Why Trust a Sommelier’s Wine Club Picks
If you’ve ever chatted up a sommelier to find the perfect bottle within a price point, flavor profile, or that pairs well with a specific dish on the menu, you know firsthand the value of outsourcing the decision of picking out wine. That’s the beauty of a wine subscription—only then, you get to enjoy their choices from the comfort of your own couch.
Even if you have a pretty good grasp of what you like (and don’t like) to drink, a subscription has so much to offer; as a wine writer and sommelier, I turn to these memberships when I’m feeling stir-crazy with what’s in my fridge and want to be introduced to new producers or styles. They’re also my go-to when I want to gift someone a selection of wines without having to rack my brain for what to get them.
Our Favorite Wine Subscription Services
The Best Wine Subscription Service Overall: Parcelle’s Wine Drop
Founded by sommelier Grant Reynolds in 2019, Parcelle entered the wine world as an online retailer known for its impressive curation of hard-to-find bottles from Burgundy, Barolo, and beyond. Despite opening two wine bars in New York City in subsequent years, Parcelle’s focus remains largely on retail and making sure people have good things to drink at all times, wherever they might be.
What we love: The Parcelle Wine Drop is a monthly mailer that requires placing a fair bit of trust in Reynolds and his team. A mailer of three bottles of red, white, or a mix of both costs just $95, a price point that easily exceeds the individual value of the bottles inside; more experienced drinkers might be tempted to spring for the $150 Fine and Rare box, but I found that the core offering offers plenty of excitement and value. In my most recent order, I tried a Grenache Blanc from Santa Barbara that played incredibly well with take-out sashimi, as well as a stand-out Syrah from Jean-Louis Chave, who has been making wine in the Northern Rhone Valley for 16 generations. Some thoughtful touches: Parcelle emails PDF tasting notes instead of paper, ships in beautiful gift-ready boxes with minimal packaging.
What we’d leave: No customization by grape, region, or style—part of the fun but may frustrate specific drinkers.
The bottom line: Very close call between Parcelle and Helen’s. Parcelle is best for those wanting classic gems rather than funky, natural-leaning wines—ideal for hosting broader guests.
For Wine Descriptions That Read Like a Note From Your BFF: Helen’s
Helen’s Wines is helmed by Helen Johannsen, a Los Angeles-based sommelier with a deep passion for natural, organic, and small-production bottles. She handpicks the wines to ensure the customer receives the highest level of curation in every shipment. In addition to sourcing solely sustainably-farmed wines, Helen’s Wines celebrates small-scale wineries that use as little intervention as possible—Johannesen describes her focus as being on “labels that bottle the mantra, ‘nothing added, nothing taken away.’”
What we love: For more than a decade, Helen’s has been keeping Angelenos’ cellars stocked with special gems and everyday drinking bottles alike. Owner Helen Johanssen also curates the wine selections for Amex Centurion lounges around the U.S. Subscribers get 10% off anything else from the shop (both in-person and online) as well as access to reservations at Jon & Vinny’s in California. The best part is reading the description pamphlet—voicey, accessible, fun. My delivery of four bottles included an incredible Sicilian Grillo that paired perfectly with chicken salad, as well as a Gamay-Pinot Noir blend. Most wines are low- to no-intervention, making it an easy choice for natural wine fans.
What we’d leave: Very little to criticize, but if you dislike natural/low-intervention wines, Helen’s isn’t for you.
For Folks Who Love Flexibility and Bang for Their Buck: Naked Wines
Naked Wines is a great wine subscription service for price-conscious wine shoppers who like to have a lot of say over what they’re sipping. A membership gives you access to a vast array of high-quality wines at lower prices than you’d find at a boutique wine shop and does so while supporting independent winemakers directly. Connecting customers directly to wineries means Naked Wines cuts out the middlemen, allowing the brand to offer bottles at prices up to 60% off retail. Also offered: a wine advisor team that can select vintages for customers 1:1 based on preference.
What we love: Naked Wines’ Angels membership gives consumers more power over their dollar. You deposit $40 a month into your ‘Angels’ account to spend on wines up to 60% off retail. There’s no automatic wine shipment; you choose what to buy and only pay extra if your order exceeds your balance. Monthly fees go directly to winemakers. A highlight from our test was AVA Collection’s 2021 Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon (marked down from $149 retail to $70 for Naked Wines) and the 2024 Patrice Grasset Chenin Blanc (retail $31; Naked offers it for $16). You can learn about varietal, vintage, region, and tasting notes via the website. Angels can pause or cancel at any time, and if you don’t like a bottle, the ‘hassle-free’ guarantee policy credits your account. Shipping fee for first order is free, and free for all orders exceeding $200.
