Blue Apron Wine Delivery Review 2024

Overview

We’ve all sought the convenience of a wine delivery service. Like many, you might have considered Blue Apron’s wine option, aiming to enhance your dining experience. It promises a seamless blend of culinary and vinous delight straight to your door.

Blue Apron’s wine delivery has a distinctive approach. Offering 6 small bottles monthly (500 ml), paired with its meal kits, it provides a touch of sophistication. Each bottle arrives with detailed notes, intending to demystify wine and enhance your dining experience.

However, Firstleaf stands as a superior alternative in wine subscriptions. Prioritizing personalization, it curates selections tailored to your taste, ensuring satisfaction. Its commitment to quality makes it a top choice for a delightful wine discovery journey.

What’s on the Blue Apron Wine List

Blue Apron meal delivery also offers wine delivery. It provides a monthly selection of around 24 different wines, catering to various preferences. You have the option to let it curate a box for you, selecting from reds, whites, rosés, or a mix, or you can pick your favorites.

Blue Apron’s 500 ml bottles are perfect for a meal for 2. However, it really depends on what kind of wine drinker you are. You may find that they’re a perfect size and less wasteful than a 750 ml bottle, but if you normally drink a full-size bottle of wine with a meal, then you may find they empty too fast!

Firstleaf presents a broader selection of wines than Blue Apron. As our expert review explains, it offers a vast range and more variety in how you can browse and select. Firstleaf also enriches your wine knowledge with educational resources and articles, which make it a more comprehensive offering than Blue Apron.

Unboxing

The bottles come securely packaged in a robust cardboard box. It’s insulated with molded cardboard to ensure their protection during transit. All of the packaging materials used are curbside recyclable, allowing you to indulge in your wine selection with the added peace of mind that you aren’t contributing negatively to your carbon footprint.

Each bottle comes with a detailed booklet. This booklet outlines the wine’s flavor profile, origin, and potential food pairings. To enhance your dining experience, you can pair your meals with the perfect wine by matching symbols from your recipe cards to those in the wine booklet.

If you enjoy learning more about the producers of your wine, I recommend Naked Wines. With Naked Wines, you support independent winemakers and can even contact them directly to offer feedback. This makes it a really inclusive network of wine drinkers and suppliers.

Shortlist of My Favorite Wines

Here are my top recommendations from Blue Apron’s wine menu.

This white Bordeaux is a great summer wine. It goes perfectly with salmon, scallops, and oysters. While France’s Bordeaux region is most famous for its red wines, the whites produced at Château Grand Jean win high marks from wine lovers and critics alike.

Rosé wines are often dismissed as sweet, light, inoffensive wines with little complexity. Charles Bieler’s high-altitude winery in Washington’s Columbia Valley produces rosés with more depth, tartness, and character than your typical rosé. This Truth or Consequences wine pairs well with salty foods, hard cheeses, and spicy meals.

This is a bold, in-your-face red wine that blasts your tastebuds with tannins. Omen Red is a California blend of Petite Syrah, Syrah, and Merlot grapes. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a steak dinner.

Prices

Blue Apron charges $69.99 per monthly 6-bottle shipment with shipping included. This means its wine comes in at around $11 a bottle. And remember, its 500 ml bottles are ⅓ smaller than the 750 ml bottles more commonly used for wine.

In comparison, Firstleaf’s prices start at $7.49. It also charges $14.95 for shipping on a 6-bottle order but offers free shipping if you order 12 bottles or more. The Firstleaf membership gives you money off any bottles you purchase in the store.

Shipping & Delivery

Wine services must get a signature upon delivery. This means that somebody over 21 has to be home to sign for your order. Blue Apron will also ship to business addresses, so you can get your boxes delivered to your workplace if no one is at home during the day.

You can follow your wine order on the Blue Apron website. You can also click the tracking link in the email you receive. You'll see when it might arrive, but not the exact time. Since Blue Apron uses UPS for delivery, you can also use your UPSChoice account to hold the package at a UPS store until you're able to pick it up.

Blue Apron only delivers to 31 of the 48 continental United States and Washington, D.C.  Firstleaf sends wine to most states, including Hawaii and Alaska. If you live in a state that isn’t on Blue Apron’s list, Firstleaf is a good alternative.

