Plonk Wine Club Review: What Makes Its Membership Program All Worth It?

Finding quality organic and biodynamic wine is like finding a gem, especially when you're looking in a wine club. Plonk Wine Club happens to be one of the few clubs dedicated to filling glasses with organic wine and saving the environment.

What’s with “Plonk”?

Ironically, "plonk" is a derogatory term for cheap, low-quality wine. But it's no more than a play of words.

In Plonk Wine Club reviews, especially on this one, you get to know why they are not cheap - not even close, how they run their business. And if they are the right club for you to join.

Let's go...

Plonk Review & Overview

Plonk Wine Club is an exclusive wine club that's open to everyone.

Did that give you a headache? Sorry, but you'll know why soon enough, then, you'll get an aspirin effect. 😉

The club has a mission to serve rare, hand-crafted, organic boutique wines from around the world.

Unsurprisingly, the wineries supplying the Plonk Wine Club are small brands that employ organic and biodynamic practices - from the cultivation of grapes to wine production.

Essentially, the grapes would be free of pesticides or chemicals, but so is the environment where they are grown. The winemakers don't add alcohol enhancements, artificial sugar, colorants, or yeasts to enhance taste or speed up production.

If you've never tasted biodynamic wines, thread carefully. Manufacturers add them for a reason,(better overall taste), which our palates have grown accustomed to like with many other products. In short, the wines are all-natural and taste as such.

However, what seals the exclusivity of the Plonk Wine Club for this review is its price. These are boutique bottles, so expect to pay well above supermarket prices per bottle; check the Plonk Wine Club site for current rates.

Plonk, knowingly or unknowingly, has created a kind of cult for environmentalist wine enthusiasts.

"We taste through hundreds of wines and only select real, authentic wines made by passionate farmers, not by industrial manufacturers or boardroom executives from large wine industry conglomerates."

What To Expect From Plonk Wine Club Subscription

Subscription Packages

There are three clubs you can join:

1. Red Wine Club
2. White Wine Club, and
3. Mixed Wine Club

They are pretty straightforward. The Red Wine Club includes only red wines, only whites in White Wine Clubs, and you get both in the Mixed Wine Club in the box.

According to Plonk's own site, you can get 4, 6, or 12 bottles per shipment, delivered monthly, every other month, or quarterly. You can pay month to month or prepay for 3, 6, or 12 shipments.

Prices change, so check the current rates on the official site before you sign up. Trying a month-to-month plan first won't hurt, to avoid regrets.

Larger boxes lower the cost per bottle, so the 12-bottle box is usually the best value if you drink a lot of wine.

Shipping And Packaging

Plonk Wine Club offers free shipping for all their subscriptions. That matters, because paying shipping costs on every box can become frustratingly expensive for a regular member.

Unlike some wine clubs, the wines are delivered in a regular brown delivery box. Nothing special like the black box Vinebox (another elite wine club) uses.

All their boxes are delivered in the first week of the month. Read that again. The wine boxes are only delivered in the first week of the month, regardless of when you joined. While that may seem like its prompt delivery, it can be annoying if you subscribe, say in the middle of the month. Perhaps it's the sacrifice Plonk has to pay for free shipping.

Like with other wine clubs, you, or another adult 21 or older, must be there to sign for the delivery. Missed deliveries can lead to returns or extra fees, so check the club's current shipping policy.

All in all, the only good thing about Plonk wine shipping is that it's free. Other than that, it's just like most wine clubs, if not lacking in some areas, like shipping only in the first week of the month.

Perks, Promos, And Discounts

Plonk has run introductory offers and member reorder perks in the past. These change over time, so check the official site for any current promotions.

The tasting notes included with the wines give beginner wine enthusiasts some direction. If you think a wine is "ok" or "pleasant" you'd know exactly why. Do you perceive a grapey undertone in the wine? Check the note!

With time, you'd grow to refute the notes with a counter-note. or notice the flavors without checking.

Customer Support, Cancellation, And Refunds

Plonk offers a first-hand customer service approach. Founder and curator Etty Klein is closely involved in the club, and she talks wine with subscribers like the connoisseur she is. It makes Plonk a kind of small family of organic wine lovers.

Although you may get a bottle or two that doesn't suit your palate, it's highly unlikely you'd receive a "terrible" bottle of wine. If a bottle is faulty, contact the club.

If you need to cancel or hold your subscription, Plonk says you can cancel, pause, or skip shipments anytime. If it helps, the Plonk team is friendly and would hold no grudge.

Pro Curator

Plonk's founder, Etty Klein, curates every selection herself. She describes the club's driving force as getting people to take a leap on something exotic, unfamiliar, and delicious.

She has built a following in the wine trade and the press for that approach. In the end, the selections speak for themselves, and so do the palates of club members.

Alternatives

Martha Stewart Wine Club

How about an economical alternative first?

Martha Stewart's club ships curated cases of wine at a lower price per bottle than Plonk. But you don't get the organic or natural selections of the Plonk Wine Club.

Of course, you may not like all the selections (or you may), but you can't bargain with such value. Also, you can reorder your favorite bottles from the selection at a discount.

Vegan Wine Club

The name says it all. The Vegan Wine Club helps you curate and deliver vegan-friendly bottles of wine at your doorstep every month. That's all there is to it.

Like Plonk Wine Club, it sits at the premium end of the market. Check the club's site for its current packages and prices.

Vinebox

No hit or miss with wine bottles here. Unlike Plonk or any other wine club, you won't ever have to throw out a wine bottle or relegate it to cooking because you hate the taste. Vinebox lets you try wines by the glass: its current subscription sends six curated wines a month in 100 ml glass tubes.

Each tube holds a generous tasting pour, enough for a food pairing in a regular wine glass.

Pros & Cons Of Plonk Wine Club Reviewed

Pros

• Natural and biodynamic wines you won’t find in local stores
• Prompt delivery in the first week of the month
• First-hand customer support
• Free shipping
• Expert guides with tasting notes and food pairings for each wine

Cons

• In a box of four, you might find only one enjoyable, and the rest decent. But the taste is subjective
• Becomes outrageously expensive for a family or heavy drinker
• Ships ONLY in the first week of every month
• Fewer bottle choices than clubs that let you pick your wines

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does Plonk Ship Only Organic and Natural Wines?

Organic and biodynamic wines have the least adverse impact on the environment. The wineries grow and produce their wines without pesticides or commercial additives like acidifiers, artificial sugar, alcohol enhancement, or chemicals.

Can I Give Plonk Wine Club As A Gift?

Yes. You can give a significant other, friend, or family a Plonk Wine Club subscription as long as they're over 21 years old. If the gift owner isn't home to accept the delivery, then you can also send it directly to their office address. Basically, an adult 21 or older needs to be available to sign for the shipment.

Are There Identical Bottles Included In Shipments?

This depends on your box size. Smaller boxes usually hold all different wines, while larger boxes may include more than one bottle of the same wine. Check the details of your plan on the official site.

Conclusion: Plonk Wine Club Review

At the end of the day, I think it boils down to your taste.

If you're interested in organic or biodynamic wines, Plonk is one of the best wine clubs to join. Their boutique wines come with free shipping, and customer support is excellent at the Plonk Wine Club.

Nonetheless, there are many less expensive and more delicious wine clubs to join. So, if you aren't into organic foods or making the environment "safer", you might find it pricey.

Not interested?

Try out Martha Stewart's Wine Club if you aren't ready to fork out so many dollars on wine monthly just yet. Or if you want more bottles for the money.

Sources

• Plonk Wine Club, Plonk Wine Club (official site)
• Vinebox, Vinebox (official site)