Bright Cellars is a monthly wine subscription that matches you with wines you’ll love.
Bright Cellars was founded by two MIT grads with a passion for wine and technology, and they approach wine a little differently than most wine clubs.
When you sign up for a membership, you take a “taste palate quiz” to determine your own unique taste profile.
Your monthly wines are 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.
When it comes to selecting wines to add to their collection, Bright Cellars doesn’t turn to wine professionals or sommeliers. Instead, they crowd source their wine selection by relying on the tastes of their team. And the team is picky- only 1 in 12 wines tasted by the Bright Cellars team makes the cut!
If you’re ever sent a bottle you don’t love, the Bright Cellars Wine Concierge will help you select a free replacement bottle that will ship with your next box.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
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 wines picked to match your unique taste profile.
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 all of our Bright Cellars Reviews and find more wine subscriptions in the Wine Subscription Box Directory!
Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!
This Bright Cellars shipment contained a “Grape & Grill” print that provides information about pairing wine with meat.
Information about the individual bottles in your shipment can be accessed through the Bright Cellars website.
2014 Los Mares Malbec
This Malbec is my highest rated match this month, and I think it’s okay. My first sip was a little sharp, but after the wine opened up a little I could pick out flavors of blueberry and cherry. I love when I can pick out specific fruit flavors in wine, but this bottle also has an odd flavor that I can’t quite put my finger on. Altogether, not terrible but not my favorite either.
2014 Tre Creste Inzolia- $15.95
This is the second bottle of Inzolia I’ve received from Bright Cellars, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it anywhere else. I enjoyed the first bottle, but I’m not as big a fan of this one. Usually, I like wines that develop a bit on my palate, and this one is very one dimensional. It tastes a bit like unsweet, alcoholic fruit juice.
2014 Buffalo Grove Chardonnay- $12.99 (on sale for $8.99)
Luckily, I had much better luck with my last two wines. This 2014 Buffalo Grove Chardonnay is creamy and smooth, with lots of tropical fruit and apple flavors. For some reason, Chardonnay always makes me crave creamy chicken dishes, and this bottle is no exception. It would be delicious paired with chicken pot pie or carbonara.
Kogarah Canyon Chardonnay
My fourth wine this month is another Chardonnay, but it’s a far cry from the Buffalo Grove. This one is much fruiter (think pineapple and melon), and it has hints of vanilla. I want to drink this alongside grilled pineapple and shrimp skewers!
Verdict: I really like Bright Cellars, and I think it’s really interesting that they rely on technology and the tastes of their staff to pick wine (instead of sommeliers). This box was a little hit and miss, but the Kogarah Canyon Chardonnay was excellent. It’s probably one of my favorite wines this month! I do think it would be nice if there was a way to specify your preferences for certain varietals (ones you love or would prefer to avoid), but I recognize that’s not really the vision for this sub. Since Bright Cellars will replace any bottle you don’t like, I don’t really mind letting them pick bottles for me that I wouldn’t necessarily pick for myself. The subscription cost breaks down to $17 per bottle, which I think is fair. That’s maybe a bit more than I’d pay for an “everyday wine” in the store, but I feel okay about the price knowing that Bright Cellars guarantees that I’ll like what I receive.
What do you think about Bright Cellars? Will you give it a try?
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