklet of information about the wine club in general.

Ordering

The WSJ Wine Club’s ordering page looks a bit spammy, but once you’re through to the checkout, it’s easy to use.

To place an order, just select the store link on the upper left toolbar of the page. The website will ask you to choose between an all-reds, all-whites, or mixed order. I went for the mixed order so that I could get a feel for a variety of different blends.

Unlike Firstleaf or Winc, WSJ Wine Club doesn’t let you choose the bottles in your order. The most control you’ll get is choosing red vs white vs mixed. Otherwise, it’s up to the wine club to pick what they send you.

When you’ve made your selection, you’ll be taken to the checkout. There, the introductory offer gets automatically applied if it’s your first order. Just note that you’ll have to enter a valid email address to take advantage of it.

If the email address you put in has been previously registered on the site, you’ll be billed at the regular retail price for the subscription.

Wine sourcing

WSJ Wine Club doesn’t have exclusive partnerships with wineries, but they still make the effort to source premium wines. This lack of direct relationships can be a good thing, because it means WSJ aren’t just choosing wines based on what deals they can score.

Instead, the WSJ Wine Club focuses on sourcing bottles from some of the most well-known wine-making regions. They also partner up with award-winning wineries, so you’re generally getting pretty high-end bottles.

A few of the places they’ve sourced wine from include:

• Forbes Creek in California – Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cantine Due Palme by Angelo Maci – Winery of the Year Award
• Aluado in Portugal – Alicante Bouschet
• Raymond in Napa – Cabernet Sauvignon and other limited-edition bottles

My subscription included a good variety of wines, including bottles from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and California. As someone who prefers international wines, the variety was a big plus for me.

Delivery experience

After ordering, it takes a few days for you to receive your shipment, normally around five to ten days. Mine arrived in six days, so it was on the shorter end of the spectrum.

Although your introductory offer includes free shipping, you’ll still have to pay sales tax. Plus, all shipments after that have a charge for shipping.

WSJ Wine Club, like other clubs, uses FedEx as its courier service. FedEx called me the day before my delivery to confirm that I’d be in the house. If I wasn’t or there wasn’t another adult over 21 available to receive the package, they informed me that I’d have been able to change the delivery date, so it was a good experience overall.

My WSJ Wine Club delivery included twelve bottles of wine plus two bonus bottles, two stemless wine glasses, tasting notes for each blend, information on the wineries, and a brochure about the club.

WSJ wine reviews

Now that you have an overview of the ordering and shipment process, let’s get into the wine bottles.

When you order with WSJ Wine Club, you don’t get to see what’s included in your initial introductory offer – it’s up to the club to choose the bottles they want to ship out. I received fourteen bottles with my introductory order, and I reviewed each of them below.

1. Black Saint Peter, Zinfandel

Black Saint Peter Zinfandel is a vintage red wine from Lodi, California. It has intense fruity flavors with balanced acidity, tannins, and sweetness.

Black cherry and raspberry were the dominant flavors. However, despite those darker notes, this wine is still quite fruity and smooth. Other tastes you might pick up on are pepper and potpourri.

Pair this wine with lamb and slow-roasted tomatoes. It’s also a good option to have with poultry.

2. Bottle Poetry, Pinot Noir

Bottle Poetry’s Pinot Noir also comes from California, and its smooth, velvety taste is perfect for beginner drinkers. I recommend this if you don’t particularly enjoy an intense red wine taste.

This bottle is less acidic/tannic, and tastes more berrylike than your typical Pinot Noir. The tasting notes are raspberry and violet, although you might pick up on some savory notes in the background as well.

This wine pairs well with glazed salmon or meaty fish. It also goes well with turkey and slow-roasted pork, so it could be a good pick for Thanksgiving dinner.

3. Long Bay, Sauvignon Blanc

Long Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc from the Western Cape of South Africa has a very clean and pure taste. I love wine from South Africa, so was quite excited to see this in the shipment.

This Sauvignon Blanc has citrusy flavors. It’s a great wine when you’re vacationing in a tropical country. I can also say that this bottle tastes refreshing and is not aggressive at all.

