Selection of bottles from Plonk / Photo courtesy Plonk
Many of us explored the myriad options for buying wines online in the last year and a half. While there’s no shortage of great options, these all offer something special.
In Good Taste
Online
This company started out distributing single-serve wine bottles in hotels. In early 2020, however, when travel slowed and hotel business struggled, In Good Taste found a new way to distribute its exquisitely labeled custom wines: direct to consumer. Bottles are high-quality and nicely designed to be reused as décor. Try a flight or gift an advent calendar.
Last Bottle
Online
If you’re looking for something specific, Last Bottle may not be the shop for you. But if you’re an adventurous drinker who wants to try great wines at even better prices, sign up for text alerts and keep your phone handy. Last Bottle sells a single wine per day at 30–70% off retail prices. You get a text, and then you either buy or you don’t. No commitment, just deals.
Liner & Elsen
Online
Also a brick and mortar, Liner & Elsen’s online shop is great for those who really want to take their time perusing the enormous selection, which includes old and rare bottles. You also don’t have to be in Portland, Oregon, to pick up one of the hand-selected cases that lets you explore a specific style or region.
NakedWines.com
Online
If you haven’t heard of all the producers on this site, that’s sort of the point. This direct-to-consumer brand invests in independent winemakers, acting as the only broker between winemaker and customer. The result is the best of both worlds: You don’t have to pay the markups involved in the three-tier distribution system, but you do get access to a large variety of quality wines.
Plonk
Online
Started as a wine club focusing on organic and biodynamic wines from around the world, Plonk also has a retail arm. Most bottles are priced reasonably, around $25, so build yourself a case or buy a preselected one, like a dinner party six-pack or a six-bottle collection of Italian wine. Feeling adventurous? Try a mystery pack, with the assurance that there are no bad apples in this shop.
