Winc is a wine subscription box that re-imagines the traditional wine club by offering 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 this Wine Subscription
The Subscription Box: Winc
The Cost: Bottles start at $12.99 each with a membership. (Shipping is free on orders of 4 or more bottles.)
The Products: Small-lot wines, ciders, and sparkling options sourced directly from vineyards and winemakers.
Ships to: Eligible US zip codes, which you can check through this link.
Winc January 2020 Review
When you sign up to join Winc, you take a six-question palate profile quiz to help determine your taste in wine. Based on your answers, Winc makes bottle recommendations for you every month. You can 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.
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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 convenient handle that makes it easy to carry. I get a lot of use out of the box's clever design and always make sure to keep at least one on-hand so I can make quick work of toting multiple bottles to a friend's house (when I feel like sharing, that is).
Winc also included a promo card for SmileDirectClub. I had braces for six and a half years growing up so I won't be making use of this, but it could help someone else!
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2018 Folly of the Beast Pinot Noir — $18.99 (or $16.99 through the subscription)
Central Coast, California
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 13.8%
Winemaking: Eco-friendly
I opted to receive 1 red and 3 whites several months ago and it's an arrangement that's been working well for me. My only red of the month is this one I've had before from my favorite Winc shipment ever. Though that was the 2017 variety, this newer version still reminded me of a fancy grape juice and I just couldn't put it down. Delicious!
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2018 Vinyasa Chardonnay — $14.99 (or $12.99 through the subscription)
Clarksburg, California
Body: Light
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 12.5%
Winemaking: Eco-friendly
This is a more recent repeat which I welcomed because of how it tastes and how it's marketed. In terms of taste, it's bright and lovely with lemon and green apple notes at the forefront, with the crushed rock and cucumber notes not registering on my palate at all—and honestly, that's fine by me. Your mileage may vary. In terms of marketing, this one is touted as the perfect post-workout wine due to its modest alcohol content, and given I just renewed my gym membership yesterday after many months off, I wholeheartedly accept the gimmick. Can't wait to enjoy the rest of this bottle in the comfort of an old T-shirt and some sweaty leggings after 30 grueling minutes of cardio.
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2017 The Independent® Chardonnay — $33.99 (or $28.99 through the subscription)
Carneros-Sonoma, California
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 14%
Winemaking: Eco-friendly, vegan
One thing I've noticed about Winc's recent offerings is a steady decrease in the selection of the more affordable wines, and an increase in these pricier options. Winc revealed in an email a few days ago they have quite a few exciting options and opportunities to roll out this year, so perhaps that has something to do with this change? Or maybe they're trying to cater to a different financial demographic? I can't say. What I can say is, this chardonnay was delicious. With a tasting notes roster of apricot, honey, pear, and crushed rock, this one was destined to be a winner, and three out of four of those things are favorites of mine! I'll let you guess which. I've had wines as good as this one for slightly less, but it was nice testing out one of the more elevated options this time around.
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2018 Cocomero Rosé (Scratch and Sniff) — $16.99 (or $14.99 through the subscription)
California
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 13%
Winemaking: Vegan
Another familiar face! The first time I received this wine, it knocked my socks off with its adorable scratch and sniff label and charming illustrated design. I was also really delighted by its flavor. Oftentimes, the most gimmicky wines are the ones that end up in my basket if I'm out shopping, but the taste and quality usually leave me wanting. This rosé is so light and pleasant with its fruity notes and dry finish. I've also noticed as Winc rotates new offerings in and out of its monthly collections, this bottle remains—and for plenty of good reasons!
Verdict: Winc was really nice this month. I enjoyed all of my bottles, though I did have to quickly hop onto my account before the box shipped to nix all of the sparkling options they were about to send me again. I am feeling a little wary about the increase of expensive wines and the noticeable decrease of the more affordable options, because the less-expensive picks oftentimes wind up being my favorites. Plus, from a budget perspective, having access to great wines at an attainable price point is a large part of what I enjoy about this subscription! There is a greater difference between the retail value and membership price for the more expensive bottles, so when it comes down to it, the value is largely about how you play it. All of that said, I do recommend Winc if you're curious and would like to relish in the convenience of having four (or more) delicious bottles show up at your door every month.
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. As of publication, all the bottles I received are available, so you could duplicate this box if you feel so inclined! Sign up today and curate your own selection, or let them choose a few bottles for you.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $73.96 for four full bottles of wine, but had a retail value of $82.96, so that's a savings of $9.00 by having the subscription.
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