BEST WINE CLUBS UK 2026: AN HONEST COMPARISON
Seven clubs compared on what matters. Not all of them are clubs.
A wine club and a wine subscription are not the same thing. The industry uses the words interchangeably, which is part of the problem. A subscription sends you wine. A club gives you something to belong to.
That difference changes what you are paying for. A subscription is a logistics arrangement: bottles arrive, you drink them, more arrive. A club implies membership, access, community, and a reason to stay beyond the next box. The best wine clubs in the UK deliver on that promise. Most do not.
We compared seven. We are one of them. We will be honest about where we are strong and where we are not. We wrote a separate comparison of wine subscriptions covering services like WineDrops, Wine52, Good Pair Days, and Virgin Wines. This piece focuses on clubs that offer something beyond a recurring delivery.
THE SHORT VERSION
The Wine Society has the deepest range at the fairest prices, but it assumes you already know what you want. Berry Bros. is heritage and prestige from Britain's oldest merchant. Naked Wines delivers genuine savings if you enjoy choosing your own bottles. Ourglass is the best for building taste confidence, with structured discovery that turns guessing into knowing. Wanderlust is sustainability without compromise. No universal best. Only the best choice for what you want.
Last updated: March 2026
QUICK COMPARISON
| Club | Best For | Education | Commitment | Price from | Cancel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Wine Society | Range, self-directed buying | Written | One-off £40 share | No monthly fee | N/A |
| Berry Bros. & Rudd | Heritage, classic regions | Written | 5 deliveries minimum | £120/2 months | 30 days notice |
| Naked Wines | Value, choosing your own | None | Monthly £25 credit | £25/month | Anytime |
| Ourglass | Value + structured learning | Structured | None | £50/month | Anytime, no penalties |
| Wanderlust | Organic, sustainability | Written | None stated | ~£48/delivery | Check terms |
| Peckham Cellars | Bar-culture curation (London) | None | None stated | ~£12–18/bottle | Check terms |
| Telegraph Wine Cellar | No-commitment, editorial picks | Written | None | Pay per order | N/A |
Education key: None = wine only. Written = articles and tasting notes. Structured = sequential programme that builds on itself month to month.
WHAT MAKES SOMETHING A WINE CLUB
The word "club" gets bolted onto anything with a recurring payment. That is marketing, not membership.
A proper wine club offers at least three of the following: selections chosen by people who taste professionally, educational material that builds knowledge over time, community through events or shared spaces, member pricing or allocation privileges, and personal service beyond automated emails.
By that measure, most UK "wine clubs" are subscriptions with better branding. Majestic has a Wine Concierge service and over 200 shops, but it is best understood as a retailer with a subscription option rather than a club. Laithwaites operates at scale and offers strong introductory deals, but the model is closer to direct retail than membership. Both are good at what they do. They simply do not meet the bar we are using here for a wine club.
We did not include natural wine specialists like Oranj, ultra-premium services, or pub-and-restaurant-adjacent operations like Shop Cuvée. Several are excellent but serve a narrower audience.
A wine club is not a shop with a standing order. It is a structured relationship with wine.
THE SEVEN CLUBS
THE WINE SOCIETY
Founded in 1874. Member-owned cooperative. You buy a £40 share, keep it for life, and gain access to one of the deepest wine ranges in the country. Nine buyers source the list. Over 1,200 wines. No recurring commitment. You buy when you want, what you want.
The Exhibition range is where the value sits. Bottles at £8 to £12 that consistently outperform their price. The Fine Wine service opens doors to serious bottles at fair prices. Regional tastings and member events add a community layer that most commercial operations cannot replicate.
Where they fall short: But The Wine Society assumes you already know what you are looking for. 1,200 wines can feel more like a library with no index than a helpful guide if you are still developing your preferences. The buying team is outstanding. The hand-holding is minimal. If you understand the difference between left-bank Bordeaux and northern Rhône Syrah, you will thrive. If you are still working that out, the range is a strength you may not yet know how to use.
Best for: Confident buyers who want range, value, and a cooperative ethos. Not for: Beginners who need guidance on what to drink next.
BERRY BROS. & RUDD
Founded in 1698. Britain's oldest wine merchant. Their wine club delivers twelve bottles every two months across four tiers: Bourne at £120, Pickering at £160, Napoleon at £240, and Wellington at £300.
The buying team has relationships with producers that newer merchants cannot access. Napoleon and Wellington tiers draw from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, Piedmont. There is a weight to the selections that reflects not just taste but three centuries of accumulated access. Members get 10% off the online shop and invitations to tastings in the St James's cellars, which is about as close to drinking history as you can get without a time machine.
Where they fall short: The trade-off is flexibility. Cases arrive automatically. Skipping requires two weeks' notice. Cancellation takes 30 days. If you took the introductory half-price offer, Berry Bros. asks for at least five further deliveries before you leave. The quality is high. The terms are firm. This is a membership that expects commitment in return for access most other clubs cannot offer.
