WSJ Wine Club is a wine subscription box sent every 3 months containing 12 small-estate released wines customized to your personal tastes.
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.)
This review is for the WSJ Wine Discovery Club subscription. The introductory box is $69.99 and then it is $149.99 afterward.
The Subscription Box: WSJ Wine Club
The Cost: $69.99 (plus $19.99 shipping & applicable tax) for the first box and then $149.99 (plus $19.99 shipping & tax) afterward. This box is sent every 3 months.
ACTIVE DEAL: get your first 12 wines for $69.99 + shipping! No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Every three months WSJ Wine Club sends 12 new wines which are customized based on your feedback from previous cases. You can choose all red wines, all white wines or a mix of both. The first box holds 15 wines and is sold at a discounted rate.
Ships to: AZ, CA (offer may vary), CO, CT, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ (offer may vary), NM, NV, NY, OH, OR (not eligible for free gift), SC, TN, TX (voucher not required), VA, WA, WI, WV, WY and DC. Shipping is $19.99 plus any applicable state tax.
Check out more wine of the month subscription boxes in our Drinks Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions and Add the WSJwine box to your subscription list or wishlist!
WSJ Wine Club sends a lot of information with each box! I received a welcome letter, a large insert covering the wines and a booklet explaining the wine club. There is no chance for you to miss the following benefit information:
- Twelve wines every three months
- Members-only savings of at least 20% on every Discovery Club case
- Advance notice of each shipment- you just visit your designed “wine cellar” to make any changes
- Expert tasting notes and serving advice
- 100% money back guarantee
Even though WSJ Wine Club hits you over the head with all the information on why you should buy their wines, they also sent lots of other useful information. First of all, subscribers have access (by phone) to a Personal Wine Advisor who can assist with all your wine questions (cellaring, food pairings, etc.) Also, they provide a website with additional information on wines. The booklet includes in the box, provides basic information on white and reds and 10 useful tips for getting the most from every bottle.
The booklet information is nice but for more novice wine drinkers. The tasting notes and servicing advice notecards included are great! I enjoyed reading information about the style of each bottle and the region in which it was produced. I always appreciate food pairings suggestions too.
Saracosa 2015 - Rosso di Toscana IGP, Italy - Retail Value $14.99
Box taste description:
Dense, rounded berry fruit, with ripe tannins and a long, smooth finish.
WSJ Wine Club drinkers rated this wine 4 stars out of 5. Saracosa 2015 has a 3.9 rating on Vivino too which is what I use when buying wines (try it!) This is definitely a tomato sauce and meat kind of wine with some berry taste and definitely I tasted tannins. Like all wines I received, this tasted better when given some time in the decanter.
Chateau Le Coin – Bordeaux AOD, France (2 bottles) - Total Retail Value $31.98
Box taste description:
Velvety tannins introduce elegant and fresh black fruit flavors, with a clove and nutmeg nuance. The finish is long and smooth.
I’m a huge Bordeaux fan so this is right up my alley. It really needed time to decant so my tongue didn’t feel fuzzy (new wine experience!) but once it was given some time, the flavors were fruity and spicy. I liked this a lot.
J Opi Malbec - Mendoza, Argentina (2 bottles) - Total Retail Value $27.98
Box taste description:
Ripe plum and bramble, underpinned by elegant vanilla and subtle smoke notes from time in oak.
I typically like the full flavor of Malbecs but this one was underwhelming. I think you can find better values than this.
Raymond ‘The Inaugural’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 - California (2 bottles) - Total Retail Value $39.98
Box taste description:
Packed with ripe black fruits and rich, bittersweet chocolate notes. Smooth texture thanks to the firm, fine tannins.
I’m really impressed that we received a wine of this price in the box! This was a really solid cabernet which we love in this house. It wasn’t super heavy but the combination of fruit and tannin worked really well. I would buy this.
Aluado Alicante Bouschet 2015 – Lisboa IGT, Portugal - Retail Value $14.99
Box taste description:
Full-bodied, with great structure and ripe tannins. Rich plums and blackberry, plus hints of coffee and cinnamon.
