Firstleaf Wine Club May 2019 Subscription Box Review + Coupon

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Firstleaf is a wine club subscription that aims to discover your exact wine preferences and ship you that wine. A member’s first shipment will be an introductory pack containing 6 bottles of wine. It will be curated based on a few simple questions that you will answer upon sign up. If you rate wines after you receive your box, they’ll use their proprietary algorithm to target your exact preferences, getting better and better with every box.

DEAL: The introductory order with 6 bottles of wine is priced at $39.95 + tax and has free shipping, while future boxes will contain 6 bottles for $79.98 + $9.95 shipping and tax. No coupon needed, just use this link to subscribe.

Once you receive your first shipment, you can log into your account and rate the wines in the Previous Boxes section. The more wines you rate, the more closely they can match future shipments to your tastes. Instead of sorting you into broad categories, Firstleaf performs a chemical analysis of all their wines, and uses your ratings to narrow down your predicted reactions to each flavor component.

The wine bottles arrived in perfect condition.

This month’s box also includes an exclusive booklet from Firstleaf.

The first part of the booklet features a Letter from the Editor, some Firstleaf highlights, and the 12 award-winning wines that include a double gold, best of class, and 90+ points ratings!

There’s also an interesting article about wines from France and Italy!

Another feature is about food and wine pairings.

The Golden Rule: Drink what you like with the food you like. If you like having a wine with a certain food, keep enjoying it guilt-free!

This white envelope contains info cards about this month’s featured wines.

Each card has a picture of great scenery related to the wine or the place where it came from.

Everything in my box!

This month’s box includes 3 red wines and 3 white wines!

The first three bottles are red wines from California!

2016 Inkscape Red Wine California ($23)

Taste the robust follow-up to a Food and Wine Editor Favorite in the new release from Inkscape. Any wine coming from Inkscape has a lot to live up to. The debut wine was given an Editor’s Choice Pick from Food and Wine magazine, and the subsequent wines have continued winning award after award. This 2016 Red has had just enough time aging to settle down and start showing beautifully. As well-made wine ages, it can begin to show “tertiary” flavors. Tertiary flavors include vanilla, coffee, tobacco, earth, and sometimes even a light nuttiness. This fantastic Cab is no exception. It has well-integrated tannins and shows layers of vanilla and coffee with just a hint of earth that play off of the deep blue fruit flavors. We are sure you are going to love this complex Red. Judges have loved this wine too and sent it home from the 2019 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge with a Silver medal.

It’s a medium-bodied red wine that features an average level of acidity and fruity flavor. This luscious wine is dominated with the taste of blueberry and coffee notes with hints of vanilla and tobacco.

This wine is best paired with charcuterie, and roasted veggies and pork. It’s the perfect wine to try if you are in need of a heavy drink to accompany your dinner.

2016 Penpal California Red Wine ($21)

Experience the delicious follow up to Penpal’s 94 point Gold medal winner. We like to think of every wine that comes from Penpal as a love letter. You can taste the heart that goes into the winemaking and presentation of each bottle. The styles are presented in a straightforward manner, and this Cabernet-based blend is no exception. With a base of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in one of our favorite regions, Lodi, the Red Blend starts off with rich red fruits. A dash of the tannic Tannat grape variety gives it a firm structure and a bit of Petit Verdot lends hints of blue fruits and some muscle. This blend comes together and is a great complement to meat dishes. The fruit is especially nice when it plays off of a fruit braise or sauce.

Penpal Heritage is a 94-point, award-winning red wine that features a well-balanced taste with notes of raspberry, oaks, and cherry.

It’s a super flavorful wine with a harmonious blend of fruitiness and sweetness, making it a great complement to meat dishes such as charcuterie, herbed pork, and flank steak. Such a classic!

2016 Four and Twenty California Cabernet Sauvignon ($21)

Taste the polished flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon in the return of member favorite Four and Twenty to Firstleaf. Cabernet Sauvignon can come in all kinds of styles, from big, high-alcohol fruit “bombs” to light, airy young wines. Cabernet Sauvignon contains multitudes. The newest offering from Four and Twenty is a middle ground, polished style of Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a decent amount of tannins and texture that play off the black fruit flavors. The deep ruby color looks beautiful in a glass and is just now starting to show earthy flavors that complement the richness of the fruit. The well-integrated tannins contrast acidic tomato-based dishes, but would also be great with fruity sauces on your favorite game. We like having it alongside duck with figs or plum braised pork.

