Plonk is the wine club that makes it look like you know what you’re doing (because you actually kind of will).
I’m going to be completely honest about how I buy wine.
Typically, I stand in the aisle, recognize a label or see one that looks “cool,” or perfect for whatever mood I’m in (… and I don’t know how I even make that kind of connection). Then, I just grab it with a shoulder shrug and “let’s see how it goes” mentality, because at least I know that it’s not the one that gave me a headache last time.
That’s not a wine habit. Not a healthy one, at least. And I definitely did this exact thing before I hosted my last get-together. But that kind of scenario is exactly what Plonk Wine Club is here to help you solve.
Most wine clubs focus on sourcing shining examples of the best wines you have heard of. Plonk specializes in organic, biodynamic, small-production wines from grapes you’ve probably never heard of, like Teroldego, Xarel-lo, Assyrtiko, sourced from regions like Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Hungary.
These are the wines that don’t usually make it onto a supermarket shelf. The pitch isn’t, “Here you go: wine!” It’s more like, “Here’s wine you’d never have found on your own, explained well enough that you sound like you knew what you were doing the whole time.”
Founder Etty Klein, a WSET- and American Sommelier Association-certified wine curator, tastes through hundreds of bottles and only keeps the ones worth your time. It’s “sushi bar” style, the brand says, serving up what’s actually good instead of padding a box with filler. Every wine is organic and biodynamic, doing away with anything having to do with pesticides, herbicides, synthetic colorants, or industrial additives, and many run low- or no-sulfite.
Setup takes three decisions:
- Pick a lane (Mixed, Red or White)
- Pick a case size (4, 6 or 12 bottles)
- Pick a commitment (month-to-month, or prepaid for 3, 6 or 12 shipments, which is good for gifting).
Boxes land monthly with tasting notes, producer backstories, and a recipe pairing from Food52, plus a free corkscrew on your first order. Shipments can be paused, skipped or cancelled anytime, and busted bottles get replaced for free.
WHAT THE CLUB COSTS
Pricing runs by case size. Recent listings put the 4-bottle tier around $135/month, 6 bottles around $185, and the full 12-bottle case near $325, with free shipping included.
It’s not the cheapest subscription out there, but Plonk leans into that. This is a quality-over-bargain play, not a Two Buck Chuck replacement. But per bottle, you’re paying roughly what you’d spend at a decent wine shop, skipping the part where you have to guess what’s good.
A FEW THINGS WORTH NOTING
Someone 21+ needs to be around to sign for delivery. Carriers attempt delivery three times before sending it back, and reshipping isn’t free. Plonk has also picked up notable press coverage since launching (LA Times, Wine Enthusiast, Vogue, The Good Trade), and the coverage tends to agree on one thing: this isn’t a “safe” club for people who just want more Cabernet.
That’s the point!
If your idea of a fun Tuesday is having a home cooked meal with a wine you can’t pronounce and a story to go with it, Plonk is worth the click.