If you’re looking for a wine club that’s been around for a long time, then Laithwaites Wine Club is a good option. The wine club has been delivering wines for over 50 years and their selection comes from some of the best high end producers globally.
The club’s membership is large and the club’s tasting team is able to travel far and wide to find some of the best wines for its subscribers.
What is Laithwaites Wine Club?
Laithwaites Wine Club has been in operation since 1969 and was founded by Tony Laithwaites, a seasoned winemaker himself. When the club first started operating, it was known as the Bordeaux Direct and had 150 members. Its first selection of wines was sourced from Italy, France, and California.
The club became renowned for sourcing rare French wines, otherwise hard to find on the market. Today, Laithwaites Wine Club serves the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom with over 700,000 members. Subscribers can pick from a selection of red and white wines, sparkling and rosé, both popular and lesser known names from wine countries and regions all over the world.
How Does it Work?
Signing up as a member to Laithwaites Wine Club is quite a simple process. Changing from its two membership options, the wine club has now scaled down to one membership program.
To sign up as a member, you need to undergo the following process:
- Select wine: Select your preferred wine of reds, whites, or mixed wines.
- Add personal details: Complete your personal details and delivery address.
- Payment details: Complete the payment information and select the Introductory Offer of 6 wines plus bonus 2 bottles for only $49.99 + free shipping. If you choose the Introductory Offer for 12 bottles there’s a 50% discount on the normal cost of $149.99.
- Complete order: Click on “Send Me My Wines” to complete your order.
Laithwaites Wine Club members are under no obligation to stay as subscribers and cancellation of membership is as simple as the signing up process.
Wine of Laithwaites
Our Laithwaites Wine Club Wines Rating:
- Quality of wine: 4.6
- Price of wine: 4.3
- Wine curation: 3.6
Laithwaites Wine Club offers its members a huge selection of wines sourced worldwide. Their wines are bought directly from vineyards and wineries. The types of wines on offer include red and white wine, sparkling wine, rosé, champagne, fine wine, and mixed choices.
For red wine types, you can pick from Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo. White wine drinkers will find the following types available:
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Grigio
- Muscato
- Rieslings
- Sauvignon Blanc
Some of the popular Laithwaites Wine Club brands favored by its own members include the following:
- Capital Z Zinfandel 2018: This red wine is sourced from the Capital Wineries and was the winner of the 2019 New Orleans International Wine Awards Gold.
- La Croix de Bordeaux 2016: If a fruity claret is your wine type, you’ll enjoy this Merlot from the La Croix Vineyards.
- The Waxed Bat Shiraz Cabernet Malbec 2017: From Argentina, this Malbec wine is a spicy red that’ll appeal to the more adventurous palate. It’s made with a combination of three grapes and perfected by the winery’s expert winemaker, Rodolfo “Opi” Sadler.
- Schroeder Estate Patagonia Malbec 2018: If you’re looking for an internationally acclaimed wine, then this one from The Patagonia Collection is well-liked. It’s also the winner of the GB International Wine Challenge 2019.
- Inaugural R Collection: The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Raymond Vineyards is definitely one to add to your next case order. Its awards include the 2019 US Double Gold Medal from the New Orleans International Wine Awards and the 2020 US Gold Medal from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
- Bees Knees Chenin Blanc Viognier 2017: A South African wine, this Cape speciality will be a good addition to any case order from Laithwaites. A premium wine, made by winemaker Ben Jordaan.
- Durif Shiraz No.1: This award-winning Australian red wine from The Black Stump winemaker, Alan Kennett is another Laithwaites wine worth trying. Its awards include the China Wine & Spirits Award and the 2019 double-gold medal from the AWC International Wine Challenge.
- Manera Barbara 2016: An Italian red wine from the Piedmont winemaker, Claudio Manera.
- Viña Tarapacá Sauvignon Blanc 2016: Head over to Chile and sample one of this country’s finest wine with this Sauvignon Blanc. From the century-old Viña Tarapacáestate, this acclaimed aromatic wine is a popular choice.
Laithwaites’ master winetasters travel the world to select wines from the more well-known and favored regions and varietals. Laithwaites Wine Club is known to buy up a whole collection, making these wines only available to their members.
Laithwaites Wine Club Review
Our Laithwaites Wine Club Member Benefits Rating:
- Discounts: 4.5
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 4.6
- Customer service: 4.6
- Wine education: 4.2
- Customization: 4.5
Pricing
After ordering the Introductory Offer priced at $49.99 plus free shipping and gifts, you can expect to pay $149.99 plus $19.99 for shipping any order of 12 bottles thereafter. Case shipments take place every 3 months.
Tips: The per-bottle price (including shipping) is $14 for a 12 bottles plan.
If you selected the “Unlimited” program at $89 for 12 bottles throughout the year, shipping is free. Wine enthusiasts will also have access to exclusive offers when signing up to this program.
Club Plan
If you’re a wine connoisseur who likes to sample wines from all the over the world, then this club’s selection will appeal to your palate. Subscribers to Laithwaites Wine Club have a number of options to pick from when selecting their preference of wines.
This means you can customize your case order, picking from reds, whites, mixed, country, region, ratings based on membership reviews, and your budget.
- Country: Choose from wine producers in Australia, France, Italy, South Africa, United States, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand, Chile, and Portugal. Other countries are also available when the wine is in stock.
- Region: Select varieties from regions such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Piedmont, California, Tuscany and Central Italy, Burgundy, Washington, and Rhone.
