Vinebox Review 2024: Exclusive Limited-Run Wine

Overview

If you're looking for a unique at-home wine tasting experience, Vinebox may be just right for you. Vinebox was acquired by Sugarwish, the personalized gift buying company, in 2021.

Since April 2023, Vinebox has been offering 1 product per month – an exclusive limited-edition wine box. This box includes 6 mini bottles, or vials, of wine, each with its own unique flavor profile and tasting notes, along with recommendations for which cheeses to pair with each wine variety.

Each box is only available for 30 days, making the experience exclusive and special. One of the benefits is that it offers a convenient way to experience new wines and expand your palate.

The small 100 ml vials are also a great way to taste a variety of wines without committing to full bottles, making it a great option if you want to explore and try new things. However, they may not be enough if you know what wines you like and enjoy a full glass or want to share it with others.

Vinebox gives you a fun way to learn more about different wine varieties and develop a deeper appreciation for their unique flavors and aromas. By adding the recommended cheeses and a few friends, you’ve got the luxury wine tasting experience in the comfort of your own home.

Vinebox’s Selection

Since April 2023, Vinebox has been offering a single box of 6 sommelier-selected wines. These are 100 ml bottles and are only available for 1 month. This is a dramatic change from Vinebox’s previous quarterly wine subscription service.

In the box, you can expect to find a mix of red wine and white wine in varying proportions each month. These include a range of reds from soft to fruity and an organic white. Each of these bottles looks like a vial and contains around two-thirds of a glass. The price is $79 for a box and this remains the same no matter what wines are included in the month’s selection box.

To see what’s included in each month’s wine box, it’s recommended that you sign up for the email newsletter. That means there’s no chance of you missing out when the next selection becomes available on the 1st of the month.

Wines are sourced from Europe and California and curated by a certified sommelier. I like the fact that the wines you get each month are completely different and apart from a brief description on the website, the full experience will be a surprise.

If you know what wines you prefer, Vinebox might not be right for you. There’s currently no way to customize the selection to your personal tastes. If you’re a white wine connoisseur, I’d opt for Naked Wines instead, which has a huge range to choose from.

Vinebox’s exclusive limited edition wines with tasting guides is really unique. It gives everyone the chance to become an expert wine taster without having to leave home. Other wine delivery services provide tasting guides, but the tasting videos accessed by a QR code are an extra special touch.

In the Wine & Cheese Experience, cheeses are suggested to pair with the wine. For example, it’s recommended that you purchase Goat, Brie, Manchego, Gouda, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. This selection gives you the best tasting experience. Although cheeses aren’t included I love the uniqueness of this wine delivery.

How Vinebox Works

Vinebox’s new monthly box means you aren’t tied into a subscription. You simply make a one-time purchase from its website. The purchasing steps are easy to follow and don’t tie you into any recurring payments.

If you are happy to make a commitment, then you can choose to subscribe and save. This means that the next monthly box gets delivered to you automatically, and you’ll pay 20% less per month than the one-time purchase price.

There’s no need to answer a string of questions to work out your tasting profile. It’s as simple as making any everyday online purchase which saves you lots of time.

You get to taste a variety of different wines without committing to a full bottle. This allows you to try new wines and explore different regions and styles, which can help you expand your palate and discover new favorites.

How to Sign Up

1. Choose how many boxes you want to order and click on Buy it now.

2. Enter your email information and shipping address.

3. Select your preferred shipping option.

4. Enter your payment details to complete the checkout process.

Unboxing

Every box contains all you need to get started. Inside you’ll find 6 100 ml bottles of wine, a guide to the recommended wine and cheese pairings, and QR codes to access the virtual tasting videos. You just need to supply the cheese and wine glasses.

Vinebox’s wines are delivered securely packed in a cardboard box. This can easily be recycled with your curbside collection. The bottles are protected by a foam insert.

Each by-the-glass bottle is sealed with a screw top. This guarantees the freshness of the wine and also makes them super easy to open. The design of the glass means your wine remains fresh for up to 3 years, so there’s no rush to drink them. Plus they’re also fully recyclable.

If you’re feeling creative, you can even repurpose your bottles. Previous customers have found them the perfect size for propagating house plant cuttings. I really like the unique and stylish design of these mini-bottles.

Top Vinebox Wines

Don’t worry if you’re a wine drinking newbie as Vinebox takes you through the tasting journey. I love that you can access tasting videos by scanning the QR code provided to guide you through the history, aromas, and pairing ideas for each wine sample.

Let’s take a look at 3 of the wines from the April 2023 box. This gives you a good idea of what types of wines are likely to be included in further limited edition boxes.