According to the catalog, Long Bay is made of grapes sourced from cooled vineyards in premium coastal areas. You will taste kiwi, gooseberry, and a whole new blend of citrusy yet crisp flavor profiles.

I recommend pairing this wine bottle with your favorite seafood or chicken dishes. Again, the flavor is not overpowering, so it won’t affect the overall taste of your food.

4. The Vale, Shiraz

The Vale’s Shiraz is one of the boldest wines I received in my shipment. This bottle has balanced sweetness and acidity, but bold blackberry and black fruit notes.

As you’d expect, this wine comes from Australia, a region famous for producing Shiraz. The blend had strong notes of plum, pepper, and oak, and was very dry.

In terms of pairings, this wine goes well with dark meat such as beef or lamb.

5. Green Darner, Riesling

Green Darner’s Riesling is similar to the Long Bay Sauvignon Blanc I received in that it has tropical and citrusy flavors. What sets this apart is its distinct sweet honey taste to complement and balance the citrus notes from lime and lemon.

Other fruity notes you might taste include green apple, kiwi, and unripe mango. It’s not too dry, and is mildly sweet.

This white wine goes well with spicy dishes and seafood.

6. Brasero, Malbec

Brasero’s Malbec is a red wine with medium-bodied and dry flavors. It hails from San Juan, Argentina, a region that’s well known for producing Malbec wines.

This wine has dark fruit and spicy flavors, and a low sweetness. Compared to other Merlots, I think Brasero has mellower tannins and a bolder taste.

This wine pairs well with beef and lamb dishes.

7. Portinho do Covo, Branco

This white wine comes from the Penninsula de Sentúbal in Portugal. With this wine, I could definitely taste earthy notes of beeswax and honey, but it wasn’t too sweet.

This Vinho Branco also has quite a fruity flavor profile. You’ll notice peach, apple, pear, and citrus in the wine.

Vinho Branco is a simple wine that pairs well with pasta and meat dishes.

8. Punta de Locos, Sauvignon Blanc

A little too acidic to my liking is Punta de Locos’s Sauvignon Blanc. This is another wine that comes from Chile’s Central Valley.

It’s a white wine with a blend of citrus, tree fruit, and tropical notes. The wine is low in sugar content, so it’s a nice pick if you’re concerned about calories.

If you’re looking to pair it with a meal, this wine goes well with shellfish and goat cheese.

9. Silver Sandhill, Sauvignon Blanc

Silver Sandhill’s Sauvignon Blanc is another white wine with a fruity taste and flavor profile. It’s similar to Pinot Grigio, except it’s more full-bodied and dry.

The wine is from Lodi, California, and is a 2020 vintage that earned bronze and silver in the San Francisco International Wine Competition in 2021 and 2020 respectively.

This wine pairs well with greens and salads. It’s a light wine, and would be great on a hot day.

10. Lunatic Fringe, Merlot

Lunatic Fringe Merlot is a red wine from Chile’s Central Valley, or Valle Central. It has a unique flavor you won’t find in most bottles – notes of dried and red fruit and spices with bold, earthy flavors.

Despite the brighter flavors, the wine wasn’t overpowering – it tasted light and smooth. Considering the fact that this wine is made by one of Chile’s top winemakers, Felipe Val, that’s not too surprising.

This Merlot is a certified organic blend, and pairs well with beef and venison. It’s a great pick if you enjoy eating wild game.

11. Back Garden, Albarino

Despite the exotic name, Back Garden’s Albarino is a white wine from Clarksburg, California with less intense flavors and aroma. Back Garden’s Albarino has an acidic taste because of the citrusy notes from the lemon.

The wine is tropical and balanced, with subtle notes of oak and passionfruit mixed in. You’ll also pick up on nectarine and peach flavors.

This Albarino is a great pick for hearty autumn meals, as it pairs well with squash and root veggies.

12. VNTD Tri-Tip, Red Wine

I think it’s safe to say this is the boldest bottle in the introductory shipment. This blend hails from California, and was the winner of the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

The flavors of this red blend are packed and full-bodied. While it’s on the acidic side, the black fruit notes and hints of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry help balance them out. I also picked up on chocolate and vanilla tastes on the back of the tongue.

