The premium wine clubs featured here represent mid-tier through ultra-premium wine.
I’ve included a selection of clubs offering higher-end French and Italian wines, boutique California wines, and clubs with very international selections. They’re all typically priced at, or slightly below, retail.
I like this category of wine clubs because the focus is less on squeezing every dollar of profit out of the membership, and more on delivering enjoyable, high-quality wines that the owners and winemakers themselves like to drink. Check if clubs in this price range are a good fit for you.
About this list: I only include wine clubs here that I have tried myself. Usually I’ve tried multiple shipments, but sometimes it’s only one. There are other premium wine clubs available, but I can’t tell you they’re great because I haven’t tried ‘em. Jump to the list.
About me:I’ve been reviewing wine clubs for a long time — '.$config['number_of_years'].' years! The wine I buy with my own money typically retails from $25-65 a bottle (though I’m good at finding a deal). I’m uniquely qualified to evaluate which wine club memberships with average wine bottle prices above $25 are worth your money.
FYI: I find great wine deals so you don’t have to. To keep me on the hunt, I earn a commission when you buy wine based on my recommendations.
What is high-end wine?
Price is subjective. I recently asked the r/Wine redditors about the industry standard terms for price ranges like Premium and Luxury. Have the ranges moved since inflation kicked in? Have buyer’s preferences changed?
Consensus seldom occurs on this sub, but one thing was clear, those pricing tiers have moved upward, and not insignificantly. The proposed ranges felt right, and so I think we can break “high-end” into several standard categories for wines over $25: $25-35 = Premium; $35-50 = Super Premium; $50-80 = Ultra Premium; $80-150 = Luxury; $150-350 = Super Luxury; $350+ = Icon
On this page, I’m focused on the Premium through Ultra Premium tiers because if this is the wine you want to drink, a wine subscription is the best way to buy (at least some of) it.
In general I disagree with categorizing $25-35 wines as Premium because the quality of wines in this price range can vary widely. Typically white wines and rosés in this price range are very well made, and wines from outside the US are also of good quality.
Red wine produced in the US however… Well that really depends on who is making it and where they’re sourcing their grapes. To me, most red wine in this price range is of questionable quality. The price per ton for top-quality red wine grapes makes hitting this retail price target very challenging unless you are in a less well-known wine region or you have owned your vineyards for a very long time.
My #1 reason to buy wine through a retail wine subscription — as opposed to through a winery or local wine shop — is the satisfaction guarantee.
Wine clubs who want to keep you as a loyal customer offer to replace or credit you for any wine you receive and didn’t like. That’s not limited to corked, damaged, or otherwise flawed wines — that’s on every wine.
If a 100% guarantee sounds good to you, only pay attention to Wine Access and The California Wine Club on this list. Other companies offer 100% guarantees, but not in the premium tiers.
In every case, a human or team of humans (most of which are sommeliers or have similar credentials) choose the wine — not some nameless, faceless corporation. They source wines their members will love, not wines the distributors are pushing.
Who should join a high-end wine club?
You already drink expensive wine and you want the convenience of a wine club.
You already drink expensive wine, but you haven’t yet found wines which feel worth it to you.
You want to start aging wine and you want to buy wines you can trust will age well.
You currently drink cheaper wine but you’re ready to upgrade with the satisfaction guarantee as a backstop.
Who shouldn’t join a high-end wine club?
You’re uncomfortable spending more than $25 on a bottle of wine.
You’re in the wine industry and you can source what you want at excellent prices.
You’re not willing to jump through some of the hoops necessary for wine delivery.
Many of these wines would benefit from some aging. If you’re not able or willing to cellar some of these, you may not get the full benefit.
Much lauded around the web by connoisseurs and enthusiasts, Wine Access wine clubs should be your first (and possibly last) stop while researching premium wine of the month clubs.
Discount for my readers: Save $25 on each of your first two shipments when you sign up for an ongoing subscription. No coupon code needed, discount automatically applied at checkout when you use my links.
The top reasons to choose a Wine Access subscription are:
Their wine clubs offer unique wines you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee — they’ll replace or credit any bottle you don’t like.
They offer wine education, helping you learn as you drink (if you want to).
They treat your wine right with free temperature controlled shipping (which might mean you don’t receive your wine for a while if it’s too hot or too cold).
In addition to free shipping on club shipments, you also get 10% off every other purchase you make at Wine Access (even if it’s on sale).
My favorite “high end” — but still under $80 a bottle — wine club at Wine Access...
For You Get $25 each of your first two shipments when you join a Decanter Magazine Club. Click for This Deal.
