Best wine clubs under $30

By Laurence MacNaughton

Wine.com’s Discovery Tour Wine Club

Wine.com‘s Discovery Tour is touted as ideal for the wine novice. Every month, they send two bottles selected by wine experts, along with detailed tasting notes about the wines. As a nice touch, they also include food pairing ideas.

They do offer some selections from well-known wineries, but their main feature is a mix of wine picks from promising up-and-coming wineries.

Wine club memberships cost $29.99 plus shipping for two bottles per month. Choose either two red wines or a mix of one red and one white (there’s no option for two bottles of white). Available for 3 months, 6 months, or ongoing.

Vinesse Light & Sweet Wine Club

For many people, light and sweet wines are more fun to drink. Those who shy away from reds or prefer more delicate wines might feel more at home with the Light & Sweet Wine Club.

Their wines are mostly white, with occasional forays into blush or sparkling wine. Especially nice for those who enjoy warm weather and dining outdoors.

Those new to wine tasting will appreciate the tasting notes that are sent with the wines every month. They can help newcomers pick out the subtle scents and flavors of light wines that most people miss.

This wine club also has a couple of special offers worth mentioning:

• First-time customers get two bonus free bottles in their first shipment, and shipping costs only a penny.
• On your third month, they also send you a nice bonus: a wine tote for picnics, concerts or any outing. Includes a corkscrew, cloth napkins, wine glasses and space for two bottles of wine.

The Light & Sweet Wine Club starts at $29.99 per month.

Wine of the Month Club

The original wine club that started it all, the Wine of the Month Club began in 1972. Their Classic Series Membership is one of the least expensive you’ll find anywhere: just $21.95 per month, plus shipping and applicable taxes.

They typically send wines by smaller, lesser-known wineries. The wines are meant to be enjoyed right away, not collected, so no aging is necessary.

Choose two bottles of red, two bottles of white, or one of each. If you don’t want to commit to wine every month, bi-monthly and even quarterly options are available.

WineTasting.com’s Discovery Series Wine Club

Although WineTasting.com‘s wine clubs can get a bit pricey (as high as $175 per month), they also have a starter club for $29.99 per month, plus $9.95 shipping.

The Discovery Series wine club sends two bottles of wine per month (red, white or both). It also comes with a newsletter, tasting notes and recipes specially paired with the wines.

When you find a wine you particularly like, don’t forget to save on future orders with WineTasting.com coupons from ShopAtHome.com.

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About Laurence MacNaughton

Laurence MacNaughton is an author, story editor and copywriter who specializes in creating upbeat, informative content that connects. His writing has appeared in Writers' Journal, Pyramid Magazine, SF Signal and other publications. Send an email or ping him on Google+.