Best for: Established drinkers who value tradition, prestige, and classic regions. Not for: Anyone who wants total flexibility or a digital-first experience.
NAKED WINES
Founded in 2008. Crowdfunded winemaker model. You contribute £25 per month as an "Angel", building credit you spend at member prices. Your money funds winemakers directly. In return, you get bottles at close to trade cost. Over 200 wines. Members save up to 33% against retail.
The savings are genuine. Member prices sit well below retail on wines you would pay significantly more for elsewhere. You choose your own bottles rather than receiving a pre-packed case. The platform runs on ratings, reviews, and a community of engaged drinkers. If a bottle disappoints, refunds come without friction.
Where they fall short: The limitation is that the experience depends on what you already know. The recommendation engine nudges but it is not expert curation. Nobody is designing a sequence of wines to develop your palate in a particular direction. If you know what you like, Naked Wines is superb value. If you are trying to learn, you are browsing a large shop with a loyalty card. Excellent for buying. Less effective for building understanding.
Best for: Value-driven buyers who enjoy choosing their own wines and supporting independent producers. Not for: Anyone who wants someone else to do the thinking.
OURGLASS
Founded in 2017. London-based. Winner of Decanter's Best Wine Club 2023. DRA 2026 Finalist. Monthly delivery across six tiers from £50 to £500. Three to eight bottles depending on tier. Cancel anytime.
This is us. We will be honest.
Ourglass exists to make you better at choosing wine yourself. Every box is designed to teach something: a region, a style, a producer philosophy, a point of comparison. Structured tasting notes, short video guides, food pairings, and a progression that builds month on month. Wines from small producers where the price reflects the bottle, not supermarket logistics.
Where we are strong: value and education in the same box. At the First Time tier, £50 gets you three bottles from producers whose entry wines start at £15 to £20 retail, plus tasting notes, video guides, and a welcome guide that builds confidence from the first delivery. At the Producers tier, £120 gets you four bottles from estates like COS, Antoine Jobard, and Coste del Vivo, the kind of names that sommeliers pour for each other after service. Every delivery develops your palate, not just your wine rack. The videos add context a card in the box cannot. Six tiers mean the experience scales from curious beginner to serious collector. Cancel, pause, or adjust with a single click. No retention calls. No penalties. No guilt.
Where we fall short: not the cheapest per bottle at the upper tiers. Our wines reward attention. If you want something cold and white in the fridge without thinking about it, there are simpler options. We are a small company. Personal service, limited scale. We do not have 200 shops or a 150-year heritage. What we do have is a method for turning uncertainty into confidence, and the best evidence we are on the right track is a 71% retention rate and Decanter naming us Best Wine Club.
Best for: People who want value and education in the same box, and who are tired of guessing. Not for: Bargain hunters, passive drinkers, or anyone who wants volume without engagement.
WANDERLUST WINE
Founded in 2017. London-based and sustainability-focused. Three tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum. Bi-monthly delivery of four, eight, or ten bottles. Silver from around £48 per delivery.
Every wine is certified organic or biodynamic. Every producer is small and independent. Sustainability is the operating principle, not a filter applied at checkout. The wines are interesting: seasonal selections from growers who care about soil as much as flavour. A dedicated club manager provides personal service. Member events and tastings add a community dimension. The on-demand delivery service for London residents is a genuine differentiator.
Where they fall short: The constraint is range. Committing to organic and biodynamic narrows the field. If you want to explore Italian regions or Spanish producers working outside the organic framework, Wanderlust will not take you there. Bi-monthly deliveries mean less frequent contact than monthly clubs. But for drinkers who have decided that how a wine is made matters as much as how it tastes, Wanderlust delivers on a promise that most competitors only gesture towards.
Best for: Environmentally conscious drinkers who want organic and biodynamic wines with genuine community. Not for: Anyone who wants maximum variety across all production styles.
PECKHAM CELLARS
Wine bar and shop in Peckham, London. Monthly subscription from their retail range. Bottles vary by level. Average bottle around £12 to £18.
Peckham Cellars is a wine bar first and a club second, which is precisely what makes it interesting. The team choose from over 150 bottles, favouring small-scale makers with an environmental conscience. The subscription is an extension of the bar and shop, meaning every wine has been poured, tasted, and tested in a live hospitality setting before it reaches your door.
That creates a different kind of quality assurance. These wines are not selected from trade samples in a boardroom. They are chosen by people who serve them to real drinkers every evening and watch what happens. The selections have a coherence that reflects a genuine point of view rather than a spreadsheet of regions.