Alegra Tempranillo

This Spanish variety is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. It’s spicy yet balanced, with bold and complex flavors. The suggested cheese pairing is the Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Domaine du Rin du Bois Le Gamay de Touraine

This French wine uses 100% Gamay grapes. It’s recommended you serve it slightly chilled, which is not often the case for reds. This could make for a refreshing drink on a sunny day.

d’Escausses Ombre Fraiche

This is an organic white wine from France. It’s a refreshing, fruity, and crisp wine. Perfect for cooling down and relaxing on a summer’s evening.

Shipping & Delivery

Vinebox currently ships to the US only. It’s unable to ship to some states due to state laws and regulations regarding alcohol.

States not included are:

• Alabama

• Alaska

• Arkansas

• Delaware

• Hawaii

• Kentucky

• Mississippi

• New Hampshire

• Rhode Island

• South Dakota

• Utah

• Vermont

After ordering, you’ll need to be at home for your delivery as a signature is required. You can arrange for it to be sent to a work address or another location you know where someone over the age of 21 can sign for it.

Shipping is included free, but you can expect to wait 2-4 business days for delivery. If you want your wine experience sooner, opt for the UPS 2nd Day Air at $15, or the UPS Next Day Air at $25. This is helpful if you need to make sure your wine arrives for a particular day and costs the same across states.

Customer Support

Customer support is only available via email. I didn’t think this was the best way to provide support. Other wine delivery services, like Naked Wines, tend to offer plenty of options such as live chat and phone lines.

I got an answer to my question on the same day. The customer service boss confirmed Vinebox's new direction and was very nice. My question about shipping costs was also answered quickly.

Although this was nice, I would have preferred to have a live chat option as after I sent my email I thought of many more questions to ask! This means it could take a few days to clarify anything you need to know.

How to Cancel Vinebox

If you're considering trying out Vinebox, you don’t need to worry about canceling a subscription. Since there’s no longer a subscription involved, you can simply purchase the monthly boxes as you wish without needing to cancel anything.

Vinebox has recently made changes to its service and now only offers monthly boxes that are available for a limited time and feature exclusive wines. You have complete freedom to choose whether you want to purchase them on a month-by-month basis or skip a month altogether if you prefer.

Prices

Currently, Vinebox only offers a wine tasting experience box priced at $79. Shipping is included for free, but you can opt for express shipping at either $15 for delivery in 2 business days. Or $25 for next day delivery.

Recommended food pairings must be purchased separately as Vinebox only supplies the wine samples and tasting guides. So bear this in mind as an additional cost if you want to try the food alongside the wine.

Gift Subscription

The monthly box can be sent as a gift directly from the Vinebox website. This means the recipient can get a specially curated wine selection. The option to include a gift note is available from the shopping cart.

Vinebox can be sent as a gift through the Sugarwish platform. This is a great way to share the joy of wine with others. Sugarwish is an online platform that specializes in delivering personalized gift boxes of sweets, treats, and now Vinebox monthly boxes.

To send it as a gift, you need to create a Sugarwish account. Simply enter your details, and you can pick what to send and when. This is a great idea for birthdays and special occasions.

This means you can also customize the gift with a personalized message to make it even more special. This makes Vinebox a thoughtful and unique gift option for any wine lover in your life.

Using the Sugarwish platform also lets your recipient choose wine varieties themselves. If you select a wine tasting eCard, they can select from over 30 by-the-glass bottles. This is a good option if they know which wines they like and you don’t have to do any guesswork.

The Bottom Line: Is Vinebox Worth It?

If you’re a newbie to wine tasting and want to learn more about wine, then yes. It’s a great way to find out more and become a wine connoisseur without booking an expensive wine tasting experience.

It’s also a great idea for getting together with friends and trying something different. If you don’t mind having a pre-curated selection it’s a great option.

Vinebox is probably not for you if you’re a more experienced wine drinker and know exactly what you like. Not being able to customize your selection or purchase more than a glass of each variety is a definite downside.

If you want to sample wines that you know you will like, I’d recommend Bright Cellars. You can complete a quick quiz to find out your taste profile and have wines recommended that are suited to your palate.

FAQ

What is Vinebox?

Vinebox was founded in 2015 with the goal of making wine more accessible and approachable for people who love wine but may not have the time or resources to explore it fully. Its team of wine experts carefully curate each monthly box, selecting high-quality, unique, European wines.

How does Vinebox work?

Vinebox offers a unique wine tasting experience in the comfort of your own home. It curates a selection of 6 100ml tubes of wine that aren’t available anywhere else, along with recommendations for pairing the wines with cheese and other foods. To order a Vinebox monthly box, simply visit the Vinebox website and choose the current month's box.

Can you choose the wines in Vinebox’s monthly box?

You can’t choose the specific wines in your monthly box. However, the Vinebox team carefully curates each monthly box to ensure that the wines are of the highest quality and offer a unique and enjoyable wine tasting experience. You can preview the wines that’ll be included in each month's box before making a purchase.