Naked Wines Review 2023: Is It Worth It?

Overview

Naked Wines lets you enjoy great wines while directly funding independent winemakers. Before I knew this, I had to look into it to see just what it was about after seeing Naked Wines all over the news. There are quite a few wine subscription boxes on the market these days, and at first, I thought that’s exactly what Naked Wines was. As it turns out, though, Naked Wines isn’t really a subscription box at all. 

It’s like a crowdfunding service for winemakers instead. Your monthly membership fee helps to fund independent winemakers across the globe, and in exchange, you get wholesale rates on purchasing the high-quality wines they produce.

What’s on Naked Wines Wine List

The Naked Wines selection changes pretty regularly with brand new wines. Previously, there had been complaints about the variety of countries available to select wine from. But I found this to no longer be an issue, as the choice was very good. 

Wine Variety

The company has reds, whites, sparklings, and roses from various wine regions. Most of the bottles on Naked Wines are from the United States (especially Napa Valley). But there are several options from other great wine-producing countries, including Australia, Chile, France, Spain, and others.

The biggest issue with the Naked Wines selection may be the lack of options. Reds and whites are abundant, true. But fans of rosé and sparkling wines have far fewer options to choose from. And it’s even more restrictive if you’re shopping for spirits. I found just 11 bottles on the menu.

So, Naked Wines may not be ideal for connoisseurs who prefer wines outside of reds and whites. The lack of options in these other categories may have been, in part, because of the availability in my region (your location does affect the offerings). The options are ever-changing, so keep checking regularly to see if your favorites are there.

Customization

The company has a comprehensive filtering system. You can select wines based on grape variety, including choices like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Curate wines based on your budget using the Price filter. And pinpoint bottles by their country of origin and other criteria. In short, Naked Wines has the best filtering system among the wine delivery services I checked.

You can also search by style if you aren’t familiar with grape varietals. The filter options, for example, include Big Reds, Fruity Reds, Smooth Reds, and Sweet Whites. Of course, you can go for Rose, Sparkling, and Dessert & Fortified, among other wine types. Dietary, Region, and Winemaker are some other available filtering options.  

The format of the Naked Wines’ filters is ideal for all wine lovers. It caters to those who know precisely what they’re after and folks who aren’t too familiar with specific styles.

Unboxing

Naked Wines ensures that its bottles reach you in pristine condition. The wines come in a simple cardboard box. But perforated wine packaging, cushioning them from the top, the bottom, and between the bottles, safeguards products.

I found the bottles well-labeled. I also noticed that some bottles carry details of the Angel program on the back. This is probably a nod to the program's role in assisting wineries to amplify their production. Furthermore, certain bottles introduce Naked Wines on their labels, indicating that these particular wines have been exclusively crafted for the company.

Shortlist of My Favorite Wines 

I appreciate how Naked Wines doesn’t try to use a vague rating system since everyone’s tastes are different. Every wine shows the percentage of how many customers said they would buy it again, but the more useful feature is Naked Wines’ personal recommendation on whether or not you might like the wine. 

The personal recommendation system helps you narrow down the wines to the ones you’re sure to love. As you purchase and review more wines, Naked Wines gets a better idea of the flavor profiles you enjoy. This information helps the site determine how likely it is that you’ll enjoy a particular wine.

The more wines you try and review, the more accurate the rating system becomes! Before you rate your wines, the recommendation simply says “we’re not sure.” But that’ll be replaced with a personalized rating once you’ve begun to order and review more wines.

In my opinion, you should try the following red, white, and rosé wines:

Mauricio Lorca Gran Reserva Malbec 2020

This wine hails from Argentina, which is famous for its Malbec wines. I think it's worth trying out because 95% of wine lovers who sipped it would buy it again. And the wine is great for drinking on its own or pairing with certain foods.

Mauricio Lorca has 13.9% alcohol by volume (ABV) content. Produced in the Uco Valley, a part of the Mendoza wine region, it pairs well with barbecue and pasta with tomato sauce. It's best enjoyed when it ages for 6 years, but you can have it right now, too. 

Scott Kelley Oregon Pinot Gris 2021 

Scott Kelley is a popular white wine from Oregon. A staggering 95% of consumers would be happy to buy it again, according to the on-site ratings. And it's a nominee for the Wine of the Year 2023 award. 

The wine's alcohol by volume content is 13.5%. It comes in a 750 ml bottle and is ideal for refreshment on a warm day. And it pairs well with a chicken salad and certain seafood. You don’t have to wait for the wine to age. Consume it soon after delivery for the best experience. 

Matt Parish Anderson Valley Rose of Pinot Noir 2022

Matt Parish originates in Northern California. And 96% of the hundreds of wine fans who tried it would be happy to do it again. 

This rosé's ABV is 12.5%. The bottle capacity is 750 ml, and the drinking experience is best if you have this wine in the 6 months following purchase. You can pair it with salads and seafood or have it as an aperitif. 

Pricing

Naked Wines has a slightly confusing pricing system. Basically, every bottle has 2 prices: a “members only” price for Angels and a price for non-members. For most wines, the Angel price is around 40-60% less than the regular price. 

There are no costs for members beyond the membership fee, which stays in your Naked Wines piggy bank. Think about it like a crowdfunding model where your money goes toward the production of new wines. In exchange for paying upfront, you’ll also receive a hefty discount.

