10 Best Wine Subscriptions in 2021 (Winc, SommSelect, and More)

To choose the best wine subscriptions, we took into consideration the following:

Don't forget to check out our buying guide after the products to make sure you have all the information you need to make a good decision about wine subscriptions.

After looking through numerous sites and reviews, here's our list of 10 wine subscriptions that we think are worth trying. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.

A quick look online shows a lot of wine clubs claiming to be the best. The buying guide below will help you figure out which one is actually the best for you! From streamlining your preferences to considering the specific membership perks, you'll be able to find a subscription that caters to your requirements. 

Each wine club has a focus or specialty. Some offer liquor store favorites, while others will have a lineup of wines that you’ve never heard of.  If you’re new to the wine types, here’s a quick rundown on the primary groups. 

Red wine is made from dark-skinned or black grapes, giving you that deep purple-red hue. It also has tannins, a compound that makes plants’ seeds or fruits unpalatable for predators. The tannins cause the astringent, dry, or bitter taste of red wine. It is the structure of red wine that directly affects its aging.

You can get red wine in a wide variety of flavors, depending on the grapes. Cabernet sauvignon, for example, tastes like licorice, while pinot noir gives you a cherry flavor. 

These notes aren’t added to the wine but are derived during the fermentation process and contact between the grape and the skin. You can pair red wine with pork, beef, cheese, and chocolate.

White wine is generally made with white grapes, although some manufacturers use sweeter black grapes without their skin. Even though white wine also has a wide range of flavors, its main difference from red wine is its light and fruity undertone.

White wine typically has very little or no tannins, meaning you don’t get that acidic, bitter kick like red wine. Instead, they have a higher sugar and carbohydrate content. This means they pair well with poultry, pork, fish, and fruits. Some of the most common white wine varieties include chardonnay, pinot grigio, and sauvignon blanc.

While they don’t contain heart-healthy antioxidants like red wine, white wine has been said to cause fewer side effects like headaches, migraines, or allergic reactions due to tannins. On the other hand, white wines contain more sulfites, which can also cause the same issues in some people!

In between red and white wine, you have pink or rosé wine. The light pink color is due to the quick contact between the grape and its skin. Rosé wine usually has a fruity and flowery flavor with a hint of celery, rhubarb, or greens.

Rosé is not as acidic or heavy as red wine and not as sweet as white wine. It can be paired with light salads, pasta, or rice dishes.

By double fermenting red, white, or rosé wine, you can get bubbles! From French Champagne to Italian prosecco, sparkling wine varies from dry to very sweet. You can also get sparkling wine that is zesty, nutty, creamy, or citrusy. The notes depend on the winemaker's process and, of course, your preferences.

The extra carbon dioxide in the wine gives you that soda-like fizz while keeping the wine's sophisticated flavor.

If you’re after the alcohol content in your drinks, then perhaps dessert wine would be best. It’s basically red, white, rosé, or sparkling wines with added sugar and alcohol. 

Winemakers process these wines the same way but add sugar before or after fermentation, add alcohol - usually brandy - and remove excess water to concentrate the sugar. These fortified wines can have an alcohol content of about 17 to 20 percent or taste extra sweet, much like a dessert!

Anyone can claim to ferment great wine, but it should pass a strict standard among experts or sommeliers. A particular club's wine selection process is crucial to ensure you receive quality bottles during your subscription. 

Whether you are new to wine or already a wine enthusiast, the club’s selection process is an important aspect that ensures the quality of the beverages they offer. 

Wine club websites are often transparent about their selection process, listing their panels of sommeliers and experts who test and rate the wines. Some even offer a numerical rating to each wine to make it easier for you to choose.

If you’re looking at trying a new wine, we recommend taking the extra step of checking in with Robert Parker, arguably the world’s most trusted authority in wine. An approval from the club’s sommeliers and Robert Parker gives you double assurance on what you’re getting.

Also, check to see if the website has an archive where past selections are on display. From there, you can gauge the quality and standard of the wine club.

Other subscription plans, instead of relying on sommeliers or experts, use an algorithm to decide what is sent to you. Similar to the way Netflix recommends shows and movies to watch, the more you rate, the more accurate your wine matches get.

