Wine subscriptions are all the rage today, with some wine lovers even opting for monthly deliveries of wines curated at their doorstep. The first wine subscription service was started in 1972 by Paul Kalemkiarian. He understood that choosing what to drink could be overwhelming amongst patrons at his liquor store in Venice Beach, California. The hassle experienced by his customers prompted him to start the "Wine Club Of The Month." The monthly subscription model soon became popular amongst avid wine enthusiasts. By 2003 there were 800+ subscription clubs nationwide, illustrating how much people love having premiere wine access and vast selections from around the world. Thus the wine subscription model was born and is in effect today!
What is a Wine Subscription?
So what is a wine subscription? At its core a wine subscription is a monthly or quarterly paid program that will deliver a number of bottles to your door. Many of these subscription options range from hand selected for each customer to a general mixed bag. With an ever growing and changing wine scene there is an expansive amount of niche wine boxes that provide specialty wine offerings in their bundles.
How Does a Wine Subscription Work?
As mentioned, wine subscription refers to curated shipments of quality wines to your doorstep at regular intervals. Wine subscriptions have a number of benefits like accessing the best wine bottles before they are released to the public, members-only prices, tasting reserve wines and exclusive releases, among other benefits.
Generally most wine clubs require you sign up to be a member, and have you choose a duration period or an automatic recurring option. Next you specify the number of bottles for each shipment and indicate how often you would like to receive your wine shipments. Once you sign up for membership and complete the selection process your first shipment will be on its way to your door.
Wine Subscription Considerations
The past two decades have witnessed exponential growth in the number of wine clubs across the globe. Since it is a paid membership everyone is searching for the right box to meet their needs, expectations, and preferences. Any wine enthusiast should consider a few factors before subscribing to any one specific boxed offering.
Cost of a Wine Subscription
Wine club subscription prices vary significantly from one club to another. There are wine clubs with monthly plans starting from as low as $50 ranging up to costing more than an ordinary mortgage payment. When factoring in the cost of wine subscriptions it’s important to note: cost is sometimes (not always) a reflection of quality. For example, if a wine is under $20 per bottle, it’s likely that the wine contains some additives like the common wine dye Mega Purple. Also, you should take into account other costs like minimum monthly costs, introductory pricing, shipping costs, taxes, restocking fees for those who do not offer free replacement and pre-bottle pricing. Thinking of these items before subscribing will ensure that you get a good value for your money.
Quantity of Bottles in Shipments
Some wine club members complain about big wine surpluses. Correctly evaluating the number of bottles per each shipment will help keep your stash full, but not overflowing. It is important to note that most wine clubs ship wines meant for short-term consumption (one year). Fortunately, most wine subscriptions have flexibility in the number of bottles delivered and the frequency of delivery. Some wine subscriptions will even give you an option to put deliveries on hold until another shipment cycle.
Quality of the Wine Delivered
With the multitude of wine clubs popping up left and right, it would be easy to end up subscribed to the wrong kind of wine club. Some of them often hide behind a reputable brand or celebrity name to dupe unsuspecting wine enthusiasts. There is not a whole lot of transparency in the wine industry in general, since their government lobbyists have successfully kept contents labels off wine bottles. So, you don’t really know what’s in most wines, and this can make it tricky to find good quality wines.
Level of Personalization in the Wine Subscription
Every wine drinker has their own preferences when it comes to taste. Some love the thrill of being surprised by the tastes of each shipment, while others already know what they like. It is critical that you find a wine club that matches your expectations. True personalized service is one of the most difficult things to find in a wine club. Many will claim they have customized a box for you but in reality it’s not the case. Choosing a wine club that is in alignment with your wants and needs will ensure you’re happy with every box.
Customer Reviews and Experience
The easiest way to determine how a wine subscription company treats its customer is by checking independent reviews online about the wine club itself. Do their existing members complain about the quality of wine or difficulty in canceling subscriptions? For honest opinions about the customer service look for their social media pages, testimonials, and general online presence. Their social interactions and engagements can give you a glimpse of how they interact with their existing members.
Delivery and Shipping Fees
This is an important aspect that many wine subscription enthusiasts don’t fully understand. Once your wine club packs your shipment and hands it over to a shipping agency, the relationship shifts to you and the shipper. Therefore, you should ask the wine subscription company you consider joining about the delivery process and agency they use. Some considerations are policies on return shipments, multiple delivery attempts, hold at location, filing damage claims and adult signature requirements.
Convenience
There are so many wine clubs out there, and so it’s important for each prospective member to determine if a club is the most convenient option for you. Do they charge for canceling a club membership? Do they have a phone number you can reach? Do they refund you if you don’t like a bottle? How easy is it to pause or skip a shipment? Convenience and ease of use is one of the most critical aspects of the wine club experience.
Choosing Dry Farm Wines
If you’re interested in high quality wine conveniently delivered to your door, Dry Farm Wines is the right wine membership box for you.
Wine companies are not required to report additives they use, how they farm, or even the accurate alcohol content on the label. This is especially important to know because there are 76 additives that are legal to put in wine. Some are harmless, while others can be toxic (like dimethyl dicarbonate).
Dry Farm Wines makes sure all our wines are additive free. We vet every wine and grower to ensure they meet strict guidelines. Our lab testing process ensures that all of the wines in your box meet our criteria:
- Sugar Free
- Lower Alcohol
- Lower Sulfites
- Organically Farmed
- No Industrial Additives
- Lab Tested for Purity
Dry Farm Wines takes customer service very seriously. We call it hospitality, and we hold ourselves to the highest standards of convenience and service in the industry. That means we replace or refund any bottle you don’t love, it’s easy to cancel (no fees or loopholes), and we respond fast to your questions.
It is time to become a wine club member! Join a community of wine enthusiasts at Dry Farm Wines today by setting up a wine membership today.