One thing to remember, though, is that you can’t purchase a single bottle. Because of the nature of wine packaging, Naked Wines requires a minimum of 6 bottles per order. This means that even if you’re in the market for inexpensive $10 wine, you’ll still need to buy at least $60 worth.

Most of Naked Wines’ offerings are single bottles, but it was nice to see that the company does offer some pre-selected packages like the Napa Valley Discovery 6-Pack and the Cabernet Around the World 6-Pack.

For my location in New York, shipping was a flat $9.99 – not a bad deal considering how heavy wine can be. For me, there was also no additional sales tax. But shipping to Indiana and Michigan costs $29.99. Also, delivery to Hawaii and Alaska costs $70 and $130, respectively.

Shipping & Delivery

Wine delivery isn’t legal in every state. The laws can be convoluted and complex, and they may vary depending on where you’re located. Naked Wines ships bottles within the mainland USA and to Hawaii and Alaska. It gives an across-the-board 1-4 day shipping window for any state, including Alaska and Hawaii.

As with any alcohol delivery service, you must be there to accept the delivery in person, as you’ll need to verify your age. With a 1-4 day delivery window, this does require a bit of advanced planning. Thankfully, Naked Wines makes it easy to find a solution that works for you! 

One popular option is to have your shipments delivered to your work or office since most deliveries tend to come during business hours. You can also schedule your wine for local pickup, and the package will be delivered to a local FedEx location or another retailer. With this option, you can pick up the package at your earliest convenience without the worry of waiting for the delivery at home.

How Naked Wines Works 

Naked Wines isn’t like other subscription wine companies because it doesn’t automatically send you a monthly shipment. Ordering from Naked Wines is no different from any other online shopping: you browse the numerous offerings, add bottles to your cart, and then check out when you’re ready.

What makes Naked Wines unique, however, is its “Angel” program. It lets you essentially become an investor to help fund independent wineries. When you become an Angel, you pay $40/month, all of which goes toward the production of new wines from those independent winemakers.

You keep that $40/month credit to put toward your future wine purchases, so the money isn’t lost. What’s more, as an Angel, you’ll have access to exclusive wines and reduced prices (as much as 60% off the non-Angel price) as well as a free gift bottle every month and access to perks like exclusive tasting events.

How to Sign Up

1. Scroll down to the footer once you land on the Naked Wines site. 

2. Click on Become an Angel.

3. Review your Angel benefits and select the Become an Angel button. 

4. Enter your personal info and come up with a strong password.

5. Hit Register and that's it. 

Managing Your Subscription

You can cancel your Angel account in 2 easy ways. The first is by logging into your account, and the other is by giving customer support a call. To unsubscribe via the Naked Wines website, do the following: 

1. Go to My Account once you log in.

2. Navigate to the Angels Account tab.

3. Terminate your subscription. 

Or give customer service a shout at 1-800-673-4718 if you prefer a phone call. You'll get unspent contributions returned when you unsubscribe.

Customer Support

It’s hard to complain about this company’s customer service. There’s a lot that can go wrong when you order wine, but luckily, Naked Wines guarantees its products 100%. The company makes it easy for you to get a refund on any bottle you don’t enjoy – no questions asked. 

Naked Wines also offers a message board, aside from the usual customer service options, where Angels, winemakers, and employees can talk. As a member, you can join groups like "Naked Newbies," and other communities where you can chat and ask questions with people who think like you.

How Naked Wines Compares to Other Wine Delivery Services

Naked Wines vs. Firstleaf: Firstleaf offers a much simpler wine subscription model for beginners. You’ll simply answer a few questions to create a custom taste profile, and then Firstleaf will send you a box of 6 wines chosen just for you. 

Naked Wines vs. Vinesse: Vinesse offers a great range of boutique wines at reasonable prices. It has a large wine list, just like Naked Wines, but I personally find Naked Wines’ filters make the menu much easier to navigate. 

Naked Wines vs. Bright Cellars: The wine selection at Bright Cellars varies monthly as the team is always testing new wines and constantly curating their selection. It has a good range of packages, although they can be a little more expensive than the packages from Naked Wines.

The Bottom Line: Is Naked Wines Worth It?

Naked Wines could be a good fit for you if you’re in the market for good quality wines without the markups that come with advertising and other costs. Because the winemakers themselves are often very active in Naked Wines’ message boards, this service is also a great fit for folks who want to be able to chat more directly with the people who make their wine.

The benefits of Naked Wines may not, however, be useful to everyone. And people who are less interested in learning about the winemakers may not find Naked Wines to be their style. It’s also not a good fit for wine enthusiasts who want someone else to choose their wines for them, as is common in more conventional wine subscription boxes.

Check some recommended alternatives in our roundup of this year’s best wine clubs.

FAQ 

What is Naked Wines?

How does Naked Wines work?

The wine delivery service provides money upfront to these winemakers and cuts down on the expensive advertising markups that most winemakers have to deal with. This, in turn, leads to better deals for you!

Is Naked Wines legit?

Naked Wines is totally legit. As a member, you’ll have the ability to communicate with the people making your favorite wines. This direct correspondence is unlike anything else in the wine industry! That said, if you ever have any second thoughts, you can request a hassle-free refund of your monthly fee.

In our close look at Naked Wine’s customer service, we found that Naked Wines really stands by its wines.

How much is it to join Naked Wines?

It is a flat $40 fee per month to be a member of Naked Wines and get access to the unique wine offerings in the Naked Wines marketplace. You can cancel at any time without consequence.