The Best Wine Clubs for Pros and Casual Drinkers Alike

A wine club can come in the form of a VIP membership at your favorite winery, and can as well refer to more casual social gatherings, such as a book or tasting club amongst friends. Best Overall: Bliss Books & Wine Best Value: Underground Cellar Best Single Winery: Ehlers Estate Best Regional: Blend 42 by Ste Michelle Wine Estates Best Credit Card Program: Grand Reserve Rewards Features to Keep in Mind Format A “wine club” is broader than the scope of wine subscriptions, which typically offer regular shipments of wine from a variety of makers.

Wine clubs can come in the form of a winery-specific membership, a wine-centric book club, a marketplace with exclusive member deals and bottles, and much more. Determining what kind of perks are most valuable to you can help in the selection process.

Some wine clubs offer free or flat-rate shipping on certain order quantities, which can save you quite a lot in the long run, which is something to keep in mind. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Bliss Books & Wine Bliss Books & Wine is an indie collaboration between sister duo La’Nesha Frazier. La’Nae Robinson, founded on the basis of creating “a perfect atmosphere to indulge in fantastic wine [and] get lost in a great book or engage in conversation with friends.” A physical Kansas City location is in the works, but for now you can participate virtually.

The only cost is the price of any books and bottles purchased, as the virtual events are currently free. When you acquire from this site, half of your bottles will be randomly upgraded to bottles higher in quality and rate, bringing the overall value of your order higher than what you paid. After ordering, your bottles will pop up in your personal virtual cellar for storage, and you can choose to ship any combination of bottles on appetite at your convenience.

This is a great way to expand your collection with high-value bottles at approachable prices, and the virtual storage feature, which can store up to 500 bottles at a time, is a huge plus for those whose collections have outgrown their physical space. It offers a curated collection of 12 bottles upon signup and again in February of each year, plus 15 percent off all other orders throughout the duration of your membership, 20 percent off of March reorders, the ability to customize your spring shipment, shipping deals, member-exclusive event pricing, and four complimentary in-person tastings for four guests each quarter.

Best Regional: Blend 42 by Ste Michelle Wine Estates Blend 42 is a one-of-a-kind wine club that explores Washington State ’s most beloved wineries. The standard Blend 42 membership gets you four bottles (either curated or customized, depending on your preference) delivered monthly from a few of the following Ste Michelle Wine Estates makers: Spring Valley Vineyard, Northstar Winery, Columbia Crest Reserve Tier, 14 Hands Reserve Tier, Borne of Fire, and Chateau Ste. Members at this level also enjoy 20 percent off of additional wine purchases and on merchandise, flights, and events.

If you’re a member of one of the aforementioned wineries, simply link your membership to your Blend 42 account for penny shipping on club selections as well as wine orders over $150, plus 25 percent off case purchases and extended discounts on wine flights. Your points will get you some serious wine gear from the Grand Reserve catalog , from exquisite glassware and wine fridges to a full-on getaway in California Wine Country.

Lastly, cardmembers as well gain access to Priority Wine Pass (normally $120 per year), which offers its own portfolio of wine experiences at an exclusive discount as well as access to members-only events and a specialized concierge service. Note that this card does come with an annual fee of $149, which is waived for the first year.

Many cost nothing to join, only charging for products ordered, while others (such as the Grand Reserve World MasterCard) come with an annual fee ($149, in this case).