How Blue Apron Wine Delivery Works

Blue Apron only offers 1 plan for its wine delivery. This gives you 6 500 ml bottles of wine every month. 

How to Sign Up

1. Set up a meal delivery account with Blue Apron.

2. Log into your account if you already have a meal kit subscription with Blue Apron. Then go to the Wine page, click on Order Now, then Place Order.

3. You can also order an extra wine box with each monthly order. Or you can order wines through the Blue Apron Market with your meal delivery membership.

Managing Your Subscription

It’s easy to cancel your Blue Apron wine delivery. It operates as an additional service to Blue Apron’s meal delivery, so you can continue your meal delivery as usual.

To cancel your Blue Apron wine subscription, you must contact customer services. Simply email customer services and wait for further instructions. This is an inconvenience, and it is much easier to cancel your subscription with other services. For example, Vinesse gives you the freedom to make changes or cancel in your online account.

Customer Service

Blue Apron offers customer support via phone, email, or its customer support form. However, if you dislike 1 or more of the wines that came in your monthly Blue Apron box, you’re out of luck. Blue Apron will take your feedback, but it doesn’t offer refunds or returns on wine. 

Firstleaf, by contrast, will give you Firstleaf store credit. This guarantee means you don’t lose out on any bottle that doesn’t meet your standards. It’s also really easy to cancel Firstleaf membership in your online account. 

How Blue Apron Compares to Other Wine Delivery Services

Blue Apron Wine Club vs. Firstleaf: Firstleaf offers a highly personalized wine delivery experience. It has an initial quiz and an ongoing rating system to tailor selections to individual taste preferences. Compared to Blue Apron, it offers a vast and diverse collection of high-quality wines from renowned vineyards worldwide.

Blue Apron Wine Club vs. Naked Wines: Naked Wines focuses solely on wine rather than meal kits and wine. It connects customers directly with independent winemakers, which can result in more unique and diverse wine selections at potentially lower prices.

Blue Apron Wine Club vs. Vinesse: Blue Apron’s wine delivery service curates wine pairings that enhance the culinary experience. In contrast, Vinesse specializes exclusively in wine, offering a wide range of varietals and styles curated by experts, which might appeal more to wine enthusiasts looking to expand their palate.

The Bottom Line: Is Blue Apron Wine Delivery Worth It?

Blue Apron's wine delivery service shines for existing meal kit subscribers. It's a great match for casual wine drinkers who relish a glass with their meals and are eager to expand their wine knowledge too.

For true wine aficionados, Blue Apron’s offerings may seem somewhat restricted. Serious oenophiles might find themselves yearning for more variety. In this case, a specialized wine service like Firstleaf, known for its wide-ranging selection and personalized experience, could be a more satisfying option.

Firstleaf stands out with its commitment to tailoring its selections to individual tastes. It offers wines from acclaimed global vineyards. Customers benefit from a personalized experience that evolves with their preferences.

Blue Apron might not meet the needs of every wine lover. Firstleaf offers a more comprehensive and personalized experience for those seeking a wider variety and depth in their wine journey.

The choice between the 2 depends on your priorities. You will either prefer the convenience and integration with meals. Or a more expansive, personalized wine adventure that takes you deeper into the world of wine.

FAQ

How does Blue Apron Wine Work?

Blue Apron Wine is a subscription service that delivers wine to your doorstep. When you sign up, you can choose the types of wine you prefer, and Blue Apron will send you a curated selection based on your preferences. Each shipment includes tasting notes, pairing tips, and the story behind each bottle, enriching your wine-drinking experience.

What size are Blue Apron wine bottles?

Blue Apron wine bottles are 500 ml each, smaller than a standard bottle. This unique size is perfect for 2 to share over a meal, allowing you to enjoy the perfect amount without any waste. It’s a great way to try a variety of wines without committing to full-size bottles.

Where does Blue Apron ship wine?

Blue Apron ships wine to 31 states in the United States. However, due to state regulations, there are some areas where wine delivery isn’t available. You can check Blue Apron’s website or contact customer services to confirm if it can deliver to your location.

How do I sign up for Blue Apron Wine?

You can sign up for Blue Apron Wine directly on its website. During the sign-up process, you’ll be asked about your wine preferences, which helps Blue Apron curate your future shipments. Once signed up, you can manage your subscription, rate wines, and customize your orders through your Blue Apron account.