What could be a better alternative to a confusing trip to the liquor store where you spend an eternity staring at the long rows of bottles and poring over wine labels? Curated wines from around the world selected by sommeliers and delivered to your doorstep, of course!
We have seen the delivery economy massively picking up in the last few years. It has also impacted the wine industry to a large extent. Following a year of lockdowns, more companies have jumped on the bandwagon to bring you all kinds of fine wines to the comfort of your homes. This is the moment for wine subscriptions to shine.
There are subscription services to cater to every interest now – from natural wines to low-alcohol wines to wine in cans – and nearly all of these come boxed with tasting notes, online videos, discounts and producer details. Whether you’re looking to explore new wines or building a collection of classics, this list of wine subscription services curated by the Ideal Wine Company is sure to have something for you.
Recommended for: Wine in cans
How it works: Brixton is a wine club experience with a twist. It deals exclusively in premium wines in cans. You can choose from their packs of three, four, or six cans, and either opt for a single box or a monthly subscription for however long you want. The wine plans are Simply Red, Rosé All Day, 100% Fizz, All White, Low Alcohol, and
Juice Box. Each can is between 187ml and 250ml and completely recyclable.
Prices start at: £16 per month
Recommended for: Natural and biodynamic wines
How it works: In-house sommelier Stafano Cazzato selects natural low-intervention wines from small and independent producers, with a focus on old-world indigenous grapes. The case will include some easy drinking wines, as well as some unexpected and exciting vintages. You can purchase a subscription for one, two, three, or six months.
Prices start at: £55 per case
Recommended for: Wines delivered sustainably
How it works: Littlewine curates naturally made wines from small-scale independent winemakers and delivers them every month to your doorstep in recyclable, carbon-neutral packages. You have monthly subscription options of two, four, or six bottles, all of which come with stories of the people and the regions behind each wine.
Prices start at: £50.00 per month
Recommended for: Wines through your letterbox
How it works: The Online Wine Tasting Club offers two plans – The Discoverer Series (Beginners) and The Adventurer Series (Advanced). You will receive six wine samples in lightweight, low-carbon ‘bag-in-box’ packaging that fits right through your letterbox. They also offer live and interactive online tasting sessions with their experts.
Prices start at: £29.95 for the Discoverer Series
Recommended for: New flavours introduced with a podcast
How it works: Savage Wines aims to procure unique, high quality, affordable wines from small family-run vineyards that are certified organic and environmentally conscious. They source wines from around the world and have covered seven countries and 23,000 miles so far in their search for new and distinctive flavours. Choose from plans that deliver two, three, six, or twelve bottles each month. Each delivery includes the link to a podcast that will talk you through the wines you receive.
Prices start at: £29.95 per month
Recommended for: Wine and food pairings
How it works: Each monthly subscription contains two or four bottles of wine. You can choose to receive reds, whites, or a mix of both. Like every other wine subscription service, The Grape Reserve includes tasting notes with their wines. In addition, they also include food pairing ideas and recipes to complement each bottle of wine.
Prices start at: £34 per month
Recommended for: Choice of plans and wines from around the world
How it works: The world’s oldest wine society has two broad categories of subscription plans. The Vintage Cellar category has five plan options where expert buyers select a variety of fine wines for you and help you build a collection for the future. The Wine Without Fuss category also has five plan options, and with each of these, you can opt for reds or whites or a mix of both. Each case has 12 bottles and you can decide how often you receive them.
Prices start at: £35 per month for Vintage Cellar. £85 per case for Wine Without Fuss.
Recommended for: Supporting women-owned businesses
How it works: Tipple Talk was founded by Katrina, an award-winning WSET certified
wine expert. You can subscribe to monthly individual packs, double packs, or cases with six full bottles. You also stand the chance of winning a bottle from the founder’s personal cellar through a monthly draw.
Prices start at: £27.50 per month
Recommended for: Exploring wines from new regions
How it works: Wanderlust Wine Club delivers selected artisanal wines of different styles, producers, and regions every two months. You get flexible payment options and discounts of 5%-12.5% for orders through their online shop. There are three subscription plans for four to ten bottles in every case.
Prices start at: £48 per delivery
Recommended for: Customised selection of wines
How it works: Wine Post gives you a range of options to tailor your subscription to your preferences. You can choose the number of bottles you want, the frequency at which you want to receive them, and the mix of reds, whites, and rosés that you’d like.
You will be asked about your taste in wines, such as the grapes and vintages you like. This information helps the in-house experts handpick the wines for your first delivery. After you share your ratings and reviews of these first wines you receive, an algorithm creates your unique taste profile, which improves every time you share feedback and informs the wine selection for your subsequent deliveries.
Prices start at: £32.95 per month for three bottles
