Bright Cellars is a monthly wine subscription that matches you to wine based on seven question quiz that helps to identify your wine palate.
Bright Cellars was founded by two MIT grads with a passion for wine and technology. Using your “taste palate quiz” you are given a 4-bottle recommendation to review. You can either agree with their selections and proceed to purchase, or you can switch out one or more of the bottles. Since this is my first month, I went with the recommended bottles as I was unfamiliar with the brands offered.
I love that there are options to be adventurous and that you can pick all red, all white, or a mix. I’m a white drinker – my husband a red – so I love that this one subscription can meet both of our individual needs and be flexible from month to month.
You’re asked to rate each bottle using a quick survey tool to help the algorithm become smarter and more in tune to your taste profile going forward.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Bright Cellars
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 bottles of wine selected based on your taste profile
Ships to: U.S. 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].
Good To Know: You can adjust your shipment frequency in your settings. An adult 21+ must be present at the time of delivery to sign for the shipment. There is an option to add a cheese pairing to your box for $48, this includes 4 cheeses ranging in size from 5-8 oz. each.
Bright Cellars April 2018 Review
This is my first Bright Cellars shipment, so I’m excited to see how well the baseline algorithm worked for me! I received 4 bottles of wine – 1 Red, 1 Rose, and 2 White:
There were two inserts contained in the box.
The first insert was titled “sipping into spring” and provides a guide to “tricky wine words.” Did you know that the Zweigelt [Svye-gelt] is the most planted red wine fraps in Austria? Now you do! There is also a delish sounding Rosé Cocktail Recipe!
The second insert is an advertisement and coupon for Maria Shireen, the creator of the original hair tie bracelet.
Mojave Rain Merlot 2016 (California, USA) – Estimated Value $20
Tasting Notes: Red Raspberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, Plum, Spice
A new vintage of our Mojave Rain Merlot, this wine exhibits ripe, red fruits like plum, red raspberry and strawberry, soft tannins and a round finish. Enjoy this wine with grilled vegetables with rosemary or a bean and sausage stew. Camembert, Gouda and Gruyere cheeses pair nicely with this wine!
My husband is the red wine drinker in the family, and he thought it was ‘good not great’ medium red. His biggest complaint was that he felt it was a little thin – but did enjoy the bold deep berry flavors. I found this wine to be palatable and enjoyed the glass that I sampled, as it wasn’t super dry.
Quinte Royale Chardonnay 2016 (Pays d’Oc, France) – Estimated Value $15
Tasting Notes: Pineapple, Mango, Lemon, Yellow Pear, Starfruit
This Chardonnay from the south of France is full of old world charm. Not quite as ripe as its California counterparts, this wine still boasts tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, mango, and starfruit with elevated acidity and a slightly lighter body. This wine pairs beautifully with scallops or rich, creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.
This bottle was my favorite of the two chardonnay’s that I tried this month. It’s no wonder, being that this bottle was from France – and is a more traditional, rich white Chardonnay. It had a very pleasing finish and was the perfect level of sweetness for me. I had it on its own (no food pairing) but it would go very well with seafood. I’ll plan on ordering this again in the future – plus, I really loved the label! This would be the perfect bottle to bring to a card night with friends.
Pana Chardonnay 2017 (Big Rivers, Australia) – Estimated Value $20
Tasting Notes: Pineapple, Mango, Lemon, Yellow Apple, Florals
This new vintage of our Australian Chardonnay will dazzle you with its ripe fruits and tropical aromas. A small percentage of Semillon adds a rich and round mouthfeel to this wine. Enjoy with creamy shellfish dishes like crab, lobster or prawns in a white wine sauce. Pair with Camembert or other mild cheeses drizzled with honey.
While I preferred the Quinte Royale, this was also a decent bottle of Chardonnay. It was slightly drier than the other, and I could definitely pick up on the floral tasting notes. To me, it could have used a little more balance.
Obscura Rosé 2016 (California, USA) - Estimated Value $15
Tasting Notes: Strawberry, Watermelon, Cherry, Lemon, Lime
A juicy, fruit-forward Rosé, this wine shows aromas of strawberry, watermelon, and red cherry, with notes of bright citrus on the palate. Serve slightly chilled to sip on its own, or try pairing with picnic fare- cheeses, sandwiches or cold salads (fruit or veggie!).
I’d hope this never becomes Obscur(e)a! I loved this Rosé. It was refreshing, light, and full of character. The citrus flavors were the perfect complement and added the needed acidity to the sweet fruit notes. Although there was a Rosé cocktail recipe included with this box, I simply chose to drink this chilled and on its own. It didn’t see sunrise!
Verdict: The subscription cost for Bright Cellars breaks down to $17 per bottle after shipping. I could only find 2 of the brands available online, each for $20 – so I feel like this subscription is probably fairly priced and more about finding new and unique wines you love than scoring high-value products. I liked all of the wines, and both my husband and I found them all to be drinkable and easily palatable. Hands down, my favorite was the Rosé. I’ll look to getting that again in future boxes this summer!
The Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Because of the variation, it’s unlikely that you would get the same items that I’m showing here. These wines are available for sale (min of 4) on the Bright Cellars website.
Coupon - Save 50% off your first box! No code required, just use this link!
Value Breakdown: This box cost me $60 + $8 shipping, which means that each of the 4 wines in the box has an average cost of $17.
Check out all of our Bright Cellars Reviews and find more wine subscriptions in the Wine Subscription Box Directory!
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