Winc (formerly known as Club W) is a wine subscription box that re-imagines the traditional wine club. Winc offers a regularly changing selection of unique, small production wines that are sourced directly from vineyards and winemakers.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Winc
The Subscription Box: Winc
The Cost: Bottles start at $13 each. (Shipping is free on orders of 4 or more bottles.)
The Products: Small-lot wines sourced directly from vineyards and wine makers.
Ships to: All US states EXCEPT AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, KY, MS, OK, PA, RI, DS, and UT.
Winc November 2018 Review
When you sign up to join Winc, you take a short, fun “palate profile” quiz that helps determine your taste in wine. Based on your answers, Winc makes bottle recommendations for you every month. You can go along with their recommendations or choose your own bottles from their regularly changing selection (or skip the month completely).
The bottles are shipped in an upright cardboard box that has molded pieces to hold them in place. This also helps prevent the bottles from bashing into one another during transport. The box is rather sturdy and has a super handy handle that makes it easy to carry! It’s quite the transportable beauty. A real party in a box, if you will.
Looks like everyone arrived safely!
Here’s a look at what was in this month’s envelope.
Winc combined some interesting hosting tidbits with occasion-based suggestions for their products on the flip side.
Omaha Steaks provided a promo for their family gourmet feast.
SmileDirectClub also sent along a discount code for their invisible aligners and a free whitening treatment.
Let’s get into the wines, shall we?
2017 Wall of Sound Red Blend — Retail Value $16.99 (or $13 through subscription)
California
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Sweet
Alcohol: 15%
Winemaking: Vegan
I actually received this same wine back in September, but my opinion remains the same. Despite not being much of a red wine kinda gal, I found this red blend was really nice. Easy to drink and heavy on the dark fruits (namely blackberries, cherries, and plums), Wall of Sound beckons for pasta in red sauce, or a fancy pizza. The flavor wants to be tart and almost is, but it’s not quite there, and I appreciate that. The blend is predominately zinfandel with supporting hints of petite Sirah and merlot. Really warmed me from the inside out. Looks like I have a reason to whip up some veggie bolognese!
2017 Passarola White Blend — Retail Value $16.99 (or $13 through subscription)
Portugal
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.3%
For a dry white, this one goes down so smoothly! This is my first imported bottle from Winc, and color me impressed. With tasting notes of green apple, honeysuckle, lemon, and white peach, this wine is a nice pair for seafood. I’m putting a sushi dinner on the meal rotation for this week ASAP! This bottle won’t last very long in my home—and for good reason. Well done, Portugal!
2018 Alma Libre Pinot Noir —Retail value $16.99 (or $13 through subscription)
Aconcagua, Chile
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.6%
This pinot noir was really interesting. Rather buttery with hints of cherry, fresh herbs, raspberry, and strawberry, this bottle wasn’t my favorite at first sip, but as I made my way through the glass, it really grew on me. Ultimately, what’s not to like about a wine that pairs with pizza?
2017 Finke’s Barrel Aged Sparkling Chardonnay —Retail Value $25.99 (or $20 through subscription)
California
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.5%
Winemaking: Eco-friendly, vegan
I had no idea Winc did sparkling wines! This was a really fun surprise. According to their site, this sparkling Chardonnay is currently sold out, so it’s gotta be good, right? Featuring tasting notes of apricot, butterscotch, honeysuckle, and peach rings (many of my favorite things are related to carbs), this wine was sophisticated with a nice, dry finish. I can’t tell you the last time I paid more than $10 for a bottle of sparkling wine, so this chardonnay certainly has me thinking differently.
Verdict: This month’s selections were a nice exploration of three distinct continents! Though I was a little disappointed to receive a duplicate bottle from September’s box, it was still a wine I appreciated. My favorite was definitely the Passarola, and I’m really excited to pair it with a nice sushi dinner at home. The sparkling chardonnay was a fun surprise, and overall, I was happy to have a taste of wines from around the world. Once again, Winc was a worthwhile experience, and I’m looking forward to sharing each bottle with friends (except for maybe the Passarola—that one could easily be all for me).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Since Winc allows you to choose your wine, you can get any combination you’d like any month. Sign up today and you’re welcome to curate your own or let them choose.
Coupon – Save $25 off your first order, no coupon required, just use this link
Value Breakdown: This box cost $59.00 for four full bottles of wine but had a retail value of $76.96, so I saved $17.96 by having the subscription.
Check out all of our Winc reviews or visit the Drink Subscription Box List for more boozy boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Do you have a favorite Winc wine?
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