The 8 Best Wine Club Subscriptions to Gift Wine Lovers

With the widest selection of bottles among our winners, this wine club was also the most customizable. When you sign up, you can set preferences such as:

• The number of bottles in a shipment (how many whites, reds, etc.)
• The price range per bottle
• Frequency of delivery
• Varietals, regions and food pairings, including varietals you never want to receive
• Level of expertise and adventurousness

You will then be assigned a “personal somm,” who will build a case based on your responses. The wines I received were like the greatest hits: Sancerre, a dry German Riesling, Burgundy and Chianti Classico. I mentioned I loved wines from Sicily so also got an Etna Bianco and a Frapatto-Nero d’Avola blend. All the wines were good to excellent and the quality, for the most part, lived up to its price point.

They felt like comfortable, safe picks from producers I was already familiar with. However, I had answered on the questionnaire that I was advanced in my wine journey, wanted to venture to try new wines and specifically mentioned wines from Czechia and Slovakia. I was a little disappointed to not have a new discovery or something exciting to try.

No educational materials are included with the shipment. Rather, you'll find on your account page online practical tips from your personal somm for some bottles, like “Decant 30+ minutes to give this wine some time to develop and unwind.”

Pricing: Starting at $120 for 6 bottles | Customizable? Yes | Does not ship to: Alabama, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah | Shipping included? Yes | Membership perks: A personal sommelier who selects bottles based on your preferences and price range

RELATED: 9 Best Wine Glasses, According to Experts

Of all the clubs we tried, this one for Italian wines was the gold standard for what a subscription should offer. It came about as an extension of the wine-tasting dinners at Rimessa Roscioli restaurant in Rome, designed to be enjoyed at home. In the delivery of six bottles was a thoughtful curation of four reds, one white and one sparkling — all intriguing enough for adventure seekers while remaining tasty and appealing to wine novices. It was a thrill to try uncommon varietals from producers I’ve never heard of before, spanning regions across the boot that are often overlooked and underrated.

For instance, the white was a crisp, mineral-driven Catalanesca, a grape from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in the Campania region. Never heard of it? That’s because only a handful of winemakers work with this grape varietal and most of their wines never reach our shores. It’s just one of the collaborations that Roscioli does with winemakers to create limited-edition bottles exclusively for club members.

Another reason to like this wine club: Roscioli has done the legwork to source directly from artisan producers making small batches of wine. Why is that important? Smaller production usually means better quality and control; sourcing directly means they’ve cut out the middleman, offering better value. That’s not to say this wine club is cheap. A six-bottle case is about $229, which breaks down to $38 a bottle. But we think the quality is well worth the price.

Unlike domestic-based wine clubs, Roscioli is able to ship to all 50 states. (Due to alcohol laws in the U.S., it's much easier to ship wine from abroad than it is between states.) However, deliveries can take three to four weeks and may be delayed due to customs clearance.

This wine club does not allow you to cherry-pick individual wines according to your preferences but who can complain when all the bottles are bangers?

Pricing: Starts at 219 euros (about $229) for a one-time purchase of 6 bottles | Customizable? Can choose mixed or all reds and different tiers of subscription | Does not ship to: N/A, ships to all 50 states | Shipping included? Yes | Membership perks: Complimentary wine-tasting dinner at Rimessa Roscioli restaurant in Rome; QR codes on exclusive or premium bottles show you a video of the wine's story and food pairings, including a regional recipe

RELATED: The Best Wine Openers, Tested and Reviewed

This wine club is from Helen’s, a retail wine shop in Los Angeles that's the beverage arm for Jon & Vinny's restaurants. Helen's, both the shop and club, specializes in limited-production natural wines. This style of wine, also known as “low-intervention," has a reputation for being funky and weird but the ones in our seasonal six-pack were a good mix of tasty, approachable and adventurous and were from a wide variety of regions.

Members of our tasting panel did not detect that the wines were “natty” except for a light, chillable Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, which we found to be fun and tasty. One member found the German Riesling blend to be challenging due to its petrol notes. The rest were unanimously deemed easy drinking and enjoyable.

