Winc 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 winemakers.
Ships to: Check your zip code through this link for shipping eligibility.
Winc March 2019 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 either go along with their recommendations, choose your own bottles from their regularly changing selection, or skip the month completely. You can also take the palate profile test as often as you’d like.
The bottles are shipped in an upright cardboard box that has molded pieces to hold them in place. This helps prevent the bottles from bashing into one another during transport. The box is rather sturdy and has a super convenient 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, despite one of the corners of the box hanging on by a thread. Nice!
Here’s a glimpse at what was in this month’s envelope.
An advertisement for Movie Pass...
And a promo code for Grand Voyage, an Italian-made menswear brand for non-apparel. A lot of the marketing materials I’ve previously seen in Winc boxes have been geared towards women, so this was an interesting find.
In a small, separate envelope, there was a mysterious (but charmingly designed) ad for Summer Water, a rosé from Winc.
Let’s get into the wines, shall we?
2018 Outer Sounds Sauvignon Blanc — $18 for non-members (or $15 through subscription)
Marlborough, New Zealand
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.3%
This bottle touted itself as a white for any wine drinker, and I can’t help but agree. The bright acidity is initially very present, which is followed by a crisp, fruity flavor where the tasting notes of green apple, guava, and lemon really shine. It’s a solid, shareable wine for $15! I recommend it, even if you’re someone that doesn’t usually gravitate toward whites.
2017 Pregame Red Blend — Retail value $17 (or $15 through subscription)
Paso Robles, California
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 13.7%
Admittedly, the name and description of this bottle got me. After taking the palate profile quiz again, Winc suggested some bottles I’d already tried, so I went shopping around in the reds section and came across this one. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, and merlot, it’s a straightforward red wine with no bells or whistles—another bottle viable for sharing with company, especially if the crowd has varying tastes. I could really pick up on the strawberry notes, and I liked that.
2018 L’Atelier du Sud Sauvignon Blanc — Retail value $15 (or $13 through subscription)
France
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.3%
Winemaking: vegan
I hand-picked this one to replace another duplicate suggestion from Winc, after having enjoyed a red blend from L’Atelier du Sud. This sauvignon blanc looks fancy, tastes fancy, is surprisingly affordable, and lives up to the reputation of its darker counterpart. The apple and lime zest flavors are forward and refreshing, and they linger between sips. I found myself reaching for the glass almost as soon as I set it down. The lightness makes it a great choice for the warm weather ahead, and with that, I give this bottle another seal of approval.
2017 Far + Wide Touriga Nacional — Retail value $15 (or $13 through subscription)
Portugal
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 13.6%
Winc recommended this wine to me, which I was happy to see after enjoying a few other Portuguese varieties from their site. The Touriga Nacional is considered Portugal’s finest red wine grape, and the description for this particular bottle suggested serving it lightly chilled—leaving it in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving, to be precise. At room temperature, it was peppery and a little bit herbal, with a light, fruity complement. I liked it, and I can’t wait to try it at a slightly cooler temp.
Verdict: This month I received two reds, a white, and a rosé from Winc. I have been doing a mix of picking some of my own while taking their suggestions for some as well. This time, I found everything to be sweet even though that's not necessarily what is said on the site. I'm trying to expand my palette but this is harder than I thought! The Summer Water and Malbec came out on top for me this time, and the other two, not so much.
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.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $56.00 for four full bottles of wine but had a retail value of $65.00, so I saved $9.00 by having the subscription.
Check out all of our Winc reviews and the best wine of the month clubs of 2019!
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