What we’d leave: Less surprise-and-delight factor compared to sommelier-curated boxes. Limited options for niche categories like organic, natural, biodynamic, orange wines (currently only four organic wines and no orange or Pét-Nat). Selection leans heavily on US-based vineyards, particularly Napa Valley and Sonoma. You can also sign up for Naked Wines’ quarterly Discovery Club for a standard recurring shipment.
For On-Demand Service: Yes Society
Yes Society is run by Maggie Harrison, known for producing some of the most prized Oregon Pinots at her Willamette Valley winery, Antica Terra. She exposes Yes Society members to stand-out wines from Bordeaux, Champagne, Friuli, Croatia, and beyond.
What we love: By joining Yes Society, you get text, phone, and email access to a network of sommeliers who can help you navigate a restaurant’s wine list in real time (between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PST), figure out which bottle to buy to pair with dinner, or answer questions about what’s in your most recent box. There’s a member’s only wine marketplace with access to limited-allocation batches. I tried the Small Mixed box of six bottles for $150, and my delivery included a Premier Cru Champagne, a cheerful bottle of Macabeo from Spanish producer Bodegas Frontonio, and a Swiss Pinot Noir. Beautiful packaging and user-friendly online portal.
What we’d leave: Sommelier access limited to set hours. Box is fully curated, so less control for those who want it.
For a Surprise Tasting Party: SommSelect
SommSelect offers several wine subscriptions, but The Blind 6 Membership is easily the most exciting—each month, you’ll receive a sommelier-selected assortment of six wines that are meant to be blind tasted alone or with friends.
What we love: Opening a box of six bottles wrapped in opaque, black tissue paper was a thrill. A handy pamphlet includes instructions on which bottles to chill before tasting, step-by-step on glassware and what to look for. The booklet also includes a one-pager on each wine with information on structure, palate, nose, and visual cues. I enjoyed the Chenin Blanc from Rheinhessen that was dry, medium-bodied, with beautiful quince and lemon notes. At $225 for 6 bottles when ordered monthly, you’re paying for extra guidance and effort.
What we’d leave: Best when you lean fully into blind tasting format; if not, value is lost. Wines skew approachable rather than adventurous, so seasoned drinkers may find it safe.
For the Curious, Quality-Conscious Wine Consumer: Plonk
Plonk focuses exclusively on natural wines that are grown using organic, biodynamic vineyard practices—meaning no pesticides, herbicides, or commercial additives. Every vintage is hand-selected by the brand’s founder and sole curator, Klein, who holds certifications from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the American Sommelier Association.
What we love: Plonk includes both old and new world wines in each shipment—classic regions like Italy, France, Spain, Germany, California as well as lesser-known wine regions such as Croatia, Austria, Uruguay, and Slovenia. My box included a 2023 Greek Kir-Yianni peach-and-pear-scented assyrtiko, Castello Romitorio’s 2023 Brio Toscana, a 2021 Pence California red blend, and Union Sacré’s 2023 unfiltered orange wine—my absolute favorite. Plonk has three options: red, white, or a mix. Subscriptions can recur every month, bimonthly, or quarterly. Shipping is free on all orders, no membership fee, and a $10 discount offered to all first-time customers.
What we’d leave: If you’re used to ordering the same styles, Plonk’s off-the-beaten-path selection will taste very new. Embrace the education or choose a more suited club.
Best for an Easy, Fuss-Free Wine Club Experience: Winc
Winc is among the most popular wine clubs, with an easy-to-navigate website, shipments tailored to personal preferences via a taste quiz taken upon joining and ratings given to each shipment. The wine portfolio is diverse and rotates regularly. Most bottles net out to $20 or less.
What we love: Joining the club is free. Once you’re in, you’ll take a quiz so the service can discern your wine preferences. Self-selected bottles are always available, and you can reorder favorites a la carte. A Winc membership buys you a minimum of three bottles shipped monthly, plus an additional 20% off each bottle. There’s free shipping for orders over $50, and you can pause or cancel anytime. We tasted a solid array including a Cocomero French rosé, a spicy L’Atelier du Sud grenache blend, and a French So This Happened 2021 skin-contact white (orange wine).
