When it comes to buying wine, I tend to buy from all over the place, but I often find myself buying wine online. This is for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I like that I can buy in bulk and have it delivered, which is something you can’t do at a wine store. Secondly, it takes a bit of the choice out of buying wine, meaning that you don’t have to go around choosing 12 bottles. You don’t have to worry about whether you’ll like it or not, you leave most of the decision to the website and see what you get. I take ages to choose wine when I’m in a store so this suits me fine!
Thirdly, the variety. I love all the different wines you can get online, as they are often ones that you can’t find anywhere else. It makes me try things I would never usually think to try. Finally, you can get really good deals, so it does end up being cheaper. If you are going around week by week buying a bottle here and there, you’re always going to find it cheaper, in the long run, to buy in bulk.
Buying wine online does have its drawbacks though, the main one being you’re not sure whether you’ll like what you’re buying, and who to trust to give you good wine every time. I’ve tried a few different companies now and so in this post I wanted to share with you my top three, so that if you weren’t sure you can check them out! Below I’ll detail the type of buyer they would suit depending on what you’re after, and why I like them so much. Buying wine online should be easy and fun after all!
Vinomofo
I’m putting Vinomofo first because they are the most recent website that I’ve bought from. They actually now have over the phone sales people who call you and talk wine to you (big shout out to Emma). Seriously these guys sound like they have my dream job – they get to taste wine on Fridays and talk to people about different wines all day! So anyway, Emma talked me into buying a 12 pack, and I’m so glad she did because now I am well and truly stocked for my whites, bubbles and roses!
Vinomofo has always been about bringing wine to the people. I listened to the founder talk about starting the company, and his philosophy really resonated with me. They are all about making wine accessible and fun, which I am all about too! Their website, emails and even boxes are consistent with this, so you’ll find hilarious descriptions and pop culture references everywhere. It is an enjoyable experience dealing with this company from the moment you open an email to the moment you open your box of wine. I love this authenticity and I think anyone who doesn’t take wine too seriously would love this too.
The great thing about Vinomofo is that their wine selection. They have so many mixed cases it is almost impossible to choose, and these vary in price, quantity and varieties. There really is something to suit everyone’s tastes and budget! They also sell wine by the half or dozen and have a special program called Black Market Wines where you don’t know what you are getting but they are often a super good deal for an amazing wine.
Vinomofo also has a lot of sales, special deals and free shipping offers. I find you can usually get a great deal on a box in one of these, so I would recommend signing up to their mailing list so you never miss out!
Vinomofo is definitely one of my favourite sites to buy from. Their wines are great, they make me laugh, and they come at a really affordable price!
Naked Wines
I talk about Naked Wines on the blog a lot because we buy a lot of their wine. My partner is the one with the subscription, but I certainly reap the benefits!
Naked Wines has a loyalty program which allows you to get their wines at a really discounted price. You pay a certain amount per month and this goes into your credits which you can use on anything on their website – from cases of mixed wines to a single wine. You then access the special Angel membership pricing on all their wines. If you aren’t a member though, you can still buy their wines at the normal price.
The great thing about Naked Wines is that they showcase small Australian producers that you really can’t buy anywhere else. The money they make from their customers goes into funding independent producers so that they can produce their amazing wines. What you end up with is really interesting, quality boutique wines that you’ll never find in your local bottle shop. This is why I love their wines so much – they bring something different whilst also helping the Australian wine industry.
The variety on this site is great as well. You can get some really interesting wines, and if you love a bottle that comes in a case you can buy it on its own next time. They also offer a lot of freedom to choose what you want to order. You can either buy a mixed pack or pick and choose to suit what you know you’ll love.
Although you do need to subscribe to get the full benefits of this website, it is totally worth it for the great prices and variety of wines you get to choose from. That being said, if you aren’t someone that wants to commit to putting money into your account each month, it may not be the site for you. We love it though, and have been loyal customers for a few years!
Virgin Wines
The final site I’ve used is Virgin Wines. I originally got an offer from being a Velocity member to get a case of wines for a ridiculously good price, and so I really couldn’t say no. I then realised what good value this site was, and so bought a few cases from them.
Virgin Wines offers a variety of wines and mixed cases for affordable prices. They have a good range of varieties, price points and mixes of wines, so there is something to suit your tastes. They also do a lot of interesting international cases so you can try some great wines from overseas. I really enjoyed the last one I got which had wines from Spain, Portugal and Italy.
They are always offering deals for Velocity members as well. Look out for a sale to get an even better price. But these aren’t always on offer so you have to look out for them. The thing to watch is that they do sign you up to their wine club which gives you an automatic case every couple of months. However, you can easily pause this and still purchase ad hoc cases when you need them. I did find their wine club to be great value though. If you are the set and forget type that doesn’t want to make a decision, this website is for you!
I’m probably more of a fan of the varieties and presentation of Vinomofo and Naked Wines than Virgin Wines. However, they definitely offer great wines at great prices. Like I said if you want to be assured great wine will be arriving on your doorstep, check these guys out!
The final word
So which one is better? I can’t say, because they all have something different to offer. This is why I tend to use all three, rather than sticking to just one. I use them for our drinking wines so that we always have a generous stock of wines we can crack open at the drop of a hat. Although you can buy more expensive, quality wines on these sites, I really enjoy their well-priced ones. You are guaranteed to get a great deal on quality wines. But it really depends on what you want out of them!
My best tip would be to sign up to their mailing lists and wait for sales. Their prices are good normally, but you can get an even better deal if you wait for it. Then you’ll have a case of wine arriving at your door in no time! It feels like Christmas unboxing your amazing selection of wines. I love the feeling of surprise I get from it.
Do you have any other sites that you use for wine? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!