The entry-level tier for the seasonal six-pack is $150, which you can bump up to the Upgrade ($200) or Baller ($300). Shipping is not included in the prices and charged a $27 flat rate plus $1 per bottle (or $33 for the six-pack), which nets out to $30.50 per bottle for the $150 tier. Considering that most natural wines cost more to produce than conventional wines and a good bottle often runs around $25 and up, Helen’s pricing for sourcing, curation and delivery feels fair.

Pricing: $150 to $300 for 6 bottles | Customizable? Can choose mixed or all reds | Does not ship to: Mississippi, Kentucky, Utah, Arkansas, Alabama | Shipping included? No, $27 flat fee + $1 per bottle | Membership perks: 10% off Helen’s Wines retail orders; access to exclusive virtual wine club events; early access to Helen’s Wines product drops; and exclusive access to Jon & Vinny’s reservation bookings and complimentary dessert

RELATED: The Best Electric Wine Openers, Tested and Reviewed

Even if you have no aspirations to be a sommelier, this wine club is well worth it for the quality of wines with a sense of place and for the background knowledge you'll gain along the way. It would also be a very welcome gift for someone studying for their WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) exams.

We loved The Somm 6, a collection of six bottles that we received in December that held three whites (from Italy, Spain and France) and three reds (from France, Italy and Austria). A couple of standouts from this shipment were a silky, brambly Fleurie, that lived up its top-tier Cru Beaujolais designation and a spicy, earthy Blaufrankisch blend from Burgenland, Austria.

The accompanying materials were as impressive as the wines. The shipment came with a glossy pamphlet that was well designed and a joy to read. It was informative, without feeling too academic, providing practical good-to-know details on a quick cheat sheet, such as the type of farming (organic, biodynamic, etc.), recommended temperature and glassware for serving and the optimal window for drinking. The facing page had more in-depth guidance on the wine, covering where the grapes were grown, background on the winemaker, how the wine was made and tasting notes. This kind of rich context and insight helped us to appreciate what made each wine special and was exactly the type of added value we seek from wine clubs.

This level of the club is pricy: $34/bottle for The Somm 6, which includes shipping. We felt the price was worth it, especially since you can choose deliveries for every one, two or three months. Be aware, though, that you will be charged for your first shipment on the day you sign up, not when the package ships. So if there is no stock available immediately, you will have to wait for your first shipment to be fulfilled during the next shipping cycle.

Pricing: $204 for 6 bottles | Customizable? Can choose deliveries every 1, 2 or 3 months | Does not ship to: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, South Dakota and Utah | Shipping included? Yes | Membership perks: Discounted pricing on the site, specialty discounts during seasonal sales, access to special events

This wine club is direct from the producer and operates like a CSA: you pay upfront to support the production and at the end, you are rewarded with a shipment of small-batch wines, many of which you would otherwise not be able to buy in a shop.

Martha Stoumen makes her wines in Sebastopol, California, focusing on sustainable and organic practices. These were some of the most delicious, expertly-made wines among all the winners — redolent of tasty fruit, complex yet immensely enjoyable. I kept looking for a dud in the mix of reds, white and rosé but could not find fault with any of them. A particular standout was the sultry, spiced 2021 Syrah co-fermented with Viognier, which gave it an exuberant lift.

The club, which is available for one-time purchase, is a splurge: $240 to $320 for 6 bottles. Membership comes with first dibs on new releases, bottles only available for club members, and a flat rate on shipping ($30) as well as a discount on other wines from Martha Stoumen.

It might feel limiting to get all the wines from this one producer, but when the wines are this good, it’s hard to see the downside. It’s like having no choice for dinner delivery but all the meals are from the best restaurant in town.

