Wine Subscriptions

Are you part of a wine subscription? Me too!

Wine subscription packages come in all shapes and sizes, they can relieve the stress of buying wine, allow you to try all kinds of different varieties plus it’s one handy package delivered straight to your door. I do mine through Grape and Nectar, which is run by two Master of Wine women in Hampshire. I’ve recently joined their vegan subscription pack, although all boxes can be bought individually. Why? to try some new things! They retail at a slightly higher price than your Virgin, Laithwaites and Naked Wines packages but every single bottle I’ve ever bought from these two ladies has had me smiling from ear to ear. The brilliant thing about subscription packages like these is that their model allows you to try wines that aren’t often available elsewhere. By creating connections directly with wineries and vineyards they are able to buy in wine at a cheaper cost and pass that saving onto you.

The Rioja pictured was a wine I got as part of my Grape and Nectar package back in November last year (as I buy a lot of wine in anyway for O&TV, I only subscribe to getting these every 6 months). Outside of my package I have found it online for £22 from Harvey Nics. 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano, this wine has been matured for 22 months in oak and then for 14 months in the bottle. A silky palette of black fruits, cherry, raspberry, bramble and plum with sweet’n’spice coming from the oak ageing giving vanilla and winter spice.

A modern expression of a Rioja, this producer has just won me over.