What we’d leave: Quiz-based (algorithm-based) subscription model lacks sommelier-led curation. Winc sources almost entirely from California, France, Italy, Argentina, and Spain—no New York merlot or Austrian riesling.
A Wine Club That Promises to Educate and Expand Your Palate: MYSA
MYSA exclusively ships low-intervention natural wines directly to your doorstep—bottles made with “spontaneous fermentation using native yeast, sustainable agricultural practices, minimal sulfur, and no additional additives,” says MYSA co-founder, Niclas Jannson. Boxes are hand-curated by Jannson’s wife, co-founder Holly Berrigan, a WSET Level III certified sommelier.
What we love: MYSA wines were among the most eye-opening—no sip was necessarily familiar, yet every bottle was delicious. For instance, Partida Creus’s ‘CO’, a blend of Xarel-lo and Macabeo grapes grown in Catalunya, Spain: a single swirl and you’ll want to learn everything. MYSA includes handouts providing origin stories, tasting notes, and food pairing recommendations. They also build a tasting guide for each monthly wine box complete with background, what to expect, and a tasting video starring Berrigan. MYSA includes a copy of The Wine Bible with all fifth subscription orders. Members can choose from a box of three, six, or 12 mixed bottles, or a red-only and orange-only box of four wines. Members get 10% off additional bottles with no extra shipping costs.
What we’d leave: Less customization—custom box options are coming this summer. Not well-suited to traditional palates as-is.
How We Tested the Best Wine Subscription Services
Accessibility
We limited our roundup to wine clubs widely available across the United States. No service ships to all 50 states due to state-specific alcohol shipping laws; we ensured clubs were available in at least 38 states. States most clubs can’t ship to include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and Utah.
Ease of Ordering
An intuitive website with an easy-to-navigate interface is imperative. A shopper’s experience online should be simple, straightforward, and not leave them scratching their head about what they just signed up for. Customer service should be at the ready.
Customization
To what degree can customers tweak the size and inclusions based on personal preference? While we hope all wines have been vetted by a wine expert or sommelier, many consumers still want the flexibility to choose how many bottles they’ll receive and how often; the same goes for the ability to select between red and white wines (or have a mix).
Cost
We didn’t rate wine subscription services based on how much they cost, but we do think it’s important that there is some financial incentive to becoming a member. Buying from a wine club should give customers access to bottles that have been marked down rather than up. We also looked into shipping fees and whether each service charges an upfront membership or cancellation fee.
How Wine Selections Are Curated
Ideally, a sommelier is involved in stocking your wine box. This is especially key if wines are sourced from off-the-beaten-path wineries new to the average consumer. Additionally, we preferred wine clubs that are transparent about their curation process.
Quality of the Wines
We tasted bottles from each shipment to ensure there were no “off” aromas, that the wine was as described (light vs. full-bodied, acidic vs. tannic) and, ideally, delicious. We looked into the range of wine-growing regions that each service sources from—and appreciated those that go beyond the classic France, Italy, and California wine combo.
What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing the Best Wine Subscription Service?
How Wine Boxes Are Curated
We recommend wine clubs that enlist wine experts (such as a certified sommelier) to make the selections you’re ultimately paying for upfront. This may mean an expert has vetted every bottle available in a subscription service’s marketplace that you ultimately choose from, or that each specific bottle is hand-picked for you by a sommelier.
The “Surprise and Delight” Factor
Ideally, a membership to a wine club is a means to expanding your palate—while it’s absolutely important to know you can trust your subscription service to ship you wines you’ll enjoy, we think it’s equally imperative that you get to try (and learn) something new in the process. Much of a wine’s beauty is linked to its terroir, a French term loosely meaning “taste of place.” The best subscription services leverage the educational element of wine tasting and aim to tell you a story about each vintage. We encourage seeking services that provide supplemental materials (origin stories, pairing suggestions, tasting notes) on their website; better yet if included with your shipment.
What Kind of Wine Drinker Are You?
Ask yourself: Are you someone who likes to have a strong say in what they’re sipping, or do you prefer the fuss-free “dealer’s choice” route? Are you looking to exclusively sip new-to-you grapes, or would you prefer to stay in your lane but like the reliability of a recurring box of your favorite wine brands? Do you stick to natural wines or avoid them entirely? Considering what you value most about the experience of drinking wine at home and what types of wine you like best before joining a wine club will go a long way.