Like the first two wines, this one is also a medium-bodied red wine. It comes with complex layers of oak, blackberry, and black currant. It also garnered a silver medal from the L.A. International Wine competition in 2014.

Four and Twenty Cabernet Sauvignon boasts the right amount of tannins and texture that produces a deep ruby tint and a rich earthy taste. It’s recommended to be paired with pasta, duck breast, and braised pork.

The next three bottles are white wines from South Africa, Argentina, and California, respectively!

2018 Apeloko Chenin Blanc South Africa ($18)

Taste the fruit of the Apeloko farmers in this South African Chenin Blanc. Apeloko directly translates to “the man who stays late at the farm,” and sometimes that’s what it takes to make a truly amazing wine. This South African Chenin Blanc comes from decades-old vines that produced hearty grapes for a wine with beautiful notes of Fuji apple, candied lemon, and a vibrant acidity. It’s a concentrated Chenin Blanc that is still easy to enjoy. The flavors and acidity can stand up to some very rich foods. We want to try this with pâté, fresh tuna, and roasted chicken at the end of a long day’s work. The winery responsible for making this wine is Babylon’s Peak, which is nestled on the slopes of the Paardeberg Mountains. It’s a family-run cellar currently in its fourth generation. Winemaker Stephen Basson uses his upbringing at the vineyard to drive his winemaking process and focuses on making wines that truly represent the terroir of South African soils. Judges love it too! It took home a Silver from the 2019 Monterey International Wine Competition.

This white wine from South Africa is sweet and light-bodied, with delightful notes of green apple and lemon.

This wine tastes great with grilled fish, roasted chicken, and pate, or any meat with citrus-based sauces.

2018 Monjitas Blancas Argentina ($17.99)

Savor the zesty bouquet of flowers in the Monjitas Blancas Torrontés. Torrontés is a white grape that is known in insider wine circles as a hidden gem. This grape produces wines with prodigious aromas. We love the exotic floral notes of hibiscus, orange blossom, and gardenias that play off of the crisp, sweet citrus flavors. The Monjitas Blancas has these flavors as well as a prominent mineral structure that rounds out the wine. These notes meld together in an elegant and dry finish. The wine works as well on its own as it does with a meal. The complexity does lend itself to pairing with difficult dishes, and in particular, we have been enjoying this wine with spicy Asian cuisines. Judges love it too. It took home 93 Points and a Double-Gold Medal at the 2019 International Eastern Wine Competition.

It’s another award-winning wine! It features exotic floral notes from hibiscus, orange blossom, and gardenias that result in a crispy, sweet, and citrusy flavor.

Monjitas Blancas also exhibits delicious notes of kiwi, lime, and green papaya, which makes it the perfect wine to pair with grilled fish and spicy food. It makes every sip so enjoyable!

2017 Impress Sauvignon Blanc California ($15.99)

The return of a Gold Medal winning brand that is sure to impress. We are incredibly excited to welcome back an Impress wine to Firstleaf. Impress wines do exactly what their name suggests, and we enjoy every sip. This California Sauvignon Blanc really shines in the glass. The warm days and cool breezes at night in Lodi allow the grapes to exhibit mild notes of lemongrass and crisp acidity as well as mouthwatering flavors reminiscent of pear, citrus, and melon. A perfect pairing for coastal foods, we have been loving it with citrus marinated grilled fish, but it would also nicely complement lightly fried foods like fish and chips, fried calamari, and vegetable tempura. Judges love it too! It took home a Silver medal from the 2019 West Coast Wine Competition and the 2019 Toast of the Coast Wine Competition.

Save the best for last! This final bottle is a multi-awarded drink that won a variety of wine competitions in 2018 and 2019. It features unique notes of lemongrass, pear, citrus, and melon with a sky-high level of acidity.

The high-level acidity coming from this wine makes it a perfect pair with seafood such as tempura, fried calamari, fish and chips. A totally impressive wine!

Firstleaf Wine Club has been so consistent in providing high-quality wines that take my dinners and other meals to a whole new level. This month’s box is full of award-winning, tasty, and fruity wines that fit my preferences perfectly. I also appreciate how all the bottles are safely packed inside the container. They made sure that the wines arrive in good condition. I’m certainly looking forward to more of these great wines in my next month’s box!

What do you think of Firstleaf Wine Club subscription?

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