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.
All the wine bottles arrived in perfect condition.
This white envelope contains info cards about this month’s featured wines.
Inside the box, there are six different cards containing all the information you need to know about each featured wine, and at the back of each card are pictures of great scenery related to the wine or the place where it came from.
This box also includes an informative booklet.
Featured inside the booklet are photos of different kinds of sophisticated wines with high ratings and multiple awards won.
This part of the booklet features a Letter from the Editor, some Firstleaf highlights, and a promotional ad for FirstLeaf Founder Favorites.
Here’s an interesting Q and A with David Cuthbert, the CEO of Wine To Water.
According to the booklet, Firstleaf sources its wine from all over the world. Here’s a map of some of the famous wine they produced and a bit of information about why they are loved so much!
Everything in my box!
This month’s box includes 6 bottles consists of red and white wine!
The first batch are red wines made from California and Spain!
Tulares Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon ($21)
Taste a new California classic in the Tulares Valley Cabernet. Longtime wine critics write about how in the 70s and 80s you never quite knew what was going to happen when you opened a bottle of wine. It could be good, it could be bad, or it could be weird. As winemakers have learned more and more about technique, we’ve seen a renaissance of delicious wine, and nowhere has benefitted more than California. The winemakers have learned and are producing incredible wines that we are happy to discover. It’s a true joy to discover wine like the Tulares Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, our new favorite California Cab. It’s balanced and approachable with full fruit and hints of oak and spice. It drinks well on its own but shines with flank steak, lamb chops, or roasted peppers.
This tasty drink possesses well-balanced acidity and tannins, with each sip dominated by cherry, oak, and raspberry notes. There’s also a hint of sweetness that makes it stunning.
It pairs perfectly with roasted peppers, flank steak, and herbed lamb chops!
Doble De Diez 2018 Mencia Spain ($19.99)
Experience a more subtle take on a Spanish Red in the new release from Doble de Diez. Most Spanish reds you can find on the market are aggressive and brutish. They hem and haw and attack you with fruit and bold tannins. This wine is more about the elegance, balance, and concentrated flavors that can come from careful cultivation. Made from the Mencia grape, a grape that used to only be used for blends, this wine over-delivers and has experienced a revival in Spain. We would recommend popping this in the refrigerator for ten minutes before serving. It will highlight the pomegranate and raspberry as well as allow you to tease out dark chocolate, coconut, nutmeg, and tomato leaves. Pair with pizza, sausages, or even a nice steak.
This Spanish wine is the very definition of elegance, as it features a harmonious combination of chocolate, coconut, pomegranate, and cherry notes. It’s quite pleasing to the palate.
It’s a medium-bodied wine to pair with flank steak, spicy sausages, and pizza dishes.
Loudspeaker 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($21)
Turn it up to 11 with the Gold medal winning Loudspeaker Cabernet Sauvignon. The Loudspeaker Cabernet Sauvignon is a saxophone playing at full volume. It has bold oak and spice with voluptuous boysenberry fruit flavor that mingles with dark cherries and licorice. There’s a hint of mint that plays off of the leathery texture and nuanced blue fruits. It’s a slightly unexpected wine that has a strong fruit character that will stand up to equally fruity dishes: duck with figs, venison with dates, and plum braised pork. It pairs equally well with baritone R&B, sultry Blues, and throaty Jazz. Judges love this wine too. It took home a Gold medal at the 2019 Texas International Wine Competition.
It’s a well-polished wine that features a deep ruby color and an intense fruity taste. It has notes of blueberry, layered with vanilla, mocha, and a little kick of ripe tannin!
According to the card, this type of wine can work perfectly with rich meat dishes like duck breast with fig sauce, venison with dates, or even a plum braised pork.
The second set are white wines that are made from California, Portugal, and Argentina respectively!
Aromatherapy 2018 Viognier ($19.99)
Savor the aromas in this beautiful Viognier from Lake County. Aromatherapy wines are all about expressive notes that jump out of the glass. It’s why this Viognier from Lake County (just north of Napa) is such a good find. We love the grape for the subtle tree fruits and explosive floral nose. White flowers, jasmine, and wet stone mingle and add a fun complexity to the wine. Fun fact: Viognier almost went extinct in the 1960s until winemakers realized how much it added to their blends. Today it’s thriving, and we are thankful we can enjoy a beautiful wine like the Aromatherapy. The wine is great on its own but shines with a Caprese salad, Thai curry, and buttery cheeses.
Smooth and refreshing, this white wine features notes of lemon, white peach, and a hint of pear. It makes the perfect choice for fruity wine lovers and also for those looking for a drink to relax with.
This wine also comes with a lovely aromatic scent of white flower and wet stone that brings a captivating effect. Aromatherapy white wine is definitely perfect with spicy curry, caprese salad, and soft cheese.
International Press: NV Portugal Vinho Branco ($17.99)
Tour the sunny vineyards of Portugal in this fresh Vinho Branco. The International Press series of wines is all about exploration. Through it, you can explore the vineyards of the world, getting to taste the terroir and style of a place. The International Press: Portugal is an especially interesting wine. Made from one of Portugal’s oldest varieties, the beautiful Fernão Pires (with just a hint of Moscatel) is a joy to discover. Full of fresh citrus fruits blending with vanilla, white flowers, and wet stone this is an especially nice complement to warmer weather. We’ve been pairing it with fish and chips, shrimp, and even char-grilled salmon.
The nose of the wine is strongly dominated by fresh fruity notes coming from green apple, lemon, grapefruit, and blood orange. It also has an inviting scent of white flowers. It’s the ideal white wine to drink this season!
This wine is best served chilled together with some delicious seafood dishes including grilled shrimp or fish, especially salmon!
2018 Monjitas Blancas ($17.99)
Savor the zesty bouquet of flowers in this 93 Point, Double Gold medal-winning 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.
This delicious white wine features alluring floral bouquet notes coming from hibiscus, orange blossom, and gardenias. It’s crisp and citrusy with a lasting, sweet finish.
It also displays luscious notes of kiwi, lime, and green papaya, making it the most fitting wine to pair with grilled fish and spicy foods. Every sip is just so delightful!
Firstleaf Wine Club keeps us happy with their selection of wines monthly! We get both reds and whites, and each of them features unique characteristics and set of notes that make them interesting to try. The subscription also usually includes award-winning wines and even those made internationally. They even send informative cards along with the wines, which are especially helpful for those who are interested in learning more about wines. As always, the bottles are packed nicely so they arrived in the best condition. I’m pretty satisfied with this bunch and I’m always looking forward to discovering new wines through this subscription!
What do you think of Firstleaf Wine Club subscription?
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