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COVID attempted to remove our right to pay 16 dollars a glass at our favorite brunch spot for a biodynamic Pet-nat, but the best subscriptions ensured the pours continued at home. Now that everything from alcohol delivery to your toothbrush has pivoted to subscriptions, you know the drill: you pay the fee, and the monthly/quarterly/biannual shipment arrives. The world of wine, unlike toothbrushes, is vast. There is a lot of bad wine on the market, and signing up for a wine subscription can feel like an untrustworthy move.
If I am familiar with the producer, then I already have a sense of their typical style; the way their wines usually show in character,” says a data-event-click=” e If I know the winemaker, I can get a feel for their style. It’s an extremely human process. She says, “I want the experience of the terroir in their vineyards and the landscape.”
How do you shop for wine online when you don’t know a wine shop owner, a sommelier, or a friend who is a wine enthusiast? Labels are of no use; descriptions blend. Reynolds says that “some of the best wine labels in the world are trash, while there are some complete garbage with great branding.” When it comes to wine subscribing, the situation is even more problematic.
Sally Mohr is a master’s sake educator and sommelier. She says, “The biggest problem with wine subscription services I see is that the majority of these wines are from made-up labels. The winery does not exist. It’s a name. There’s no story or history. No sense of place. All of the sommeliers that we spoke with avoided the majority of wine subscriptions from direct-to-consumer vintners. Emily Wines, the master sommelier of Cooper’s Hawk (which offers its subscription), went on to say: “I avoid any subscriptions given by non-Wall Street Journal National Geographic, etc.”
Alpana Singh offers some helpful advice. She is the youngest woman master sommelier in history (and one of only a few women of color), and she provides some tips on how to use HTML0. These three things are important:
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1. Access: “Are there wines available that are not normally sold but worth buying?” Shipping fees are not worth it if the wine is the same as what you can get at your local wine shop.
2. Information: “Am going to I learn anything?” The wine subscription service must provide you with the information you need about the wines you are drinking and offer a variety that is fresh and interesting.
3. Who is the authority? Can they be relied upon? Most of the best wine subscriptions are run by a sommelier who is a leader in his field or by a trusted retailer.
We found seven wine subscriptions that experts approve. Subscriptions range from affordable to expensive; some are based on European classics, while others like it funky. All of them are backed up by wineries or shops that you trust. There is no “best” subscription service, but you are sure to find one that delivers the bottles that you want.
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Generally speaking, though, a traditional universal wine glass with a stem will help keep your fresh-from-the-fridge wine at its coolest, and a medium-sized option should fit a generous pour. Some drinks are dishwasher-safe, but others should be washed in the sink. Weight is important to some people, so choose a lighter glass.
Some wine glasses can be distinguished by their silhouette. Zalto glassware, created by Kurt Josef Zalto of sixth-generation Austrian glass artist Kurt Josef, is the top recommendation on this list. They claim that the angles (24 degrees and 48 degrees) of their glasses align with the tilting of the Earth, thereby enhancing the taste and aroma of your wine. This sounds like woo-woo to you. However, their reputation in the wine world speaks for itself.
The best wine glasses start at around $70, and you won’t have to spend much to get a set that will aerate your wine to make it taste fresh. The best wine glasses are listed below for all types of wine drinkers.
