Bright Cellars Review

  Last updated March 17, 2024

Advertising Disclosure | How We Rate

"This is what happens when MIT grads create an intelligent wine club"
  Delight guarantee - like your bottle selection or get free replacement
  International wine seletion
  Taste-tested wines only
  Flexible plan - skip or cancel any time
  Member perks include bonus bottles and more
  Exclusive "Bright Points" 18-point algorithm

Our Rating


Price 9.7 / 10
Selection 9.2 / 10
Matching 9.5 / 10
Flexibility 8.8 / 10
Customer Service 8.2 / 10
Tasting Notes 9.9 / 10

Overview


Food enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs can rejoice with the Bright Cellars Wine subscription service. This wine subscription offers patrons the ability to customize their wine tasting selection every month based on an initial quiz that takes into account their preferences, food pairings, and taste buds.

Bright Cellars Wine provides people with unique wines delivered straight to their home every month. The Bright Cellars Wine club is a bit different, in that it uses science created by its two co-founders that graduated from MIT to create wine selections for people. Based on 18 attributes, this algorithm provides a unique profile that they hope will satisfy customers.

At a Glance


Price Range $80/month for 4 bottles ($20 per bottle)
Ideal For Beginners seeking to develop their palate and gain exposure to new blends & varietals
Delivery Frequency Monthly, bi-monthly, and quarterly options
Bottles Per Shipment 4 bottles per month

Pricing


Bright Cellars begins its pricing at around $90 a month all-in (taxes etc.), although advertised as $80. This is affordable compared to other wine subscriptions, which can cost up to $135 or more a month.

However, the price is a little higher considering customers only receive 4 bottles a month, bringing the price per wine bottle to $20 a month. That is a little more expensive than your average super-market brand wine, which is why Bright Cellars offers a "delight guarantee." It's up to the consumer to see if they want to spend a little less on a wine subscription than normal, but more money on wine overall.

Brand Reputation


Bright Cellars has  over 80,000 followers on Instagram and over 57,000 likes on Facebook. One of their biggest selling points is their unique wine tasting quiz that determines what wines clients will receive. In addition, their co-founders Richard Yau and Joe Laurendi are proud of their MIT education and claim their science background has been put to good use and benefits wine tasting consumers.

Shipping


Like all wine club services, Bright Cellars can only ship packages receiving a signature of someone 21 years and older. Its terms also state that any returns are subject to a $25 fee covering shipping costs, and any returns are also approved at a discretionary basis.

Customer Service


Not all of Bright Cellar's customers online are happy, as evidenced in multiple comments and reviews on Trustpilot. Perhaps the biggest issue with this brand is the lack of communication between its customer service agents and its customers.

Among the issues pointed out were the difficulty with which to cancel a subscription, and how it took multiple attempts and e-mails to reach out to customer service agents. On their social media pages, however, representatives seem willing to answer questions and even offer to look further into details by having clients send them direct messages.

For those looking to get a Bright Cellars Wine subscription, other issues mentioned were wines tasting somewhat similar, although every review (Bright Cellars claims) will improve future wine selections for customers. Customer service agents can be reached through the website's e-mail, online, or at 1-844-223-5527.

Why Choose Bright Cellars?


If you want a subscription service that is tailored to beginning wine club enthusiasts, Bright Cellars might be a good option. Its prices are not too expensive overall, and its unique platform might cater to younger wine tasting customers.

Final Thoughts


Like any start-up, Bright Cellars has its share of negative reviews and dissatisfied customers. However, it offers algorithms and other perks such as delight guarantees to customers looking to try new wines altogether.

Pros & Cons


Pros
  "Delight Guarantee" you'll love your wines or get free replacements

  Only 1 out of every 12 tasted wines makes it into Bright Cellars

  Easy 18-question quiz to get matched with your first shipment

  Gift options available

Cons
  Hardcore oenophiles may find matching algorithm too simplisitc

  Limited stock of natural cuvees

CURRENT DEAL
60% off your first order
SHOP NOW  

Top Picks


9.7
Outstanding

9.6
Excellent

9.5
Excellent




8.9
Outstanding

8.7
Outstanding



Why These Companies?

Below are some of the things we consider when rating companies. Read more about how we rate.