Pricing: $240 go $320 for 6 bottles | Customizable? Can choose 6 or 12 bottles | Does not ship to: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Utah | Shipping included? No, $30 flat fee | Membership perks: Early access to new releases, bottles only available for club members, and a discount on other wines from Martha Stoumen

When even mid bottles of champagne can go for $70 a pop, spending $145 for two bottles of high-quality, estate champagne delivered straight to your door is actually well worth the price — especially with the extras that Henri’s sends; the whole package feels like a premium gift. The bottles arrive wrapped in gold paper along with a champagne stopper and a tea towel with a map of the Champagne region.

Henri’s sources champagne from small producers whose carefully made wines are crafted to reflect the terroir. These are distinct wines you won’t be able to find in U.S. shops and are more nuanced than the big-name brands who buy grapes in bulk to make a consistent house style year after year. Our wine club delivery was two bottles of Louis Nicaise "Cuvée Louis par Laure" 2015. The tasting panel enjoyed the tiny bubbles and notes of brioche, pear and golden apple. "It's unlike any champagne I’ve tasted before," remarked one panelist.

We did, however, wish that the delivery consisted of two different bottles instead of the same ones, just for the sake of variety.

Pricing: $145 for 2 bottles | Customizable? Can choose deliveries every 1, 2 or 3 months | Does not ship to: Alaska, Hawaii, Michigan, Tennessee and Utah | Shipping included? No | Membership perks: Champagne stopper, tea towel and gold paper wrapping; 10% off future purchases

RELATED: 21 Best Sparkling Wines to Toast to Any Occasion

Plonk was another good wine club that specializes in sustainable, organic or natural wines. We liked that you could order as few as four bottles per delivery and up to 12. The wines we received represented a diverse range of varietals and regions, such as lovely, honeyed-citrus Chenin Blanc from South Africa and an earthy “Frapello” (Frappatto and Nerello Mascalese blend) from Sicily.

The tasting panel liked the wines albeit did not find them as exciting as the ones from Helen’s, our winner for best natural wines. The Plonk wines were easy-drinking, weeknight sort of wines that we felt we could buy for $15 to $20 from a wine shop. For a cost breakdown: Plonk offers four bottles for $110, six for $165 (monthly or every 2 months = $27.50/bottle) and 12 for $285 (every 1, 2 or 3 months = $23.75/bottle).

If you or your gift recipient don’t have a wide selection of organic or natural wines locally available, then Plonk would be a solid alternative.

Pricing: $110 for 4 bottles | Customizable? Can choose mixed, all reds or all whites; 4, 6 or 12 bottles per delivery | Does not ship to: Hawaii, Alaska, Utah and Mississippi | Shipping included? Yes | Membership perks: Double-hinge corkscrew, tasting notes, a monthly shipment preview video and recipes chosen to pair with your wines

Orange wine (also known as “skin-contact wine”) used to be a niche, if-you-know-you-know category but now many more producers are making it and gaining more fans. Made from white grapes, the name comes from the color the wine takes on when macerated with the grape skins, resulting in sunny-hued wines that have more body and tannins than conventional white wines. The flavors can range from mild notes of tangerine and dried apricot hinting at cider to extremely funky and challenging to drink.

We got the full spectrum of these flavors in the three bottles from Orange Glou, a New York City-based shop that exclusively sells orange wines and the world’s first orange wine club. If you or someone you know loves to try different orange wines, this club has it all. Orange Glou has a wide selection, many of which are limited production and hard to find across the country.

We liked that the wines arrived wrapped in orange paper with descriptions, tasting notes and food pairings. Each delivery includes a sparkling orange wine. The one in our package was Milan Nestarec Kiddo 2023, a delightful, effervescent Pinot Gris from Moravia, Czechia. Another bottle, from Liguria in Italy, was oaked and had hints of iodine, which made it less easy to enjoy. It’s definitely one for orange wine diehards who crave weird and intensely funky flavors — they exist out there!

Pricing: $105 for 3 bottles | Customizable? Can choose 3, 6 or 12 bottles a month | Does not ship to: Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Utah | Shipping included? Yes | Membership perks: Descriptions, tasting notes and food pairings