This wine pairs well with steak, and is also a nice pick for cooking.

13. Blue Chip Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon Initial

I actually received two bottles of Blue Chip Cellars – the extra was one of the subscription’s freebies. This is a 2019 vintage wine with bold, intense flavors.

The wine has a lot of tannins and is quite dry. However, it’s fairly balanced in terms of acidity. The wine doesn’t leave a thick aftertaste, and has notes of black currant and chocolate.

You can pair this red wine with poultry, lamb, or beef dishes. Because it’s quite a versatile wine, you’ve got a lot of options in terms of what to drink it with. You might laugh, but I actually paired this with a hamburger!

WSJ wine club vs. other wine subscriptions

Unlike other wine clubs such as Plonk or Firstleaf, the WSJ Wine Club doesn’t offer an introductory quiz. So, the wines you receive are up to the mercy of whatever the club decides to send you.

But honestly, I don’t think this is necessarily a disadvantage. Wines from WSJ are award-winning blends that generally taste as good as they claim. Plus, this wine club sources its bottles from high-end wine-making regions, so despite the lack of personalization, you still get good quality blends.

In fact, the wine quality is where WSJ Wine Club really shines. Many subscriptions send out little-known blends, or bottles that are from up-and-coming wineries that can be hit or miss. On the other hand, WSJ Wine Club only sources from tried-and-true wineries.

What I do think makes some other wine club subscriptions superior is the better shipping frequency options. With WSJ, shipping occurs every three months. You cannot choose to have your wines shipped monthly or bi-monthly.

Also, other wine clubs like Firstleaf and Winc allow you to choose the number of bottles per shipment. With WSJ, you’re always limited to 12 bottles of wine at a time.

The Verdict: Should You Join the WSJ Wine Club?

WSJ Wine Club sources premium quality wines from renowned wineries around the world. The subscription includes a number of domestic and international wines, so you get a good variety of blends.

Although the website looks a bit dated, the ordering process is actually straightforward and easy to use. Plus, the shipping turnaround time is generally pretty fast.

So, is WSJ Wine Club for you? If you want quality wines and get through a lot of bottles, this subscription is worth looking into.

Overall, I would give WSJ Wine Club a 4 out of 5. Although the subscription isn’t personalized, you get some great bottles and extra wine freebies that sweeten the deal. However, it would be better if you could choose whether you wanted bottles delivered monthly or bi-monthly.

About the author

Jessica Fleming-Montoya

My name’s Jessica, and I’m a full-time writer and part-time wine lover. I love being able to share expertise through the power of words.

I’m a self-proclaimed wine expert who’s been a patron and member of multiple vineyards. As someone who’s lived in the California Napa Valley and studied wine formally at the university level, I’ve gained a good chunk of knowledge on wine, its origins, and the current market.

I particularly like a good burgundy, but failing that, dry white wine is my go-to. Today you’ll find me sharing my wine expertise with the world. I may or may not have a glass of wine by my desk as I do it.

Winc is a direct-to-consumer wine delivery service that specializes in curating small-lot wines directly from vineyards and wineries to ensure the best quality product possible. They even go as far as to make their own wine.

Winc is my first wine club experience, and although I wasn’t sure if it would be for me, I was pleasantly surprised.

In this review, we’ve explained what you can expect from a Winc subscription, including joining the service, and ordering and receiving wine. We’ve also rated some of the wines they have available, and judged the overall value of Winc wine club.

Winc overview

Contents

• How Winc works
• Delivery
• Winc wine reviews
• The difference between Winc and other wine clubs
• Verdict: should you join Winc?

How Winc works

First, we’ll explain a bit about how Winc works, and what you can expect from the process of signing up and using your membership.

The quiz

When joining Winc, you begin the process by taking a wine preference quiz.

Whether you are new to the world of wine or a seasoned wine consumer, the quiz helps delve into what you like and what you want from your wine club experience.