These plans start out by having you take a quiz about your basic preferences. If you aren't sure what kind of wines you like, don't worry; they usually ask you about food flavors and tastes. This makes them a good place to start if you're a beginner to wine.

After that, you'll rate the wines they send you, and over time their algorithm will learn what you liked and didn't, so they can customize your future orders. Although these plans are easy to use and can give you reliable results, you'll also miss out on experimentation and may start to get bored with having similar wines each time.

You can tell a lot about a wine by carefully reading its label, and seeing what details are and aren't mentioned. Check the examples they show on their site, or do a bit of research about where their wines come from.

You can also choose a wine club based on where their selection is sourced from. Some clubs specialize in European wines, while others focus on the Central American region. This is particularly important if you have an existing preference regarding the location of your wine.

High-end wine clubs offer the world's best, so you get access to some of the rarest selections from wineries that aren't commercialized. Reading about the source of your wine is a great way to discover more about each bottle's history. The history is an equally crucial aspect of wine drinking that accompanies its taste.

The five top wine regions are Italy, France, the USA, Chile, and Australia. France produces the most wine, including household staples like merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay. They are masters of reds and whites and, of course, Champagne. 

Italy produces sweet dessert wine, sparkling wine, or prosecco on top of the classic reds and whites. Meanwhile, Napa Valley in California is considered the wine capital of the USA. Here you can get a variety of grapes such as pinot noir, zinfandel, and chardonnay. Oregon has some amazing vineyards, too.

Chile, having weather that's a mix of France and the Pacific coast, produces excellent cabernet sauvignon and merlot. In Australia, the Margaret River region produces premium quality cabernet sauvignon grapes. 

"Private label" may sound like an exclusive wine, but it's actually one that's been contracted by the company that will eventually put its name on it. The wine may be produced and bottled at a vineyard and then labeled, or a wine club may make the wine themselves after buying grapes or juice in bulk from many vineyards.

Many times these wines are blended, so you don't know exactly where the grapes were grown or how the wine was made. This doesn't necessarily mean these are lesser quality, but if you care about trying wine from a certain appellation, they won't be a good choice for you. They can also vary in taste year to year as different sources are used.

In general, the less detail a wine label has, the more likely it is that it's a private label bottle. As long as you enjoy the taste, it's fine; provided you don't pay too much for it. Keep in mind that the reason wine clubs use this method is to save money, so make sure you're getting the quality you're paying for.

When choosing a particular subscription, it’s all about customization and flexibility. We recommend going for one that can most, if not all, of your demands. After all, a good wine club should extend top-notch customer service and benefits to its valued members. 

Wine clubs usually offer subscriptions on a monthly basis, with shipments being sent every month, two months, or three months. 

The decision is solely based on your requirements, whether you need 12 bottles sent every three months or a smaller quantity every month. A typical monthly subscription usually has three bottles for less than 100 dollars.

Being able to choose what goes in the shipment is another important consideration. Some wine clubs have a pre-set selection for their subscriptions, like a three-bottle set of all whites or all reds. Meanwhile, others will give you more leeway to customize what goes in your order.

The quantity of wine delivered is also important to consider. If you will be hosting a house party, then, by all means, a bottle or two is advised. 

However, if you're unlikely to finish a whole bottle, alternative quantities would be better. Some wine clubs offer their selections by the pint, glass, or even test tubes! These options also allow you to pick out favorites without investing in a whole bottle. 

Wine clubs offer a wide variety of membership perks to keep their clients satisfied. Benefits include free delivery, invitations to members-only events, virtual tastings, free taste packages, or shipments bundled with accessories and glasses.

Most wine clubs also have newsletters that are sent to members. These contain information on each bottle, the winery history, recipes, and wine pairings. You can also choose wine clubs that offer loyalty rewards, such as discounts on future shipments or a point-based rewards system.

Free cancellation or wine replacements are also worth looking at since there may be times when you disliked their selection. Some clubs will even replace bottles you're unhappy with for free.

Once you pick out your favorites, reordering specific bottles is usually tricky due to the season, changing liquor laws, or distribution issues. Check to see if a wine club offers the same wines on future orders; some even offer discounts if you reorder a bottle. 

Are you looking to add to your collection of wine accessories? Here are a few essentials to consider, especially if you want to make your wine subscription into a wine experience. 

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