Where they fall short: The limitation is scale. Small operation. Focused range. Limited delivery footprint. Lighter on structured education than dedicated learning platforms. If you live in or near London and trust bar-culture curation over corporate wine buying, Peckham Cellars is a quiet gem. If you want nationwide service or a detailed tasting programme, you will need more infrastructure around you.
Best for: London-based drinkers who trust bar-culture curation and want independent wines. Not for: Anyone outside London or looking for structured wine education.
TELEGRAPH WINE CELLAR
Membership with exclusive pricing and curated selections. No fixed delivery schedule. Order when you want. Competitive pricing positioned as supermarket-beating.
The Telegraph Wine Cellar pairs editorial credibility with a buying operation. Members get access to exclusive prices, curated picks, pairing tips, and recommendations from the food and drinks desk. No commitment to regular deliveries. Order when something catches your eye.
The strength is low friction. No subscription to manage. No boxes arriving when you are away. The writing is credible and the prices are competitive. For someone who trusts the editorial judgement of a national newspaper and wants a straightforward way to buy decent wine without recurring charges, it fills a specific gap.
Where they fall short: This is a media brand with a wine shop attached, not a specialist merchant. The range is conservative. The educational layer is written rather than experiential. You read about wine rather than being guided through a sequence of bottles that builds on itself. Reliable, competent, not transformative.
Best for: Readers who want good wines at good prices with editorial context and no commitment. Not for: Anyone seeking deep curation, rare bottles, or structured learning.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Three questions.
What do you already know? If you can navigate a wine list without anxiety, The Wine Society or Berry Bros. will serve you well. If the list still feels like an exam, start with Ourglass.
What do you want from the membership? Range and self-directed buying: The Wine Society. Prestige and classic regions: Berry Bros. Savings on wines you choose yourself: Naked Wines. Structured learning with strong value: Ourglass. Sustainability: Wanderlust.
How much thinking do you want to do? If you want to choose every bottle yourself, Naked Wines. If you want the thinking done well on your behalf, Ourglass, Berry Bros., or Wanderlust.
The best wine club is the one that matches where you are and where you want to go.
WHY WINE CLUBS STILL MATTER
There is a case that wine clubs are unnecessary in 2026. Independent wine shops are more accessible than ever. Online merchants have made global wine available to anyone with a postcode. Instagram and YouTube offer free education. Why pay a monthly fee when the information is free and the bottles are available everywhere?
The answer is the same one that applies to personal trainers, music teachers, and language tutors. Information is free. Curation is not. Knowing that Chablis exists is different from understanding why this Chablis tastes different from that one, and having someone guide you through the comparison in a way that builds on what you tasted last month.
A wine club, at its best, is not a shop. It is a structured path through a subject that rewards attention.
At its worst, a wine club is a recurring charge for bottles you did not choose and do not want. The difference between those two outcomes is the quality of the curation and the honesty of the club about what it actually offers. You are reading this article because we believe honesty is the better long-term strategy.
Information is free. Curation is not. That is the case for wine clubs in one sentence.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a wine club and a wine subscription?
A wine subscription delivers bottles on a schedule. A wine club typically adds something beyond the wine: educational content, member events, personal service, community access, or allocation privileges. Most services calling themselves clubs are subscriptions with better branding. The distinction matters because it changes what you are paying for.
Which is the best wine club in the UK?
There is no single best wine club in the UK. The Wine Society is best for range and self-directed buying. Berry Bros. for heritage. Naked Wines for savings. Wanderlust for sustainability. Ourglass for value, structured learning, and taste confidence.
How much do wine clubs cost in the UK?
From £25 per month at Naked Wines to £500 per month at Ourglass Northern Star. Most mid-range options sit between £50 and £150. The Wine Society has no monthly fee, just a one-time £40 lifetime share.
Can I cancel a wine club membership?
Policies vary. Ourglass, Naked Wines, and Wanderlust allow cancellation with no penalties. Berry Bros. asks for 30 days' notice and may recoup introductory discounts if you cancel early. Always check terms before joining.
Are wine clubs worth the money?
If the club teaches you something or gives you access to wines you would not find yourself, yes. If it sends bottles you could buy cheaper at the shop, probably not. The value is in what you get beyond the wine itself.
What is the best wine club for beginners?
Ourglass First Time at £50 per month is built for beginners, with structured tasting notes, video guides, and a progression that develops palate awareness over time. The Wine Society works well for beginners who are happy to explore independently at their own pace.
Written by MJ Hecox is community lead at Ourglass We are biased. We have tried to be fair. If another subscription suits you better, go with it.
GO DEEPER
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MORE FROM OURGLASS
Read our honest comparison of wine subscriptions for a wider look at services like WineDrops, Wine52, and Virgin Wines. If you are thinking about gifting, we reviewed the best wine gift subscriptions separately. For the case for and against subscribing at all, see is a wine subscription worth it. And if you want to understand what is actually happening when you taste, start with the Taste Decoded series.