The quiz is comprised of a few different sections. First, you choose whether you prefer red, white, rosé, or sparkling wines (or a combination), and then you have the chance to select different flavor profiles that you like, if you have any preferences in this area.

You’re then asked what wine regions you are interested in, and the quiz also enquires about your favorite kinds of foods.

This process helps to determine what types of wine would work best for you. Once it’s done, a list of recommended wines will be presented to you. You can change your preferences at any time, and you can pick and choose any wine, whether recommended or not, to then purchase through Winc.

The membership

As a Winc member, you’ll pay a monthly fee, which then becomes a credit toward your future wine purchases. The fee and the credit are dollar for dollar, so the entirety of your monthly fee goes towards the bottles you decide to buy.

You can skip a month at any time if you don’t wish to purchase wine on a monthly basis. Unused credits never expire and can be combined with future credits for larger orders.

The Winc website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. You can browse the website for any type of wine, including different categories, regions, and styles, or you can search for top picks that are chosen by the Winc team.

Winc does a good job making the wine buying process quite straightforward, and also very affordable. They have a significant under $20 per bottle section, so you can make your credit stretch a lot further than you would when buying wine from a store.

They also have much more expensive bottles if you want to pick wine for a special occasion. The options are endless – even if you stay with Winc for a really long time, you’ll always find new wines to try.

Ordering

There is a minimum of three bottles per order with Winc, which is a bit of a downside if you’re the only wine drinker at home, or if you don’t drink wine that often.

All Winc wines are sold at a discounted price, and shipping is free with the purchase of four or more bottles, regardless of the total spent per box.

Once you place your first order, your homepage will become personalized. When you return you can rate the wines you tried and other recommendations will come up based on your ratings, helping you find more similar wines to sample.

The wine

Winc source their wines from their own vineyard and a host of well-known and well-respected wine producers. They have names like Summer Water, Folly of the Beast, Lost Poet, Porter & Plot, The Wonderful Wine Co., and Finke’s, amongst others.

Delivery

Once your box is delivered, you will receive information cards with tasting notes of your wine, the details of the making of those wines, and recipes and pairing recommendations.

You can also find tasting notes and pairing recommendations on their website should you want to know more before purchasing a particular bottle.

The wine is delivered in a Winc box via FedEx. The downside to this is that you must be present for the delivery and show a valid ID to receive your box.

If you are not present at the time of delivery, they will only try two more times before you must go online and select a pickup location. These locations are often listed on the FedEx website.

This can be frustrating when trying to get your package and, unfortunately, there are no other options for delivery. The delivery status update is usually unreliable, so it is difficult to know what day and when the delivery will be coming to your door, which can prove especially difficult for people who are not home during the average workday. This is the one area I think Winc should strive to improve.

Winc wine reviews

I recently received my most recent Winc box, and below I’ve looked at a few of my favorite wines from the shipment.

To start off, it was a straightforward process to place my order, and the box arrived two days later. Winc makes it easy to combine your credits, and since I tend to purchase larger orders less frequently, this works great for me.

I ordered a few bottles of red, including one of the newer organic wines Winc offers, a few bottles of rosé, and a sparkling white wine.

Porter & Plot Cabernet Sauvignon

My favorite red from the box was the Porter & Plot Cabernet Sauvignon from California, which is a delicious full bodied, dry red.

This Cabernet is made with low sugar and a low sulfur, so you are less likely to have a wine headache after partaking. It has a deep, rich, earthy flavor with undertones of chocolate, dark berries, and spices like anise.

This is the perfect date night wine, pairing well with a nice steak frites or a slow simmered bolognese. This is also a great wine to sip while reading a good book on a night in.

Summer Water Rosé

Summer Water Rosé is a staple in my Winc boxes, especially in the summer – it’s the epitome of the perfect warm-weather wine.

This rosé is light and fruity, while also dry and low sugar. It has a beautiful bright fruit flavor showcasing notes of orange peel, grapefruit, and strawberry.

This is the perfect sushi night wine with friends. It could also pair great with a summer crab cake with a local corn succotash or a fresh tomato and burrata salad. Summer Water would be a great wine to take on a French inspired picnic or to a friend’s pool party.

