Wine Insiders: A Winey Parent Review

First Winey Parent Wine Tasting

A few weekends ago, Travis and I hosted a small wine tasting with a couple friends to try out our first shipment of wines from Wine Insiders. We ordered 6 bottles of wine for $30, the first-time customer special previously offered by Wine Insiders. We received 3 bottles of red wine and 3 bottles of white wine. Let me preface this wine review with “I am not a fan of red wine.” I have never really liked red wine. I want to, but something about it makes me not like it nearly as much as white wine.

How We Set It Up

Before I get into the wines, we did this as a blind tasting. First, I wrapped each of the six bottles in butcher block paper. I labeled them “A” through “F.” Then, I placed the white wines in the fridge to chill. Well, that was the plan at least. I’ll explain later how things don’t always work out the way you plan it.

The Reds Take Me By Surprise

The first bottle of wine we tried was a red, and quite possibly my favorite of the pack! Wine “A” was a light, fruity wine with a smooth finish. We all compared it to a Pinot Noir and were shocked to learn that it was actually a Cabernet Sauvignon. (2016 Burke Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon).

We moved onto Wine “C.” Don’t ask me why I didn’t label all the reds A, B, and C to drink first, but I didn’t, so it is what it is. Wine “C” was a heavier, more acidic wine that will pair well with cheese or a hearty winter meal. The group was split over which red they liked better, A or C, but we all agreed that it was a nice red. Wine “C” was a wine named Cantus Rosso, a red blend from Italy.

Wine “F” (yup, I can’t even alternate reds and white successfully!) was our final red to try. This one was described as full-bodied and tart. This was my least favorite red. Again, I am not a red wine drinker, but everyone else at the tasting thoroughly enjoyed it. Wine “F” was Les Sonnailles Rouge Sec from France.

White Wines are my Jam, Mostly

After the reds, we moved onto the white wines and started with Wine “B.” Wine “B” was a semi-sweet wine with an acidic and fruity flavor. I enjoyed this wine as much as Wine “A,” but the rest of the group was split on how they felt about this one. Wine “B” was Freschello Max Cuvée Bianco.

The second white wine was by far the least favorite of the group. Wine “D” tasted, to me, like dandelions. We were all in agreement that we did not like this one. Now, you may be reading this thinking that I was going to try to sell you on all these wines and how amazing they are, but I will always be honest with you. So, when I don’t like a wine, I will tell you the truth. Wine “D” was 2015 Hayton Family Reserve Viognier.

Now to the super awesome part of ordering with Wine Insiders. They stand behind their wines. If you are not satisfied with a wine, they will make it right. Travis emailed the company after our wine tasting. He let them know how much we loved the wines, except this one. They responded quickly, offering to refund us the cost of the bottle or credit $10 towards our next order. There will definitely be another order, so that’s an easy choice! So, fear not, order those wines, and have them shipped to your doorstep. if you don’t like one of your wines, Wine Insiders will make it right!

Okay, I got a little sidetracked there. The final wine we tasted was Wine “E.” Wine “E” was a fruity wine, that to me had a hint of apple or pear. I enjoyed this wine. It was 2017 Fuerza de la Tierra White Blend. I would pair this wine with my Winey Parent Wednesday night. It was good to drink by itself, but if you must drink with food, try it with poultry.

A Little, Tiny Hiccup to the Plan

That little mention earlier about things not going as planned. Well, let’s just say that “someone” accidentally mislabeled the bottles (E & F). So, one bottle of red happened to go in the fridge, while a white did not. We noticed it early enough where the white could be chilled and the red could get back to a warmer temperature. I blame my husband. 😉

Wine Insiders: Assessment

Overall, I would absolutely recommend ordering wine from Wine Insiders. I really enjoyed trying their wines. The fact that five of the six were solid, being either good to really enjoyable, is a win! Also, the value is fantastic, especially for a first-time order. The added convenience of having the wine show up on your doorstep is unbeatable. You need to have someone 21 or older sign for the wine. If that isn’t possible, it can be delivered to any local FedEx pick up location, like Walgreens. While this is not as convenient as delivery to your doorstep, it’s still a quick pick up. It’s also more convenient than not having wine at all. Who wants that?

What You Can Try at Wine Insiders

The selection from Wine Insiders comes from all over the world. Whether you’re interested in buying a bottle of 2016 Del Suelo Malbec (California) or a sparkling Fincalegre Cava (Spain), there are a wide variety of options. You can even search by type of wine, region, or a specific winemaker. You can even select from one of their many specialty packs. This includes gift sets, or seasonal selections if you’re just interested in adding something new to your wine rack.

Not only are we happy with what we received, and their customer service, we love what Wine Insiders says on their site.

“Enjoy with no further obligation – We love our wine so much that we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, so you can ship and sip risk-free. Shop with confidence knowing you won’t find hidden fees or unexpected club subscriptions at Wine Insiders.”

That’s something I can really get behind and it makes me more comfortable ordering from them again. And, they have an incredible 15-bottle club offer, so it’s nice to know there isn’t any obligation to the membership and it can be cancelled at any time. It makes it so much easier to say, “Hey, we really enjoyed our Wine Insiders’ experience and I would recommend them to a friend.”