How to get a one-of-a-kind wine collection without leaving the house
Sep 26, 2019

If you truly love wine, you know how satisfying it is to keep a stocked fridge — but it can get monotonous to drink the same bottles all the time.

That's what we've found to be the major problem with buying at a place like Costco or the local grocery; their selection is so standardized, it feels like we're missing out on the variety that makes being a wine connoisseur fun.

If you'd like to take it a step further — not only do you want a unique wine collection, but you also don't want to go to the store — we recommend researching and signing up for a wine delivery service.

(A) Choosing a wine delivery service

Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few options out there for convenience-loving wine drinkers. After weighing out three highly rated services — Wine Access, Revel Wine Club, and Plonk — we determined Wine Access to be our top pick because of the quality of its selection, which spans several price ranges.

1. Best of the best: Wine Access

What we love: Because Wine Access sources their bottles from wineries, you can easily curate a top-shelf selection. Plus, the variety in your cellar will make it seem like you're traveling to wine country all the time.

What we don't love: Of course, if you live in an area with local wines that you enjoy, the odds of you being able to source from them are less likely than if you were to go to a nearby wine store.

Price: Membership is $600 per year and includes 24 bottles sent in four different allocations (that breaks down to $25 each). Plus, members receive a 10% discount on all other bottles.

Best bang for the buck: Revel Wine Club

What we love: Revel Wine Club is an extremely personalizable option that allows you to cater to your particular taste, budget, and lifestyle. They offer some of the most affordable bottles compared to other wine delivery services.

What we don't love: They only source from eight different winemakers, so the options can feel limited.

Price: Very adjustable depending on how many bottles and the frequency of delivery, but starts at just $39 every three months.

High-end option: Plonk Wine Club

What we love: All Plonk wines are organic and grown using biodynamic methods, so we feel good about drinking them. They're also small-batch, so it feels like you're part of an exclusive membership, and you get to pick which wines you want in your subscription delivery.

What we don't love: This is an expensive service.

Price: You'll get a lower price per bottle with a bigger subscription, but the most affordable option is still $1,140 for a total of 48 bottles a year (that breaks down to $23.75 each).

(If you want a gourmet spread for your parties, we love Hickory Farms to get everything you need for a high-class wine night: They deliver artisanal meats, cheeses, crackers, and spreads. We figure, if you're getting wine without leaving the house, why not get all your wine-adjacent accouterments delivered to your door too?)

(B) Here are the bottles available from Wine Access that we love:

Reds

Another staple of a desirable wine collection, this mid-priced merlot is dark in color but powerful in its fruitiness. What made this bottle jump out to us — if you buy it and drink it quickly, you'll be pleased; if you buy it, let it sit, and drink it later, you'll like it even more. We think it's a worthwhile investment for $25.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a wine lover who doesn't love a fine bottle of cabernet sauvignon. This bottle, produced in 2016 in Napa Valley, has the kind of flavors that will make you instinctively reach for a piece of chocolate while you're drinking. We recommend it for its rich flavor and think it's a good value at $48.

While it might seem that any kind of wine can grow anywhere in Northern California, that isn't the case. This pinot noir is produced in a relatively small part of the wine-growing region that has access to temperatures and winds that the surrounding areas do not. That leads to a unique take on the pinot noir: The flavors grown from this region are lighter than their counterparts in the Pacific Northwest. This bottle is on sale for $20.

It's nice to throw a bottle or two of international wine into the mix, especially when you have company over — or if you're making that one particular dish that demands it. This Bordeaux is inexpensive at $25, considering its origins, and we know you won't be disappointed with this full-bodied merlot.

2. Whites

We love the citrusy flavor of this wine that's fitting for a sunny picnic or right when you get home from work. It's light in color and pairs well with white fish or chicken. This is the kind of bottle that won't be the standout of your collection, but you'll be glad it's there. On sale now for $15.

If you prefer a darker sauvignon blanc (read: from New Zealand instead of California), this bottle will be your go-to. This wine is for serious lovers of the varietal, as it takes the fruity notes of an American bottle and turns up the intensity. Despite the distance it's traveled and the taste profile it offers, it's just $20.

The vines that grew the grapes that produced this bottle of wine have been around for decades, and the aging on this chardonnay makes for a truly impressive bottle. Being grown at sea-level on the coast of the Pacific Ocean gives this an interesting flavor while still maintaining the creaminess that makes this varietal so beloved. It's a little more expensive, selling for $40.

3. Rosé

Rosé, although recently trendy, is actually one of the oldest types of wine. The process to produce the pinkish wine is straightforward: you simply combine red and white grapes. This particular bottle is on the sweeter side with fruit flavors that really pop. Wine Access members love it, and it's available for just $15.

Another inexpensive Northern California rose, the 2018 Piece of Work bottle is somehow even richer in color than the above offering. It's made from pinot noir grapes that were grown on mature vines, so the result far surpasses your typical store-bought rosé that's a little too watery to be truly savored. It's on sale for $15per bottle.

Jacob Palmer is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.

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