Other Wine Clubs We Tested and Liked
Wine Insiders
Wine Insiders started shipping curated boxes in 1982. A team of in-house certified wine experts stocks the marketplace, home to hundreds of bottles including 40 varietals sourced from over 15 wine regions. Offerings are sold at marked-down prices as Wine Insiders partners directly with wineries. New members receive 15 bottles of wine for $89 (under $6 a pop) on their first shipment, which includes three “bonus” bottles of higher-end red wines. Following, you can expect a case of a dozen bottles curated by the sommelier team every 12 weeks for $155. You can choose between all reds, all whites, or a mix. This service didn’t make the best-of list because of lack of flexibility—a dozen bottles without choosing individual bottles is too many; likelihood of disliking a varietal is high.
Juliet
Juliet is a sustainability-centric wine subscription using eco-friendly paperboard packaging that reduces carbon footprint by over 50% compared to glass bottles. Wines stay fresh up to four weeks after opening. Juliet’s six varietals—Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, Orange, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon—come in 1.5-liter magnums (equivalent to two bottles or roughly ten glasses). Subscriptions can be shipped monthly or quarterly; each box contains two varietals, and members choose which of the six they’d like. Juliet’s wines are tasty—think Santa Ynez Sauvignon Blanc rich in grapefruit notes. Recommended for sustainability-minded folks but not ideal long-term due to limited wine options.
Roscioli Italian Wine Club
Brought to you by the team behind Roscioli (Rome’s renowned salumeria, bakery, and wine bar, with a New York City outpost), this subscription sends 12 bottles of Italian wine twice a year (two bottles a month) at $920 a year for 24 bottles (billed biannually). Stand-outs from the Essential box included a pet-nat from the Roscioli team’s private vineyard in Marche, a slightly herbaceous Sicilian vermouth, and a wine made with Refosco (a new-to-me grape that made a juicy, peppery red). If you’re a casual drinker, the volume might be overwhelming; but for those who entertain or open a bottle a week, it’s a great curated selection of rare Italian wines.
Vinebox
Rather than full bottles, Vinebox members receive six by-the-glass (3.3-ounce) portions of wines to sample. Monthly boxes include six sommelier-curated wines from regions around the globe, focusing on Italy, France, Spain, and California. Each box includes a QR code linking to tasting notes, pairing suggestions, and sommelier-led tasting videos. Subscribers receive a 20% discount on each box. After tasting, members can purchase full bottles at a discount. It’s not ideal for hosting or sharing, and the value is not great—each sample is half a glass, making it challenging to split between two people. Not for those wanting to expand palate with new regions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a wine club?
A wine club, often referred to as a wine subscription service, is a membership-based program that ships various bottles of wine to your doorstep on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, or at another predetermined interval). In addition to eliminating the intimidation factor when wine shopping and keeping your cellar stocked, wine clubs are a great way to expand your wine education and try new varieties tailored to your taste preferences.
How much does the average wine club cost?
Cost varies significantly among wine clubs; some send two bottles, others send a dozen-plus. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $150 (or more) per shipment, depending on quantity and quality of wines. Some services promise heavily marked-down bottles; others focus on introducing members to unique, high-quality, off-the-beaten-path varietals.
Are wine subscriptions worth it?
Yes—but only if you find a wine club that fits your lifestyle, personal habits, and flavor preferences. If you genuinely enjoy sampling new-to-you styles of wine and tend to serve/sip frequently at home, you will likely benefit. The same goes for folks who buy wine on the regular (who needs one more errand?) and those who value wine education. If you rarely drink wine at home and stick to the same brands, a wine club is probably not for you.
What is natural wine, anyway?
Natural wine refers to wines made without additives—no preservatives, sulfites, herbicides, colorants, acidifiers, enhancements, or chemicals in the winemaking (and grape growing) process. Many natural wines are also organic and biodynamic, but certification is costly and sometimes unnecessary. In terms of flavor, natural wines are often described as funky, earthy, or acidic. They may have light effervescence and/or sour/fermented flavor, not dissimilar from kombucha. Natural wines tend to be lower in alcohol because grapes are picked earlier in the season. The liquid may look cloudier, especially in whites, rosés, and oranges, and may have more sediment. Signing up for a wine subscription service focused on natural wines is a smart way to start at-home education. We recommend MYSA, Plonk, or Helen’s.