Winc is a California-based winery that saw the light in 2012, as a distributor and wine presser for its membership. The founders, Xander Oxman and Geoff McFarlane shared a vision that wine should be accessible to everyone.
This saw them join hands with Sommelier Brian Smith, who was an experienced winemaker and still is. Together, they sought to develop America’s greatest wine club experience where everyone would get to enjoy quality wines.
Winc has since then produced over 300,000 cases of wines from 97 regions in 12 countries worldwide. They have pressed 78 grape varieties to come up with a social blend of culture and adventure in their wines.
This has seen them continue to bank more growth, and membership skyrocketing by the day. Today, it is one of the most coveted wine clubs among the available hundreds.
The team seeks to offer preference and variety in their cellar. As a result, they garner wines and grapes from different vineyards across California and other popular wine destinations worldwide-you will find Winc brands in Whole Food, Kroger Stores, and Vons.
The wines sell even at retail grocery stores, restaurants, and events as a mark of quality. They are affordable, giving your taste buds a dance without rendering you bankrupt.
Winc Wine Club Overview
Pros
Cons
How to Join Winc Wine Club
Many people in America enjoy a glass of wine. Its association with class and fun is of no level with any other beverage, being served in high-end hotels and as accompaniment for refined dining experience(s).
There is nothing as relaxing as a glass of fine wine after a long day at work, or when relaxing on the front porch on a sunny afternoon. But sometimes, the hustle of choosing the wine at the grocery store is overwhelming, and probably you are no professional wine taster, for starters.
Winc Wine Club is an experience that you can immerse yourself in if you are a wine enthusiast and would like to get your dose each month with convenience at the front door. It is like the Amazon of fine wines! No hustle at all, just a few clicks, and you are set to be wowed.
Step 1: The palate quiz
To know how to select your wines, and your preferences, the website will ask you a few questions. The one minute quiz has five questions on your tastes and food preferences:
- What is your wine preference? (Red or White)
- Your favorite flavors (strawberry, cranberry, citrus, vanilla, pomegranate, plum, rhubarb butterscotch, lime, tart cherry)
- Preference on Skittles and M&M mix
- Regions you may be interested in trying wine from
- Favorite foods (sushi, pizza, fish, barbeque, veggies, cheese Mexican, pasta, etc.)
Step 2: Wine selection
Choose what you prefer between white and red wines.
Step 3: Cart
The system generates a cart with 3-4 wines based on results in the previous palate quiz.
Step 4: Confirm your order
You will be able to access the generated cart and confirm the wines present. Alternatively, you can delete, add or swap the wines to a taste of your liking. This feature is very likable as same caliber wineries do not allow such.
Step 5: Complete Payment and shipping
The last step will be to fill in your details in a registration form. After signing up, add payment information (bank details, credit card, apple pay, or PayPal) and your shipping address. After successful registration and payment, your order will be with you soon after.
Your wine selection is based on your palate quiz results. The results are a close of 4 wines that best match your taste buds. 70% of the match is usually exciting, according to reviews.
It gets better as you get to use the service more. The computer will be recommending new bottles based on what you already love. Customers report 95% preference satisfaction in the wines they are receiving from Winc by the third shipment.
Wines at Winc Wine Club
Winc produces eco-friendly varieties like vegan, organic/natural, low sugar, low alcohol, and low Sulphur. The production method allows you to enjoy a drink that leaves a minimal carbon footprint in the world.
The categories range from; rose, cider, vegan, red, white, and sparkling wines.
How Does Winc Select Their Wines?
The team lead at Winc, Brian Smith, is a renowned winemaker and professional sommelier. Winc scours for the best talent in winemaking to ensure that quality is above all else, then affordability.
That said, the Winc product development team comprises experienced sommeliers and sensory analysts who taste every wine they have on their line. They make sure that beach wine passes nervous tests of taste, smell, and appeal so that the end product is smooth and easy on the throat, pleasing to the nose, and of course, having that wine effect that you love.
Winc produces over 300,000 bottles annually, all from different berries and locations around the globe. Seeing that the winery is located in California, they make sure that there are many local wines made from local berries that produce home-felt wines.
They offer international standards flavors from berries sourced in wine countries like Argentina, Spain, France, and Italy.
They are producers of the popular Cuvee Folly (Beats Pinot) and the Chop Shop Cabernet Sauvignon. Winc has gone all the way to make varieties of wines, with six region-specific options on the line.
