Wine club reviews

Our Qualitative Review

Okay, so here's the skinny on these big-name wine clubs! The Wall Street Journal is a publication. They don't have a liquor license, and they don't want to get into that business, so they've contracted with a third party to fulfill their wine club orders/shipments. The third party is Direct Wines Inc, a division of Laithwaite's. Laithwaite's is a successful wine club provider in the UK that's been providing the wines for The Sunday Times Wine Club and the Tesco Wine Club for many years to a HUGE membership.

Direct Wines also runs the Zagat Wine Club and has their own wine club called 4Seasons Wine Club. They source wines from around the world, and then share their great finds with their club members, and their clients' club members, too.

It's important you know this! It's not a sign that the quality will be bad or that you shouldn't trust Direct Wine's wine clubs... The Wall Street Journal trusts them with their reputation and we think you can trust them, too.

Now, onto normal Wine Club value-talk. The introductory offer is a great way for you to try-before-you-buy. You're getting a case of high-quality wine at around $6 per bottle, plus a free corkscrew, and the ever-important tasting notes.

Each quarter you get another case of high-quality wine for $139.99. Because of the way Direct Wines works, we assume that there is some crossover between what's available for distribution to wine club members across the clubs, but that each club gets a few unique bottles to set it apart from the others. It's unclear whether or not WSJ Wine Club has any wines picked by anyone at the Wall Street Journal itself though.

We like quarterly case-clubs because you save on shipping and it's better for the environment to send out fewer shipments each year.

Something we noticed: the Mixed case appears to be 8 reds and 4 whites. You can also choose Red-only and White-only if you want.

What The Wall Street Journal Says

You’ll love how the Discovery Club works.

• Every three months, our experts will reserve a special 12-bottle case for you. All will be premium wines from top quality producers in the US and elsewhere.
• With every case you’ll also receive useful tasting notes and serving advice on each wine.
• Rest assured, you’re under absolutely no obligation to take any further cases. It’s always entirely up to you. And there are no membership fees.
• We tell you in advance about the wines. If you’re happy with the selection, do nothing – we’ll deliver them to you. Simple as that!
• If you prefer to miss a case, no problem, you simply let us know. You can ‘skip’ as many cases as you wish and are free to cancel at any time.
• All future cases are offered at just $139.99 (plus shipping & tax) – saving at least 20% on normal prices.

Wine Buying Made Easy
With wine, a little insider advice is always very useful. The Discovery Club from WSJwine offers you precisely that, and far more. Plus, you'll have the added reassurance that comes with The Wall Street Journal name. Join today and enjoy ...

• A special introductory offer - SAVE $120 on 12 delicious wines.
• Access to small production wines from quality producers in the US and elsewhere. Many of these wines will be exclusive.
• Wines hand-selected by expert buyers, so there is no risk of an expensive mistake. You can serve every bottle with complete confidence.
• A guarantee of outstanding value at all times. Selecting on your behalf gives our wine buyers terrific leverage.
• A chance to expand your wine horizons. The Discovery Club will introduce you to new regions and grape varieties alongside favorite styles.
• Simply the most convenient way to buy wine. No heavy bottles to carry - just a regular supply of great wine delivered to your home.
• Satisfaction guaranteed. If ever you don’t enjoy a wine, just tell us and we’ll give you your money back. There’s no risk at all.