Bright Cellars is a monthly wine subscription that sends wine paired to your tastes.
Bright Cellars was founded by two MIT grads with a passion for wine and technology, and they approach wine a little differently than most wine clubs.
When you sign up for a membership, you take a “taste palate quiz” to determine your unique taste profile.
Your monthly wines are selected using a proprietary algorithm that “scores each wine by comparing 18 attributes to your preferences, matching you with your monthly experience.” You can choose the ratio of red to white you receive in each box by adjusting your preferences online.
When it comes to selecting wines to add to their collection, Bright Cellars doesn’t turn to wine professionals or sommeliers. Instead, they crowd source their wine selection by relying on the tastes of their team.
If you’re ever sent a bottle you don’t love, the Bright Cellars Wine Concierge will help you select a free replacement bottle that will ship with your next box.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Bright Cellars
The Cost: $60 + $8 shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $50 off your first month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: 4 wines picked to match your unique taste profile.
Ships to: US states where it is legal to receive wine by mail. If you’re uncertain whether you can receive wine shipments, contact the Bright Cellars Wine Concierge at [email protected].
Check out all of our Bright Cellars Reviews and find more wine subscriptions in the Wine Subscription Box Directory!
Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!
This Bright Cellars shipment contained a “Battle of the Wine Stoppers” print that compares natural cork, synthetic cork, and screw top lids.
Information about the individual bottles in your shipment can be accessed through the Bright Cellars website.
Blue Towers Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my favorite red wines. I love the deep, complex flavor, and I like that it typically pairs well with food but is also capable of standing alone. With that in mind, I have to admit that this bottle is a little disappointing. The flavor is very flat, and I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but it just tastes cheap to me.
Glendale Cellars Red Wine Blend 2014 - $19.95
Luckily, this bottle has a little bit more going on. It has a bright acidity, and the flavor reminds me of raspberries. I’m not sure that I’d drink this wine alone, but I think it would pair nicely with Italian food. Maybe Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Hoagies?
Pana Merlot 2014
This bottle is pretty light bodied for a Merlot, and it lacks the tannins and oak that I usually expect to see. The flavor is a little fruity and a little spicy. It’s not bad, but I definitely wouldn’t seek it out.
Pana Chardonnay 2016
This bottle is from the same producer as the Merlot, and I’m a little disappointed to see two bottles from the same winemaker in this shipment. I suppose it shouldn’t matter if both bottles are tasty, but it concerns me that this is not the first time I’ve seen repeat brands in Bright Cellars. It makes me wonder if maybe they have a fairly limited bottle portfolio… Anyway, I’m really picky about Chardonnay, and unfortunately, this one really embodies the characteristics that make me steer clear of this wine. It’s super oaky and really buttery. (I prefer crisp Chardonnays that are aged in stainless steel, not oak.) I’m sure this wine would be a home run for lovers of creamy, oaky Chardonnay, but it’s a miss for me.
Verdict: I’d had good luck with Bright Cellars in the past, but this box was wrong for me. I think the Glendale Cellars Red Blend is the standout bottle in this box, but that’s really only because the others missed the mark. I’ll have to go revisit my quiz answers to try and mix things up a little bit. The subscription cost breaks down to $17 per bottle, and I’ve felt okay about that price point given the boxes I’ve received in the past. Obviously, I’m not as crazy about this one, but hopefully revisiting the quiz will help with next month’s shipment. If next month is another miss, I’m going to take Bright Cellars up on their wine guarantee to replace the bottles I don’t like.
Have you tried Bright Cellars?
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