A full review of the best primal wine club options you can try if you want to stop your Winc wine subscription service.
Winc Wine Club is one of the many subscription services available which delivers a customized selection of wine bottles to your door. You may be looking for new wine companies like Winc, whether due to pricing, wine offerings, or another reason.
Whatever the case, many options are available, including Primal Wine Club, Mysa Natural Wine Club, Cellars Wine Club, etc. These wine company options ensure your wine needs are met whether you prefer natural wine, vegan wines, sparkling wine, or a sweet wine club.
Below, you’ll find details on subscription services to check out and why you may want to subscribe to a wine club in the first place.
What Is Winc?
Winc is a subscription service that delivers subscribers four bottles of wine monthly. After answering a short, six-question quiz, you’ll be paired with your initial wine selection. Once you receive your bottles, it’s time to rate them, which helps create the next delivery. This delivery service is known for its high flexibility, as you can skip or pause a delivery whenever needed.
Why Look For Other Wine Clubs As Winc Alternatives?
Unfortunately, Winc has recently announced that it is filing for bankruptcy. After a spike in sales during Covid, Winc went public in 2021. However, sales have decreased drastically in the past year, causing the company to fall into significant debt.
With the declining sales and rising debt, Winc has decided to file for bankruptcy just before the 2022 holiday season. Hence, why you may be (or may want to start) looking for a new wine club membership.
Best Wine Subscription Services Company Like Winc
1. Firstleaf
Just Like Winc, Firstleaf is a relatively affordable wine club offering tailor-made wine deliveries to your door. You’ll have the opportunity to rate your wine bottles after you try them.
Each box you receive from Firstleaf wine club will have six bottles of better wine selection according to your taste preferences. These boxes are curated via Firstleaf employees who seek out new wine options all over the world.
With Firstleaf, you can update your subscription to include only red, only white, or a mixed box of both wines, and you will get tasting notes and food-wine pairings for each wine on your delivery.
2. Bright Cellars
You may want a wine selection you can’t find in your local shop. If that’s the case, Bright Cellars is a great option. Each wine offered comes from a small vineyard, so you can expect an exclusive selection.
To craft the perfect selection of four wines for its customers, the Bright Cellars wine subscription uses the ‘Bright Points Algorithm’ to score wines based on your entered preferences. As a bonus – if you don’t enjoy a wine you receive, Bright Cellars will replace it at no cost.
3. NakedWines.com
Rated the #1 wine club in USA Today three years in a row, Naked Wines is another excellent choice for wine lovers. This club (which is also an online wine shop) has a unique selling point – boutique winemakers and customers/angel investors are directly connected.
Instead of purchasing a monthly box, you deposit the required amount as an investment. Then, you can select the wines you want to try at a discount of 40%-60% per bottle. If you dislike any bottle you receive, you can get a full refund.
4. Plonk
Plonk is a top wine subscription service for wine drinkers who want organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. Every bottle you get from Plonk is created sans pesticides or additives, so these wines are also better for the environment.
With each Plonk monthly delivery, you’ll receive four bottles made from organic grapes. Expect the Plonk offerings to include sparkling wines, white wine, red wine, and rosé.
5. Wine Awesomeness
Wine enthusiasts interested in learning more about their received wines will enjoy Wine Awesomeness. Each delivery includes details on each wine, food pairings, and wine-related words that will be handy.
Unlike Winc or other subscription services like Firstleaf, this wine club is not personalized. Instead, you can choose between two wine club options – the Discovery Wine Club, where you can elect to receive three or six bottles each month. Or the Mates Grapes Wine Club, where you can get an entire case (12 wine bottles) of the best New Zealand & Australian wines. Each shipment includes red, white, or a combination of the two, depending on your preference.
6. Gold Medal Wine Club
Gold Medal Wine Club features award-winning wines that are sourced from family farms. They focus on providing wines that have a unique story each month.
With Gold Medal monthly wine club, you can select between six subscriptions, each featuring a different selection of bottles ranging from highly rated to ultra-rare options.
These new wines come from international locations and California, depending on the subscription you select.
Wine box deliveries include three to six bottles, with a different predetermined bottle count for each package.
7. California Wine Club
This wine subscription service focuses on California wines, as the name indicates. These small-batch wines are sourced from family-owned farms in the state.
While the California wine club delivery isn’t curated to your tastes, the service offers a few wine club levels and specialties, and all the bottles are hand-picked by the company’s wine experts. Each month, you’ll receive two bottles of wine to try (you can also opt-in for more wines if you wish).
This special wine discovery club also has a “Love it” guarantee. If you don’t love a bottle in your delivery, California Wine Club can send a replacement or a refund.
Why Should A Wine Drinker Use A Wine Club Service?
Many benefits come with a wine subscription service, including information on each wine you receive, such as tasting notes and pairing suggestions. You can carry these details to wine tastings at other locations or even when purchasing a bottle from the store. These details can help you become a more educated wine drinker with each delivery.
Below are a few additional reasons to consider signing up for a wine club membership.
Wine Clubs Can Save You Time
No more staring at the wine shelves while at the grocery store, hoping you select a tasty wine. Instead, most wine clubs will have you take a short quiz to help match you to a few wines that are similar to your usual wines. You can reduce your wine shopping time to about five minutes instead of 20-30 minutes via a subscription service.
Wine Clubs Give You Access To Limited Releases & Boutique Wines
A wine service typically offers options you can’t find at your local wine shop. This selection could include wines that are limited releases, options from smaller family-owned companies, or other similar selections. You’ll find a much larger variety when ordering from wine clubs than in the store.
Wine Club Offer Attractive Pricing For Club Members
When you order wine subscription boxes as a member, you can expect wine bottles to be about 15-20% cheaper than purchasing them off the shelves. However, it’s important to note this is not always the case, as some wine clubs offer higher-end, more exclusive options. However, not all memberships include a retail discount, so it’s best to research your wine club options before signing on.
Wine Clubs Can Adjust To Your Preferences
As mentioned, most wine subscription services pair each wine enthusiast with options that should work well based on your quiz answers. Once you receive your first delivery, you can usually rate or provide feedback on the wines you’ve tried. This rating process allows the subscription service to grow with you, ensuring that future deliveries better meet your needs.
Wine Clubs Offer Flexibility
You’re in charge when it comes to the wine delivery schedule, as you can cancel or pause deliveries as needed. If you’re traveling for a few weeks or stocked up on too many bottles and need a break, most services allow you to skip a delivery or two.
Moreover, most wine club services like Winc offer a satisfaction guarantee, with either refund to your account or a free replacement bottle in the next shipment.
Final Notes On Companies Like Winc Wine Club
While it is sad that one of the most famous wine clubs will no longer be an option for customers very soon, many companies like Winc offer a similar service.
Firstleaf and Bright Cellars are, without a doubt, our favorite alternatives for Winc. Both offer excellent choices if you prefer a customized delivery.
Otherwise, you can elect to receive small-batch wines from Naked Wines, Gold Medal Wine Club, or California Wine Club.
Many of the above wine clubs offer flexible deliveries, allowing you to try multiple options to find the right fit for your taste and needs.