Popular Lines at Winc
- Summer Water-here you will find the rose and red Hampton water
- Wonderful Wine Co-wines with low sugar/alcohol/sulfur and vegan or organic options.
- Pacificana-these are part of the 1% For the Planet program that sees 1% of spending on Pacificana brand purchases go to environmental conservation efforts.
- Folly of the Beast-these offer quality at affordable prices. You will enjoy the likes of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.
- Loves Me Not-sweet wines line; rose, white and red varieties.
Bestseller Wines to Look To for at Winc
These customer-preferred wines are sought after for their taste and affordability. If you are trying Winc Wine Club for the first time, you have got to try them.
- 2019 Rosa Obscura Red Blend
- 2019 Pacifica Chardonnay
- 2019 Pacifica Pinot Grigio
- 2019 Wall of Sound Red Blend
- 2019 Primus Pinot Grigio
Key Details of Winc Wine Club
Club Membership and Pricing
Winc Wine Club has praise for its affordability, and indeed they live up to its promise of wine accessibility to everyone. A bottle goes for as little as $13, with the price going up depending on the quality of the blend and origin.
Their most pricey bottles can shoot up to $75, but of late, they have dwindled the range to an affordable max of $25 per bottle. These are member prices only-new members can enjoy 50% off their first purchase.
If you wish to join Winc Wine Club, be prepared to pay a monthly subscription of $52-$59. They have two subscriptions plans you can opt for:
- Featured-costs $13 a bottle, where they choose the wine for you via their recommendation software
- Select-which lets you choose the wines you wish at $14-$25 per bottle.
Both plans supply you with 3-4 bottles of wine monthly, with non-members paying from $15 for a bottle of their fine coveted wines.
Wine Education
Winc usually offers a good selection of bottles which they think you can try. Additionally, they work with winemakers and vineyards worldwide to know more about these bottles and make their own varietals.
Every bottle’s details can be read before adding it to your shipment. This includes tasting notes, body, sweetness levels, food pairs, and ratings from other members.
Shipping and Delivery
Every month, you receive your shipment of wines for $9 for orders below $50. All orders above $50 are free, under the standard shipping.
- Standard shipping (3-5 days)-$15 for nonmembers and free for members
- Two-day delivery-$25
- Overnight shipping-$35
All shipments are delivered via FedEx. Currently, they are not delivering to Alaska, Delaware, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Hawaii, Michigan, Utah, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Arkansas.
You can expect your wine to be delivered within 3-5 days after the purchase of a plan. If you wish to have the drinks sooner, opt for the special overnight or the two-day delivery option.
Gifting With Winc
Winc offers electronic gift cards which you can gist with someone you love. You pay up for the card value, give their contact information, and the rest is up to Winc.
The team at Win contacts your recipient and notifies them of a gift card for them. They are required to sign up on the website so that Winc can select the options that best suit them using the palate quiz software analysis.
Know that the drinks that Winc gifts have are similar to those you would receive in a normal subscription-based membership. Therefore, know your recipient well, their taste, and preference, then judge if they will enjoy those wines.
The best thing may be to evaluate from experience: i.e., you can invite them over for a drink and serve your wine. If they happen to love it, then you can be sure they are going to be overjoyed by Winc’s gifts!
Also, confirm the receiver’s location as Winc does not ship to all states in the US or internationally, for that matter.
Customer Support Services
Winc is very fast in signing up and delivering, something that has seen it be a long-standing wine club experience. You can get in contact with Winc’s customer service on their social media or text message. Also, you can forward your request via the live chat option on their website.
Return Policy and Refunds
If you receive a shipment and do not like it, Winc provides a leeway where you will not pay for the bottle. At their discretion, you may receive a refund for the amount spent. Alternatively, you may get a reduced fee for your next monthly shipment.
Winc also offers a skip option, where you can skip as many times as you wish for the monthly subscriptions without restrictions or penalties. You will have to do so 48 hours before your next shipping date for smooth confirmation of your requests.
Cancellation Policy
You cancel your membership at any given time without charges, nor will it affect you should you decide to restart your membership. The off about this is that your credits are not refundable, and they get lost when you cancel your subscription.
Pros of Winc Wine Club
Member Benefits
- Enjoy fine wine at a friendly price-starting as low as $13 a bottle compared to the non-member price of $15 a bottle. You enjoy discounted prices for the quality wines you receive.
- As a member, you can choose between two plans that Win offers; featured and select. This is very good as you can track your budget well while still enjoying a goblet of wine.
