I Tried Wine Awesomeness and Here’s What I Thought

Posted on by caitlin

A few months ago an email came through offering a great deal for a wine subscription box from Wine Awesomeness. I clicked on it because the name of the company sounded cool. When I dug a little deeper, it seemed like I really was getting a good deal on the wine (the deal was for 50% off my first box, meaning I only paid $40 for the six bottles…the bottles are advertised to cost $17-22 a piece), so I subscribed and had a box sent. I’m glad I did!

Six bottles of wine and an educational booklet.
The wine lineup from the French Harvest box.

A few days later the “French Harvest” box arrived at my door. It was filled with six French wines, three white and three red. I hadn’t heard of most of the varietals, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I gave each wine a try and not a single bottle disappointed. I’ve put together a little synopsis of each bottle below…take a look!

Sidenote: Each box you get has a different theme, and the wines are curated from around the world. It is a great way to get a peek into international wine cultures, tastes, and recipes!

The whites:

2016 Chateau Allegret wine.
2016 Chateau Allegret, Entre-Deux-Mers (70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon). This wine was bright and fruity, but not overpoweringly sweet. I paired this with my Mediterranean Farro “Salad” (check out my recipe here), which made for perfect combination of fresh, vibrant flavors!
2016 Domaine Laffitte wine.
2016 Domaine Laffitte, Cotes de Gascogne (70% Columbard, 30% Ugni-Blanc). This wine was light, citrusy, and slightly effervescent. It is tart with higher acidity than the other white wines, but was also one of the most refreshing! The recommended pairing was with shellfish, which I think is perfect!
2016 Medimer, Voignier wine
2016 Medimer, Voignier (100% Voignier). I’ll admit that I was hesitant to try this wine…every Voignier I’ve ever tried has been overly sweet, which isn’t my thing. With this bottle I learned that I hadn’t had any good Voigniers before! This wine was full-bodied and creamy, and showcased hints of Chardonnay qualities (which is my favorite kind of white wine!). Wine Awesomeness claims that a single varietal Voignier is rare for the region that this wine hails from, which is primarily known for its Chardonnays and Savignon Blancs.

The reds:

2016 Comte de Langeron, Beaujolais Villages (100% Gamay) wine.
2016 Comte de Langeron, Beaujolais Villages (100% Gamay). My first Gamay…what the heck is it anyway? Wine Awesomeness described it as a “value-driven Pinot Noir”. It is a light red, with similar body to a Pinot Noir, but the Gamay had an almost lemony quality to it. I served my Green Olive Tapenade with this wine (click here for the recipe!), and the salty dish paired well with the acidity of this wine.
2016 Chateau Allegret, Bordeaux wine.
2016 Chateau Allegret, Bordeaux (40% Merlot, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon). This was definitely the most full-bodied wine of the group. It showcased a nice blend of tannins and fruit flavors, and was a bold wine that could be enjoyed on it’s own or with a heavy meal. This was probably my favorite wine of all!
2015 Canteperdrix, Ventoux wine
2015 Canteperdrix, Ventoux (Carignan, Grenache, Syrah). Another full-bodied red to round out the group, this blend was absolutely delicious! It was good right out of the bottle (needed no time to open up), and was both fruity and smooth to taste. Now that I’m remembering this wine, it might have been my favorite of the box…they were all so good I just can’t decide!

thebacklabel

One of my favorite parts about the Wine Awesomeness box was the booklet that came with it, called thebacklabel. The booklet gives lots of information about the flavor profiles of the wine, the history of the grape varietal, specifics about the region, and even a recipe, music, and environment (yes, like where and when it should be consumed!) recommendation for each bottle. All this information is great, but what made the book stand out was that it was written in a relatable, easy-to-understand way. Forget all that snobby wine stuff, this book was written for the average wine-drinker. Finally!

My Final Thoughts

I can say with confidence that Wine Awesomeness wins my vote, especially compared to some other wine subscription boxes I’ve tried. I also learned a lot about the lesser-known grape varietals, and now know that they are often even better than the common varietals we all know of! By ordering through Wine Awesomeness, I also got to support winemakers from around the world rather than buying into the big brands that are too often featured at the market. If you’re looking for a wine tasting experience at home that is affordable, relatable, and fun, give this a shot!

So, in conclusion, I learned:
  1. Don’t knock a new varietal til you try it.
  2. Wine not only pairs with food, it also pairs with environments, and music (according to thebacklabel!).
  3. These wines are great, and well worth the box price.

I’m looking forward to getting my next box!

P.S. This is not a sponsored post, and I wasn’t asked to review this service. I am a genuine customer, and just thought I would share my opinion!

What’s your favorite wine subscription box? Let me know in the comments below!

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