- Ratings and awards: Review the wine ratings and awards as nominated by other members in the club. This gives you the heads up as to which wines are highly sought after and enjoyed by other wine connoisseurs.
- Budget: The club’s price range allows you to select bottles ranging from under $10 each to over $30 per bottle.
Having the option to select a mixed case of wines gives you the freedom to include a range of wines from different countries and regions plus a mix of both reds and whites.
Every case includes tasting notes and the club will also email you digital tasting cards based on the wines you’ve ordered. These cards are ideal for learning more about the wines in your case. You can expect detailed information about your wine, which winery or vineyard it’s sourced from, in-depth information about the winemakers, the region, and food pairing.
Return Policy
The wine club’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee policy means you’ll get refunded your money if you’re not happy with any of their wines. While the club goes out of its way to ensure your wine case is delivered intact and to your satisfaction, they accept any refund claims with no questions asked.
How to Cancel Wine Club Membership?
Once you’ve signed up and accepted the club’s Introductory Order, you automatically become a member. It’s essential to note your membership rate increases to $149.99 per month after the initial $39.99 sign-up for the first case. However, the bonus of joining this club is that you can cancel at any time. Just head to Wine Club Settings and scroll to the bottom of the page. Or you call into their offices during business hours.
Special Events
Laithwaites virtual events are the highlights of this club’s tasting festivals. Wines are delivered to the participant’s home before the event. In order for members to benefit from these special events, recommendations on specific items are made beforehand so the online tasting experience is worthwhile.
Shipping and Delivery
Wine case shipments are done every three months, making Laithwaites Wine Club one of the most popular quarterly delivery clubs. This method of delivery keeps shipping costs down which means you pay less per bottle of wine.
The first case shipment delivery cost is $9.99 for six bottles, changing to $19.99 for 12 bottles for every shipment thereafter. FedEx handles all deliveries after shipment is done. Customers may also collect their order from the FedEx Hold Locations.
United States
Laithwaites Wine Club delivers to 44 states across the United States. There may be some delivery restrictions in some areas as well as extra FedEx charges in Alaska. When ordering your wine from Laithwaites, find out if any of these terms apply to your state.
Delivery Times
Delivery times vary according to the state you’re living in. Some states will only take between 7 to 8 days, while other states may take up to 11 to 18 days for delivery. Once your order has been processed, Laithwaites will send you an email confirming your shipment and estimated delivery date.
Can You Swap Wines / Hold In Your Shipment?
The club does allow you to place holds on your shipments. You can also swap your wines by changing your selected plan. This allows you to swap out your individual wines to some of your more favorite ones. And, you can swap for any other wines you’re keen to try out for the first time.
Restocking Fees
If you don’t cancel nine days before your next shipment is loaded, you’re obligated to accept that order. You can return the case but then you’ll be liable for all shipping costs as well as a restocking fee.
How to File a Damage Claim?
While every effort is made to ensure your bottles arrived undamaged, accidents do happen. Should one of your bottles be broken when you open the case, you can email Laithwaites’ customer services within 60 days of receiving your case. A replacement will be sent to you at no cost to you.
Is Laithwaites Club Right For You?
Social Media Users’ Reviews
Reviews by users of Laithwaites are mixed with most being favorable. Excellent delivery, great selection of wines, and good service whenever a refund was needed was mentioned across the board by users. Some comments did note that the wine selection may not suit the novice wine drinker while another said it was “a great way to discover wines that you don’t see in the supermarkets.”
A user did comment on his disappointment on the choice of white wines in the Introductory Offer, feeling they could have done a better job with their selection. Another customer received wines that weren’t listed on the brochure he picked his order from. And, another customer warned that you’ll get the same bottles with every shipment!
Who Should Join Laithwaites Club?
If you’re a wine connoisseur who wants to have the option of sampling wines from all over the world, then Laithwaites Wine Club is a good bet. With over 40,000 different wines sampled by the club’s winetasters, you won’t be short of varietals and regions to select from. Plus, their vast wine menu of wine types means you can mix and match or simply go with the reds or whites.
Who Should Not Join Laithwaites Club?
However, if you find the choice of foreign wines overwhelming, you may not want to join this club. But do note that they club will send you fully-detailed tasting notes of specific wines included in your case to help you learn more about the types.
If you battle to consume the wine before each shipment delivery, then this may also not be your club of choice. You can hold deliveries though so consider this before deciding against signing up to Laithwaites Wine Club.
Alternative Wine Clubs
If you’re looking for an alternative wine club you could consider the U.S. based Cellars Wine Club. You may be attracted by their free shipping offer on all shipments while still benefitting from their wide selection of wines sourced globally. Their wine prices may be slightly higher than some of Laithwaites cheaper wines but when you factor in the free shipping, you’re still benefitting.
Also Read:
Firstleaf is another wine club to look into with its $40 welcome-to-the-club offer of six curated bottles. Shipments are made every one, two, or three months depending on your plan and six bottles cost you $90. Wine Awesomeness is worth exploring with its affordable prices especially for 6-bottle cases and unique approach to offering wines every month from different regions.
Final Thoughts
Laithwaites wide range of wines makes this club an interesting one to join if you’re up to experimenting with foreign wines outside of the United States. Quarterly shipments also gives you enough time to consume your wine before the next case arrive if you’re not a moderate drinker.
Attractive options such as swapping out, holding your delivery, and various discounts do make this club a good one to join. If you’re a fan of sampling all wine types from reds to whites, sparkling and champagne as well as rosé, then joining Laithwaites Wine Club will satisfy your wine palate.