Facebook PixelClub W vs Bright Cellars vs Firstleaf vs Wine Awesomeness – Aug 2016 | MSA
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Club W vs Bright Cellars vs Firstleaf vs Wine Awesomeness – Aug 2016

Lindsey Morse
ByLindsey MorseSep 7, 2016 | 1 comment

wine collage

Bright Cellars
3.3 overall rating
7 Ratings | 4 Reviews

This month, I reviewed wine boxes from Club WBright CellarsFirstleaf, and Wine Awesomeness. To see how the subscriptions compare, I’ve outlined what I received from each subscription below.

Read on to see the wines I received and to find out which box came out on top for me this month!

ClubW-August-2016-Box

Club W is a wine subscription box that re-imagines the traditional wine club. They offer a regularly changing selection of unique, small production wines that are sourced directly from vineyards and winemakers. Club W suggests bottles for you based on a “palate profile quiz” you take when you join. You can decide to receive the bottles they suggest for you, or you can pick your own wines from their ever-changing collection. Club W wines start at $13 each, and shipping is free on orders of 4 or more bottles. You can skip a shipment at any time.

ClubW-August-2016-Open

(Note that Club W is in the process of re-branding as Winc. As of now, the packaging has been changed, but orders can still be placed and managed through Club W.)

COUPON: $20 off your first order, no coupon required, just use this link!

Ships to: All US states EXCEPT AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, KY, MS, OK, PA, RI, DS, and UT

Check out the full Club W review here!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!

ClubW-August-2016-AllWines

2015 Più Gioia Pinot Grigio- $13

2015 Yé-Yé Albariño- $13

2015 The Independent® Chenin Blanc- $13

2015 Vinyasa Chenin Blanc- $13

I picked my wines this month, so none of the bottles were a surprise. I really enjoyed every single bottle, and I loved both the Albariño, which had flavors of salty citrus and pineapple, and The Independent Chenin Blanc, which was very reserved and had flavors of apple and melon.

BrightCellars-August-2016-Box

Bright Cellars was founded by a couple of MIT grads with a passion for wine and technology, and the subscription is designed with both of those interests in mind. When you sign up for a subscription, you take a “taste palate quiz” that helps pinpoint your taste in wine. Your monthly wines are then 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. Also, interestingly, Bright Cellars doesn’t hire sommeliers to help influence wine buying. Instead, they crowd source their wine selections by relying on the tastes of their team. (Office wine tastings? Wouldn’t that be a fun perk of working at Bright Cellars!) Shipments contain 4 bottles and cost $60 + $8 shipping.

BrightCellars-August-2016-BoxWines1

COUPON: Receive a $30 credit towards your first box!, no coupon required, just use this link!

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 the full Bright Cellars review here!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!

BrightCellars-August-2016-Wines

2014 Los Mares Malbec

2014 Tre Creste Inzolia- $15.95

2014 Buffalo Grove Chardonnay- $12.99 (on sale for $8.99)

Kogarah Canyon Chardonnay

This wasn’t a great month for me with Bright Cellars. I wasn’t a big fan of the Malbec or the Inzolia, but I liked both Chardonnays. The Buffalo Grove Chardonnay was creamy and smooth, with subtle flavors of tropical fruit and apple, while the Kogarah Canyon Chardonnay was much fruitier and had hints of vanilla. Both were really tasty.

WineAwesomeness-August-2016-Box

Wine Awesomeness specializes in rare and unusual wines, and their curatorial team is led by a Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year! They seek out “the coolest, craveworthiest wines” and send “vino you don’t see everyday, but will want to drink everyday.” There’s no quiz with Wine Awesomeness, and the bottles you receive are not tailored to your taste; however, you can pick whether you want to receive all reds, all whites (with a chance of rosé or bubbly), or a mix (with a chance of rosé or bubbly). Wine Awesomeness costs $45 per month for 3 bottles.

WineAwesomeness-August-2016-Inside

COUPON: Get your first box free - just pay $22.50 shipping, no coupon required, just use this link!

Ships to: US (Including states where most other alcohol subscriptions don’t ship, like PA and OK!)

Check out the full Wine Awesomeness review here!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wish list!

WineAwesomeness-August-2016-Bottles

2015 Camp Chardonnay, Sonoma County- $18

Senda Verde Albarino 2015

Jeannette Eger Riesling 2014- $18

Again this month, Wine Awesomeness really impressed me. All three bottles I received were excellent. The Chardonnay was a little creamy for my palate (I tend to prefer wines that are more crisp and acidic), but it was still great, and both the Riesling and Albarino were wonderful. Funny story: a few days after receiving this box I was out to dinner with friends when I spotted the Senda Verde Albarino on the restaurant’s wine list. I ordered a bottle for the table, and my friends loved it!

FirstLeaf-August-2016-Box

Firstleaf is a new monthly wine subscription from the parent company that owns magazines like Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Sunset, and Travel + Leisure. By rating the wines you receive, Firstleaf learns your tastes and can start to personalize the wines you receive. You can preview your wines every month and swap out up to 3 bottles. Every box includes 6 bottles and costs $79 + shipping. (For reference, the total cost with shipping to DC is $88.95.)

FirstLeaf-August-2016-Inside

COUPON: Get your first 3 bottles for only $19.95 (including shipping). No code required, just use this link.

Ships to: US

Check out the full Firstleaf review here!

Keep track of your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wish list!

FirstLeaf-August-2016-Bottles

Four & Twenty Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Still & Co. Oakville Limited Release 2014

Andâs Malbec 2015

Clarendelle Rosé 2014- $16.99

Sugar Reef Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand- $11.29

Albamar Sauvignon Blanc 2015- $12

I was all over the place with this box from Firstleaf. I enjoyed both Sauvignon Blancs and the rosé, I thought the Malbec was okay, and I really didn’t like either of the other reds. This is only my first full box from Firstleaf (last month I reviewed their introductory box), and I made sure to rate the wines I received. I’m hoping that my feedback from this month will help improve next month’s selections. Fingers crossed!

The Verdict: It’s so much fun to compare the different wine subscriptions and look back at the bottles I received this month. There were a lot of great bottles in August, but I think my two favorites have to be the 2015 Yé-Yé Albariño from Club W and the Senda Verde Albariño from Wine Awesomeness. (Of course, I may be biased since I’m currently fostering a bit of an Albariño obsession.) In the race for best overall box, I have to say that I’m really impressed with both Club W and Wine Awesomeness. It’s so close that I think I have to declare it a tie!

WineRoundup-August-2016-BoxWinner1

WineRoundup-August-2016-BoxWinner2

Favorite box: It’s a tie this month between Wine Awesomeness and Club W!

WineRoundup-August-2016-WineWinner

Top bottle: 2015 Yé-Yé Albariño (from Club W)

Do you subscribe to Club WBright Cellars, Firstleaf, or Wine Awesomeness? Did you discover any great wines this month?

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A subscription box that sends you 4 bottles of wine custom matched to your palette based upon our wine quiz. Each month, you'll get 4 bottles of wine ($20/each).

Lindsey Morse
Lindsey Morse

Lindsey is a professional baker, cold brew coffee addict, and rosé aficionado who loves writing about food and wine. When she’s not sharing her love of subscription boxes with the world, you’ll find her in the podcasting studio, perfecting her cake decorating techniques, or cursing her way through the New York Times daily crossword puzzle. 


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1 comment

jill

I want your job lol

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