How we choose your wines

Wine selection isn't rocket science, but it's not random either. Most clubs buy what's available in volume. We buy what's worth learning from.

Every quarter, we taste around hundreds of wines from tastings and samples. Not casual sipping – proper evaluation with producers who actually know their craft. These conversations shape our understanding of wine regions and inform our selection methodology.

The process that matters

1) SOURCE

Direct relationships with makers. Small producers, limited releases, wines with actual stories. The kind that never reach supermarket shelves and inform our regional understanding.

2) VALIDATE

Multiple expert opinions matter. From professional reviews to our own blind tastings, if a wine can't withstand scrutiny, it's rejected. Our selection criteria reflects this rigour.

3) CURATE

Every bottle needs to teach something. Whether it's understanding navigating a wine list with ease or mastering food pairing principles, random selection defeats the purpose.

4) TASTE

Context matters. Every bottle arrives with enough background to make learning stick. No mystique, no marketing speak. Just wines chosen for what they can teach you.

No waffle. Just wines chosen for what they can teach you, delivered with enough context to make learning stick.

Most wine clubs send bottles. We share understanding.

Here's what that means: instead of random wine delivery, every bottle teaches something useful. Whether it's recognising why Chablis tastes different from other Chardonnays, or knowing which wines work with spicy food, you build genuine knowledge that sticks.

Proper curation

We work directly with small producers whose wines serious collectors know about. From Burgundy village appellations to England's best new sites, each bottle demonstrates something worth learning about its place or grape.

Actual education

Learn from people who know their stuff - wine experts like Michael Sager, food writers like Tim Hayward, and industry insiders who can explain why certain wines work and others don't. No mystique, just insight.

A real difference

After a few months, wine lists stop feeling intimidating. You'll recognise styles, understand regions, and choose confidently. The kind of knowledge that pays dividends every time you buy wine.

3-6 bottles monthly

Hand-picked wines from small producers. Not supermarket brands - the bottles wine shop owners keep for themselves. Each one chosen to teach you something useful about style, region, or grape variety.

For example First Time members who like red have received bottles including:
- Raul Perez Ultreia St Jacques

- Mas Martinet Menut

- Regis Boucabeille Les Terrasses Rouge

Next Level white | 4 bottles

- Envinate Benje Bianco

- Salt River Sauvignon Blanc

- Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc

The Producers mixed | 4 bottles

- COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria

- Antoine Jobard Bourgogne Blanc

- Coste del Vivo Rosso No. 1

- Walter Scott La Combe Vert Chardonnay

The Traveller white | 6 bottles

- De Moor Chablis

- Claude Riffault Sancerre Les Denisottes

- Domaine de Bellevue Gaia Muscadet

- Roagna Barbera d'Alba

- Simon Bize Bourgogne Rouge Les Perrieres

- Heitz Cellars Zinfandel

The Master | 8 bottles

- Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Blanc Les Mechalots

- Francois Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu

- Radikon Jakot

- Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose

- Domaine Lionnet Cornas Pur Granit

- Storm Wines Ridge Pinot Noir

- Joseph Roty Bourgogne Rouge Cuve de Pressonniers

- Yvon Metras Madame Placard Beaujolais

The Northern Star | 2-12 bottles

- Ganevat En Billat Pinot Noir

- JF Mugnier Clos de la Marechale 1er Cru

Context that matters

Notes that help you identify what you're experiencing: the freshness of good Sancerre, the depth in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the texture of aged Hunter Valley Semillon, or the earthiness of mature Rioja. Each tasting builds your ability to recognise these characteristics in other wines.

Personal record keeping: Track what you taste, note your preferences, build your own tasting reference.

Proper packaging

100% recyclable materials that protect your wines and respect the planet. Good taste extends beyond the bottle.

Carbon-neutral delivery

Every shipment arrives with zero environmental impact, because the best wines come from producers who care about the future of their land.

Wine education that actually works. No lectures, just practical knowledge that makes every glass more enjoyable.

The mathematics of wine learning

Most people spend hundreds annually on bottles they don't understand. Consider the economics: a single sommelier course costs £800-1,500. Personal wine consultants charge £100-200 per session. Premium wine shop advice often steers toward higher margins, not better education.

Ourglass membership costs less than your daily coffee. Each month includes wines worth £60-80 at retail, plus educational content equivalent to professional courses. You're not just buying bottles – you're investing in palate development that compounds over decades.

What wine knowledge actually buys you

Wine literacy opens doors. Restaurant confidence, dinner party ease, business entertainment competence. Members who master food pairing principles never again feel intimidated by wine lists or shop selections.

The cost of wine ignorance? Years of mediocre bottles. The cost of wine education? Less than your daily coffee.

Like learning a language, wine knowledge pays lifelong dividends in pleasure and confidence.