Decanter Magazine Club. Six bottles delivered quarterly for $250-300. Shipping is included.
If you’re not a total wine nerd and you live in the US, you could be forgiven for underappreciating the value of this publication — the premier wine publication in Europe, based in the UK. It’s like Wine Spectator, but without the overreliance and Napa Valley and Bordeaux to sell magazines.
This esteemed wine pub partnered with Wine Access to bring more attention to their content in the US, but also because Wine Access offers an ecommerce experience of the quality they demand of their own work.
When the club first launched, they had two tiers. I tried the lower tier, the “Everyday Wines,” and enjoyed them quite a bit. I didn’t quite understand the relationship between this tier and the (significantly) more expensive tier because some of the wines overlapped.
Then, last year the Decanter club got a total refresh, deciding on a price point somewhere between the two original options. They got it right this time. This was my favorite wine club shipment (ever) from anywhere but my favorite winery memberships.
I loved every wine in the shipment (even the Malbec), but the standouts were the tiny boutique French wine producer’s Minervois adored in Parisian wine haunts, the intense but not over the top Amarone which redefined the grape for me, and the slightly-Maple tasting 20-year old Port.
When it comes to wine clubs in California, the options might seem endless. California wineries have become well-known for memberships which provide access to discounts, library wines, and pick-up parties. Many of these wineries also sell their wine to the kinds of retail wine clubs you find on my site.
If you remember, this list tops out at $80 per bottle, so you won’t see any clubs exclusively offering Napa Valley wines (though they certainly show up from time to time). Instead, these high-end California wine clubs help you discover the amazing wines being produced from grapes other than Cabernet Sauvignon in regions other than Napa.
My two favorite premium California wine clubs are these...
Signature Series by The California Wine Club. Two-bottle shipments average $139. Shipping is extra.
Founded in 1990, The California Wine Club only works with small and medium, family-owned wineries.
Like Wine Access, The California Wine Club has a 100% satisfaction guarantee — they call it their “Love It” Guarantee. They also offer a three-bottle and a four-bottle option if you’re joining for yourself (as opposed to giving a prepaid gift subscription). The upgraded selections offer all different bottles, not duplicates.
I always enjoy the wine I receive from the Signature Series (I’ve received four shipments over the years). They often feature wineries I’m personally familiar with and know are excellent producers.
Some of my favorites over the years were these: Sagebrush Annie’s Merlot, Soquel Intreccio, and the Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir. While the latest shipment I received was right in my wheelhouse, I liked but didn’t love the selections.
The California Wine Club offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee called a “Love It” Guarantee. If you don’t like a wine you receive, you can get something else instead (or a credit if you prefer).
For Gifts Give a wine club gift of 12 shipments and save 5%. Click for This Deal.
Platinum Club by Gold Medal Wine Club. Shipments from $114. Shipping is extra.
Over the years I’ve not always been a fan of this particular club level at Gold Medal. When they only offered two-bottle shipments, it was hard to recommend this ahead of the Signature Series at The California Wine Club.
This club ships great wine from California wineries retailing in that “Ultra Premium” tier I mentioned earlier ($50-80). They work with an eclectic group of producers, both small and medium, both family and corporate (but not conglomerate).
In the case of higher-end wine clubs, offering bigger shipments is a big deal. Most of these wines would benefit from a little age, but if you only get one bottle of each it’s hard to know when you should drink each bottle.
One of the ways Gold Medal has significantly improved its offering under new ownership is to offer larger shipments.
By upgrading to a 6-bottle shipment, you get two of each wine. I recommend trying one within a year of receiving it (don’t forget to decant it) and lay the other one down until you think it will be ready for drinking later.
In my opinion, they should offer more generous price breaks when you upgrade to a larger shipment (instead of the ~5% they seem stuck at).
Gold Medal does not offer a Satisfaction Guarantee, but they will replace or refund any bottles damaged in transit.
When it comes to Italian wine, clubs are most often offered locally by wine stores (there are very few that ship wine). That’s fine, but the wine they offer is imported to the American market and often produced to suit the American palate or made in fairly large quantities.
The true joy to be discovered in Italian wine (as I have learned) is how they make it for themselves, with no intention of export. Exploring Italian wine is more fun than ever, thanks to the over 800 native grapes grown by small family wineries across the country.
The only wine club I recommend for Italian wine is the Rome-based, family run company called Roscioli. All of your wine will ship directly from Rome (via US customs, of course).
For You Get 25€ (roughly $25) off your first payment when you join Roscioli Wine Club. Use code WCR25 at checkout.