- Get exclusive first offers of new wines that Winc makes.
- $10 in credits every time you rate a shipment/drinks. You can use these to buy more wine or settle your incoming subscription.
- Free shipment of orders via standard shipping
- Referral awards-$15 credits for every person you refer to subscribe to Winc Wine Club.
- Discounts on Credit prices-up to $100
- You don’t pay for wines you receive, and you don’t like them
Save Money with the Winc Credit System
Members can purchase credits instead of making direct deposits to pay for monthly subscriptions.
- Buy $150 in credits for $140
- Buy $300 in credits for $275
- Buy $600 in credits for $500
Get a 10% discount on top of the slashed prices when you buy 12 bottles of your favorite wines.
Coupons and Discounts
It has significant savings on the members and gives free deliveries on orders above $50 to their members. Enjoy coupons of 20% and 50% for first-time subscribers.
Is It Right for You?
Customer Reviews
Winc Wine Club has received a portion of a double-edged sword. However, the pros of this service outweigh the negatives, in their mandate of delivering quality wine to its consumers all year round.
Below are some real reactions from customers.
“I was subscribed to Winc for a year and wasn’t a fan. Out of all the shipments I received (I got a mixture of reds, whites, and rose) I only liked a handful. Also, most of their top-rated wines on their site seemed to always be sold out. The only other subscription I have tried is the first leaf, I thought their wines were significantly better and the variety was preferable to Winc’s. Hope this helps!”
“Great wines at reasonable prices directly to my door every month taking the guesswork to buy out of the equation.”
“Worst customer service ever! For a company calling itself the Netflix of wines’, it did not at all impress me. The wines they sent me tasted like some $10 from the grocery store. I don’t recommend this service unless they change.”
“So I got my dad a Winc gift card for Christmas-the man loves wine. You should have seen the grin on his face as he held the four bottles of wine Winc delivered! The wines were tasty for a sweet tooth, loved it.”
Who Should Join the Winc Wine Club?
If you are a novice trying to enter the wine world, Winc is the perfect partner to guide you. The club sends you 3-4 different bottles of wine that will spike your taste buds. You get to learn about your tastes in the process, pairings, and how to handle different kinds of wines.
For any adventurer, exploration is always exciting. Winc has an option for you to enjoy different wines as you like. They introduce new wines every so often, so you are assured of getting renewed tastes to interest you.
You can also swap your cart to contain only the wines you would like to have. If you don’t like the wine delivered, there is an option to swap or seek a refund.
Winc is a good catch for any occasional drinker, as you can skip shipments if your previous delivery is yet to finish. It is very budget-friendly, and you don’t have to suffer paying for a cellar you don’t enjoy.
Who Should not join the Winc Wine Club?
If you enjoy the $35+ bottles, the Winc wines may taste cheap. Therefore, seeking an alternative wine club that suits your taste will be better.
If you prefer a specific wine or the established brands, Winc may not be for you. They are a winery, so primarily, they supply their own.
Alternatives to Winc Wine Club
You can find alternative clubs that will suit your preference if Winc feels like not a good fit. Below are some of the best as per reviews:
Bright Cellars–their heftiest selling point is their guarantee, replacing every bottle you don’t love for free! Their wine selection is higher, offering a variety with rates of bottles ranging from $15-$75 a bottle. If you want more personalized service, try membership at this club.
Naked Wines-customer favorite for variety. Like Winc wine club, it allows you to select your wines. But their wines are independently handmade by winemakers.
The filters can segment based on region, type of grape, and type of wine, but their wines are independently handmade by winemakers. Their Angel Deal member gift of a wine bottle is a central perk to join. You can also make a one-time purchase from this wine club.
If you would prefer affordable quality, Firstleaf wine club will be beneficial. They partner with different wineries to provide an assortment of wines starting at $39.95 for the first shipment of 6 bottles. They taste up to 10,000 wines all over the world, with only 2% of those reaching their members. This means quality is a priority here.
Summary
For a wine novice, or someone looking to explore wine without breaking the bank, Winc is a go-to option. It offers affordable prices on quality wines sought from all over the globe. Be ready to be wowed by the aftermath of a successful taste buds stimulation with these professionally made wines from the best vines.
As a new member, enjoy up to a 50% discount on your first purchase of 4+ bottles. Members get free delivery for orders above $50 via standard delivery by FedEx. You can decide to skip a month or two without any penalties on your account.