These memberships, run through wine shops, wineries, and independently, are really quite simple. You join and you’re shipped a selection of bottles on a regular basis. The cost, frequency, and number of bottles all depend on the club. It’s a simple way to get wine shipped straight to your door without having to put a lot of effort into it. If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed at wine stores and really just wants someone else to do the heavy lifting for you, wine clubs are the answer. Here are our picks for the best wine clubs.
Best Wine Clubs of 2022
Best Overall: Picked by Wine.com Best for Affordability: Winc Best for Oenophiles: The Grand Tour by Verve Wines Best for Champagne: Fatcork Best for Natural Wines: Rock Juice
What We LikeUltra personalizedBudget-friendly What We Don’t LikeBottles in each shipment are a bit of a surprise From our findings, most wine clubs tend to fall into two camps: those geared toward novice wine drinkers and those geared toward folks who tend to get a little geeky about wine. What makes Picked stand out from all the rest is that it’s designed for just about all wine drinkers, no matter your level of knowledge or passion. Membership starts by answering a series of questions, including what kind of wine drinker you are (beginner through advanced), your preference for reds or whites, and how adventurous you are. You’re then able to choose your budget, whether it’s as little as $20 a bottle to as much as $40 a bottle, as well as anywhere in between. You’re also assigned your own personal sommelier who will select your wines and continue to help tailor each shipment as you rank the wines you drink. You can also send notes to your sommelier if you’re hoping to taste something in particular in your next shipment. This is really where Picked stands out—it meets wine drinkers wherever they’re at. There’s really not much to dislike about Picked. The only negative is while you can personalize most aspects of your shipments, you won’t know the exact bottles you’re getting. This surprise might be fun for some drinkers, while others might prefer to know ahead of time. You can opt to receive a shipment of six bottles with tasting notes every one, two, or three months. Prices range from $120 to $240 per shipment, including shipping. You can skip shipments or cancel at any time. What We LikeExtra approachableReasonably priced What We Don’t LikeTheir palate profile is limiting Winc is easily the most accessible, affordable wine club around, which is why it’s so popular. You’ve probably gotten coupons in the mail for it, or have seen advertisements on social media. The company is a marketing force which doesn’t always mean the product itself is good, but in the case of Winc, it does. The goal of Winc is to take the confusion out of wine shopping. If you know what you like but have trouble navigating the wine store, this is a wine club that wants to help. You’ll answer a series of questions when you join that won’t actually seem related to wine at all. Questions like: “How do you take your coffee?” and “How salty do you like your food?” These help determine your palate for things like tannins and minerality in wine. After selecting your answers, four wines will be recommended to you, though you have the ability to change them if you like. Rank the wines as you drink them and your future shipments will continue to get further customized to reflect your preferences. However, if you have a lot of wine knowledge, you might find the palate profile limiting. In an effort to take the stress out of wine shopping, Winc’s club is more broad-reaching and not as tailored as others. However, it’s an affordable, approachable choice for the everyday wine drinker who is looking to go beyond their usual $10 or $12 bottle and try something new without having to spend much more than they usually do. Winc’s membership has a monthly charge of $59.95 redeemable as member credits, which can be used toward your bottle selection each month. Monthly orders start with a minimum of three bottles, but you’ll only get free shipping if you order four (the most popular choice) or more. Simply Recipes readers can purchase four bottles for $24.95 by clicking the above link. Bottles range from $12.99 to about $20, and if you don’t use all your credits in a month, they roll over. You can skip any month free of charge and there are all sorts of incentives, like $15 off your first shipment and a referral program. Winc also guarantees your money back for any bottle you don’t like. What We LikeExclusive bottlesEducative What We Don’t LikeShips to a handful of states The Grand Tour is the wine club for Verve Wines, a curated shop in New York City that’s owned and operated by Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson, whom you may remember from the 2012 documentary “Somm.” The club was created to be a fresh take on wine clubs. Instead of a random grouping of bottles each month, each shipment is focused on a particular region, usually a lesser-known one. Each box of four wines comes with tasting notes, insights on the region and produces, and food pairing suggestions. Plus, you’ll get