Italian Club by Roscioli. Six-bottle shipments from 199 €. Shipping is included.
The Roscioli wine selection showcases what small Italian producers do best — unique, food-friendly wines from often obscure (native Italian) grapes.
They introduced me to both Arneis (not super obscure) and Barolo (not obscure at all, but it is highly coveted). I now order Arneis wherever I see it and I continue to explore Barolo wines (made from Nebbiolo grapes) based on how the Roscioli selection delighted me.
Because these wines are made for the Italian market, a minimum amount of sulfites may be added to these wines, especially wines intended for aging, but often only the naturally-occuring sulfites are present.
They have two levels of Italian wine clubs (priced in Euros, so your US price will vary a little bit every time), which cost 199€ and 269€ respectively. They charge four times per year to spread out the cost of each shipment.
As you might imagine, the logistics of shipping directly from Rome to your door are a little different than a standard wine club. You get two 12-bottle shipments per year, but they sell them as six-bottle shipments which you get two at a time. At least one shipment arrived in the US via sailboat!
Roscioli does not offer a Satisfaction Guarantee but will replace damaged inventory (if possible) or offer a refund/credit for those bottles.
One parting thought… Roscioli pays me every time your credit card gets charged, not just on the first shipment. This has given me a close look at how often club members leave. This club’s attrition rates are very low. Well, maybe not so astonishing, I’ve tried the wine.
When it comes to high end French wine, one immediately thinks of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. Most high-end selections from those regions have prices inflated beyond the range of this premium wine club list, but two stand out for exceptional value.
French wine club by SomMailier. Three-bottle shipments from $110. Shipping is extra.
Much of the French wine Americans drink is under $25 a bottle, mass-produced, and honestly, not very exciting. Or worse, it’s over $200 a bottle and out of reach for almost all of us on a regular basis.
But there’s a whole world of beautifully crafted, family-farmed and produced French wine which rarely makes its way to the US. This is where SomMailier comes in. The proprietor (Laurent Yung) is part of the 5th generation of a Bordeaux winemaking family and he imports wine to the US just for his club and online store.
Some absolutely delicious wines I’ve enjoyed from SomMailier include the La Fleur des Pins white blend from Bordeaux and the Domaine Petroni white from Corsica.
SomMailier also offers six-bottle and twelve-bottle subscriptions and you can choose red only, white only, or a mix.
They do not offer a Satisfaction Guarantee but will replace bad bottles (i.e. they’re sufficiently flawed as to be undrinkable or not as the winemaker intended).
For You Get $25 each of your first two shipments when you join the Champagne Club. Click for This Deal.
Champagne Club by Wine Access. Four-bottle shipments from $200. Shipping is included.
While some people cling to the idea that any sparkling wine can be called Champagne, that’s simply not the case. The Champagne region fiercely defends their exclusive right to use the name because the real deal can be far superior to sparkling wines from other regions (and typically more expensive).
Wine Access offers an exceptional Champagne club which highlights somm-favorite grower-producer wines (also called récoltant-manipulant or RM) and special wines produced by larger Champagne houses like Billecart Salmon and Champagne Collet.
My absolute favorite Champagne ever came through this club but sadly it’s so hard to find in the US I haven’t been able to try it again — Champagne Juillet-Lallement NV Brut Sélection.
My tasting notes: the nose was subtle ginger cookies and cinnamon. It was mild and balanced, creamy in the mid-palate with notes of apple and pear as it reached the back of my mouth. I enjoyed the mysteriously long finish, of depth and complexity. What I especially loved was that it was not yeasty or tart the way most Champagnes tend to be (one or the other, not usually both).
As noted earlier, Wine Access offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee — they’ll replace or credit any bottle you don’t like.
Looking for a wine club subscription? We taste wine from nearly every wine club we review and rate the clubs objectively. Satisfaction guarantees, wine quality, convenience, discounts, and several other factors help us determine the best wine of the month clubs.
The best red wine can be pricey so pick a trusted wine club with a satisfaction guarantee. Quality & service is how you get on our list of best red wine clubs.
Wine clubs are the white wine lover's best friend. Excellent & affordable sums it up. There's so much more than Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, so join one!
Some California wine is legendary. Wine clubs featuring CA wine range from cheap & cheerful to outstanding. We'll steer you to the right California wine clubs.
After 15+ years trying 1000s of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs, I know what it means to be a wine club worth joining. My reviews can help you find a great wine club for you and the best wine club gifts for any budget and for any wine preference.
Feel free to ask me for a personal recommendation. I won't harvest your email address for a marketing list — I don't send marketing emails.