Finke’s Brut Sparkling White Wine

The sparkling white wine I purchased was Finke’s Brut Sparkling White Wine from California.

It is a light, dry sparkling wine with a bright citrus and apple flavor that is perfect for special occasions. It has undertones of stone fruit and has the perfect balance of fruity flavor and acidity.

I brought it for a friend’s birthday, and it was the perfect pre-dinner celebratory drink. It pairs so well with oysters on the half shell or a delicious cheese and charcuterie board. It would absolutely go well with a beautiful seafood pasta or other light, delicious meals. Finke’s brut is the quintessential party drink at an amazing price.

The Wonderful Wine Co. Syrah

Another great option from my box is the organic, sustainably farmed, and vegan friendly The Wonderful Wine Co. Syrah from Spain.

This is a great option if you’re looking specifically for organic, vegan-friendly wine.

Syrah is a delicious medium bodied dry red with notes of dark fruit, like fig, black cherry, and cranberry. This is an easy drinking wine that pairs great with take out, like Pad Thai or Lamb Kofte with a light yogurt dressing. It is delicious and easy to drink on nearly any occasion.

The difference between Winc and other wine clubs

Like other wine clubs, Winc has a preliminary wine quiz to determine the best wines for you based on your individual preferences. However, you do have the option to go ahead and choose the wines you want to try, regardless of whether they’re recommended or not, and buy as many or as few bottles as you would like.

On the other hand, Firstleaf and Bright Cellars are algorithm-based wine clubs that adjust the bottles chosen for you based on your quiz results and ratings of the wine they send you over time. This process takes time and, as you try the wines sent to you, your box becomes more personalized based on the wines you enjoy.

When compared to Winc, Naked Wines is more of an online wine store that offers the option to do a monthly subscription. They’re more for the customer who knows what they want, but wants it at a more affordable price and delivered to their door.

Verdict: should you join Winc?

Overall value

Price
Check on Winc

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Pros

• Great selection of quality wines.
• Excellent value for money.
• Very flexible – easy to skip a month and keep the credit.
• Good choice of vegan and sustainable wines.

Cons

• Shipping process with Fedex is a bit tricky sometimes.

 
Winc has an impressive collection of wines from across the globe and of all varieties, and their collection of whites is as vast as their reds. They offer a significant number of sustainably sourced, organic, and vegan wines, which is unusual for most wine clubs. This is their main selling point in my opinion, other than the value for money they offer.

Winc’s variety and selection makes the wine buying process stress free and fun. They also make a point to run special offers, their most recent offer being $11 bottles for their 11th birthday when you bundle 12 bottles. It’s an amazing deal – this is something I really appreciate and try to take advantage of when I can.

So, is Winc for you? If you are a wine lover who wants to get recommendations, but also wants to be able to choose the wines you want with the flexibility to switch or change them, this is the perfect wine subscription for you.

You have complete control over how much you buy and what kinds of wine you purchase, which is my favorite part. However, if you are someone who prefers to have a box of wine curated for you based on your preferences, then this might not be what you are looking for.

The wines I have tried from Winc have been exquisite, as well as very good value for money.

I would rate Winc four out of five overall, losing points due to the difficulty with shipment tracking and delivery, although shipping is usually very quick. Also, Winc takes a bit more effort to use when compared to some other clubs that send you a personalized box of wine each month.

Overall, if you are a wine lover, I would definitely recommend giving Winc a try, especially if you have the time available to choose wines to order, based on Winc’s excellent recommendations.

About the author

Taylor Hughes

Hi, I’m Taylor, and some of my favorite things are reading, writing, being outdoors and around animals, all things food, and, of course, wine. I have had a love for wine since I was old enough to drink.

It all started when I would travel to Canada with my family – we started trying different vineyards in Canada, where my stepfather is from. They have this specialty wine called ice wine – they leave the grapes on the vine until the first frost and then make wine with it. Since then, I have become obsessed with wine. I even attended a preliminary sommelier course in Montreal and learned so much more about the vast and incredible world of wine. I currently live in northern Connecticut, right in the middle of Connecticut wine trail country.