exclusive bottles from small producers you probably won’t find anywhere else. This is really a club that strives to be an immersive learning experience. If you’re looking for a gift for a budding oenophile or you yourself are one and you’d like to both treat and educate yourself, you won’t be disappointed. The subscription costs $95 a month plus shipping, and you’ll get four bottles with each shipment. Typically, you’ll get two whites and two reds in each box, but occasionally a rosé or sparkling wine are swapped in. You can choose to receive boxes every month, as well as every two, three, and six months, and can cancel at any time. The Grand Tour ships to Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. What We LikeTruly unique bottlesReasonably priced for such high-quality Champagne What We Don’t LikePreset shipment months Fatcork is all about celebrating everyday events. This Champagne-only club might not be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of high-quality bubbly, you won’t be disappointed. With a membership, you’ll get shipments four times a year. You can select if you’d like anywhere from four to twelve bottles with each one. What makes fatcork stand out is its passion for Champagne which it shares eagerly with club members. The company works directly with growers in France to hand-select exclusive, hard-to-come-by Champagne. Depending on which club tier you choose, you’ll get a selection of classic, ready-to-drink bottles as well as one or two tête de cuvée, which are considered to be the most prestigious and very best bottles the Champagne grower makes. You’ll get tasting notes with every shipment plus members-only perks like discounts on magnums and cases. Great Champagne doesn’t come cheap, and neither does this club membership. However, if you price it out per bottle, the cost actually is fairly reasonable for such high-quality, exclusive bottles. You can also skip and pause shipments and customize bottles. All in all, this is truly a fun and special wine club. There’s no doubt you’ll be excited when a shipment arrives. Fatcork ships in March, May, September, and November. The Weekenders (four bottles) is $264 per quarter while the Frequent Fizzers (six bottles, one of which is a tête de cuvée), is $396 per quarter. The Merrymakers (twelve bottles, three of which are tête de cuvée) tier is $749 per quarter. All plans have an additional shipping fee. Fatcork delivers to all states except Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont. What We LikeAn easy way to explore and learn about natural wineHard-to-find bottles What We Don’t LikeRegions limited to Napa/Sonoma, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand Natural wine is a growing trend that is here to stay. Wine shops that are solely devoted to this style of winemaking are popping up all over the country and demand for it is increasing. If you’re new to natural wine, it’s a very broad term for wine made with the least possible use of chemicals, additives, or technological procedures such as filtering. It’s wine in its truest sense—fermented grape juice—with such minimal intervention that the wine can show off its natural personality, whether that’s a bit funky or unique. Rock Juice is really a fun wine club if you’re looking to learn about natural wine and expand your palate in the process. It focuses on refreshing wines that tend to be a bit lower in alcohol than your standard bottle, which makes them highly gulpable and food-friendly. The bottles come from small producers, many of which aren’t sold to retail shops, so you can trust that you’re getting something special with each shipment. Choose a selection of six, 12, or 24 bottles with tasting notes to be shipped bimonthly or quarterly. When beginning your membership, you’ll also select if you’d like your box to have more red or white wine, your preferred wine style, and your preferred region (Napa/Sonoma, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand). The cost of membership ranges from $150 to $520 per shipment plus shipping, depending on the number of bottles and frequency. Shipments can be skipped, paused, or canceled at any time and membership comes with perks like a 10 percent discount off wine reorders.
What Is a Wine Club?
A wine club is a recurring shipment of wine ranging from sparkling, white, red, and a mix. With a membership, you’ll get a selection of bottles mailed to you on a regular basis, such as monthly, bimonthly, and quarterly. You’ll also get tasting notes and sometimes, food pairings, and other insights.
How Much Do Wine Clubs Cost?
The cost ranges quite a lot, which means you can select one that fits your budget. On the low end, a membership costs about $60 monthly for four bottles. On the high end, a membership runs anywhere from $300 to $520 bimonthly or quarterly for six to 24 bottles.
How We Chose the Best Wine Clubs
We wanted to represent wine clubs that offer a wide range of different bottles, from affordable, everyday selections to highly exclusive options. We also wanted the wine clubs we chose to be user-friendly and flexible, with easy-to-follow websites and strong customer service.