I don’t see many Portuguese wines in the small grocery where I live so getting this was a treat. Wine Enthusiast rated this wine a 90 and called it a best buy. At $14.99 I would agree! This is my kind of red wine – dark fruits and spice. Yum.
Black Saint Peter Old Vine Zinfandel 2015 – Lodi, California - Retail Value $15.99
Box taste description: Rich, mouth-filling black cherry and bramble fruits, layered with sweet vanilla oak.
Rich, mouth filling black cherry and bramble fruits, layered with sweet vanilla oak.
I opened this bottle with friends and most people really liked it. It is very easy to drink but it isn’t a very complex wine and it didn’t seem full bodied to me. I’d buy this again because it’s a good crowd pleaser!
Chemins de Casel Chardonnay 2015 – Pays d’Oc IGP, France - Retail Value $16.99
Box taste description:
Enjoy creamy lemon and juicy white peach flavors, woven together with a lovely texture and a food-friendly streak of freshness.
I’m not a huge Chardonnay fan but I found this wine to be really good with food. I wouldn’t drink it alone though. This wine received a 3.7 out of 5 stars on the WSJ Wine Club website.
Tobias Winemaker’s Selection Chardonnay 2015 – North Coast, California - Retail Value $17.99
Box taste description:
Rich in flavor, yet elegant. Ripe green apple, with traces of buttery cream and a long, nutty finish.
I do not like the buttery flavor in many California Chardonnays so this was probably my least favorite wine in the box; however, many California chardonnays go way too far with the buttery aspect of their wines. This one does a nice job but it’s just not my cup of tea.
Sendero des Santos Albarino 2013 – Rias Baixas DO, Spain - Retail Value $19.99
Box taste description:
Succulently ripe white peach and bright lemon flavors. Crisp and elegant, with a mineral-tinged finished.
Another $19.99 wine! I’m pleased because even though we love wine we don’t typically buy in this price range. I love a minerally white so this is perfect for me. I didn’t drink it with food and it was still wonderful. Great Spanish white!
Alma Andina Torrentes 2016 – Salta, Argentina - Retail Value $12.99
Box taste description:
Ripe lychee, honeyed citrus, creamy spice and a lovely zippiness. Very clean finish.
The description leads me to believe I would love this wine but this was really tart! Of course, we still drank it but it needed to be paired with food and I wouldn’t buy this one again.
Stonewall Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – Marlborough, New Zealand - Retail Value $18.99
Box taste description:
Rich and racy – full of tropical fruit, citrus zest, freshly chopped herbs and lively mineral notes.
New Zealand Sauvignons have certainly gone up in price but for good reason. They are a nice well-rounded wine with not a lot of aftertaste. This is one of the better ones I’ve had. It’s easy to drink and it went really well with our shrimp dinner.
Ca’Vescovoa Pinot Grigio 2015 – Venezie DOC, Italy - Retail Value $12.99
Box taste description:
Mouthwatering lemon, apple and pear, plus a hint of nuttiness on the whistle-clean finish.
I love the light and crispy drinkability of Pinot Grigios. I consume them regularly. ☺ We drink this wine without food and it went down easily. A nice buy here.
Verdict: We had so much find trying the wines sent by WSJ Wine Club! WSJ Wine Club is so large and they have a lot of opportunities to purchase good wines at a great price in the US and abroad. Only three of the wines in my box were from the US but that is just fine with me. The Discovery Box is geared more toward everyday wines and my box contained a good mix of various wines to try. Plus, the tasting notes were great when preparing food to serve with the wine.
As for the value, there was $245.85 worth of wine for the introductory price of $69.99 plus $19.99 shipping (and any other state applicable taxes). Of course, that is an amazing deal which is why it is introductory. Let’s say you paid the regularly priced box of $149.99 plus $19.99 (plus applicable taxes) for 12 bottles though. You would still receive a great value for $170 (plus taxes) cost and they would be delivered to your door.
WSJ Wine Club is on par from with my experience with other wine clubs in regards to value – you basically get what you pay for. Where you come out ahead with this club is the fabulous introductory offer and the access to more wines outside the US. I truly enjoyed WSJ Wine Club and would definitely continue with this subscription after the introductory offer.
Are you ready to try WSJ Wine Club?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.