If you’ve been using any form of social media in the last couple of years, you’re probably aware of the fact that the meal kit delivery is incredibly trendy right now. All that one needs to get to his delicious Lasagne Bolognese is a credit card and a few clicks.
In a new twist, wine is now part of this story, too – meal delivery services allow their subscribers to sign up online and receive a box on fine wines on a monthly basis. The company that started the whole affair is the NY-based Blue Apron, which is the largest service of its kind in the United States. Their wine subscription is separate from the regular meal subscription, but it has been designed to complement and support it.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll help you find out how this whole thing works and is it actually worth the money. We’ve subscribed to the service ourselves and have received a well-packed box of six bottles – if you want to know more about the packaging, price, and the quality of Blue Apron wines, read on!
Working of Wine Delivery by Blue Apron
Here’s how the Wine Delivery by Blue Apron works – every month, for the price of $65.99 (the cost includes taxes and shipping), the company sends their subscribers 6 bottles of wine, together with the pairing recommendations and tasting notes.
The wines are chosen to pair with the dishes in the regular Blue Apron kits and come in bottles of 500 ml (that’s around 2/3 the size of the regular wine bottles). Wine bottles of this size don’t only look adorable but also allow two people to easily enjoy an entire bottle together with their meal.
The company pairs with various wineries around the world, bringing a wide array of interesting wines to their subscribers each month. We need to admit that we were huge skeptics when it comes to wine delivery. But, the results were surprising.
The wines are meant to compliment the meal kits, rounding out the food by cutting through an indulgent, hearty dish or bringing out the flavors of a spicy, intense one. Affordable bottles, excellent wine and new producers including delivery is very tough to beat. So, in our opinion Blue Apron’s concept is win-win! And in blue apron review here, you can read more about their delicious meals. Those who love food and wine are guaranteed to love everything about this subscription. Let’s check out the quality of the packaging:
Looks & Feel
In our opinion, the packaging looks great and makes a good job of keeping the bottles snug and secure. The box was in an excellent shape when it arrived, and it’s a great thing that the cardboard is completely recyclable. An important thing to keep in mind here is that someone of at least 21 years of age has to sign for it. If you’re wondering about how much wine you can get from a 2/3-sized bottle, here’s the answer – about 3 1/2 regular-sized glasses.
Each box includes a collection of tasting notes – they detail things like structure, color, and body of the wine, and also give some info on the wineries and the regions these drinks come from. Of course, the notes also include thoughtful food pairings for each wine. As far as we’re concerned, these tasting notes are absolutely amazing and make the whole deal far more interesting.
We went with an all-European selection, mixing some whites and reds. Here’s what we thought of them:
The Wines We Got
Seigneurie de Chatillon
As the name suggests, this white wine comes from Burgundy, a region in Eastern France. One might expect this wine to be austerely dry, with underpinnings of stone and bright acid, and he would be wrong. This version emphasizes the fruit and is far more expressive than most typical White Burgundy wines. It features a beautiful gold color (both in glass and bottle) and has a restrained scent of flinty apple.
Even though it’s made from Chardonnay, the wine has aged in steel instead of oak, which means that you won’t get cakey or butter flavors that you usually get with Californian versions. As it warmed up in the glass, we started noticing underpinnings of pear and apple, with this fruity flavor making it a perfect choice for roasted chicken. To really experience the flavors, don’t forget to drink Seigneurie de Chatillon close to the room temperature.
Feudo Palo Fiano
Feudo Palo Fiano comes from Sicily, Italy, and the note describes the grapes from which it was made as fruity, zesty white. The wine has a light gold color in the glass, as well as a more medium body than we’ve initially expected. The smell is very nice, combining the scents of citrus and white flowers. It reminded us of Pinot Grigio, particularly in the sharp finish.
All we can say is that we really liked this wine, as we love the dry whites. However, it’s not the best choice for those expecting something like a fruit-salad-style Sauvignon Blanc. We recommend combining it with tilapia tacos.
Fritz’s Riesling
The last white wine in our box came from Rheinhessen in southwest Germany. It’s a well-known Riesling and can be purchased in most wine shops. It has the light gold color in the glass and the scent of fruit and honeysuckle, in addition to its very light body. The first flavors include jam, pear, and peach, although the overall sweetness is well-balanced with a fair dose of acid at the end.
The fact that Fritz’s Riesling has a low ABV of 11% allows one to drinks a lot of it without getting sloppy. It can be a great pair to your barbecue or Chinese takeout.
Antico Monastero Nebbiolo
Our first red wine came from Langhe, which is a northwestern Italian region sitting between the cool Alps and the warm Mediterranean. Its scent is absolutely gorgeous – the combination of red fruits and floral notes is guaranteed to leave you speechless. The flavor, on the other hand, is as equally petrifying, with a long and tannic finish.
We decided to combine this wine with Blue Apron pizza, and we can safely say that it was a fine match. Don’t allow Nebbiolo to get too warm – it is best when it’s a bit chill.
Stephanie Daumas Cotes du Rhone Villages Visan
The Stephanie Daumas is a blend made up of Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache. It sports a beautiful dark violet/red color in the glass and features a beautiful spice/fruit scent. The dark fruit flavors are in the lead here, although they’re eventually overtaken by the (really) spicy flavors of woodsmoke and pepper. The finish is spicy and quite long.
We drank Stephanie Daumas at a cool room temperature with dark stew and red meat, and advise you to do the same thing – it’s an unforgettable experience.
Rocca dei Rettori Aglianico
As the name suggests, our last wine also came from Italy, specifically from the Beneventano region (northeast of Naples). It sports a nice medium red color and has quite a heavy body. The scent combines spices and dark fruit, with the overall flavor leaning to peppery/olive notes.
Rocca dei Rettori Aglianico should be served at a cool room temperature, and it works best when paired with pork ribs and flank steak.
By the way, Blue Apron offers a straightforward pairing system that allows customers to pair their food and wine subscriptions, similar to methods found in better grocery stores. Their wines are categorized by type, such as plush & fruity or mineral & crisp, and the subscriber only has to find the same symbol on the recipe. Pretty neat, wouldn’t you say?
Conclusion
In conclusion, we think that getting subscribed to Blue Apron’s wine plan is something that everyone who loves food and wine should try out. Even though the bottles are smaller than those offered by Hello Fresh, the subscription is $25 cheaper and 500ml of wine is more than enough to complement a tasty dinner for two people – you won’t have to regret that last glass needed to finish a bottle of the regular size.
The wines we have chosen were excellent, and each of them works great when paired with particular meals, whether they’re provided by Blue Apron or not. The packaging is nice (and recyclable) and the price is reasonable – what more could one want?