[ibimage==33303==Large==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
Winos everywhere rejoice! Club W, the subscription-based wine delivery service, has just raised a $9.5 million Series A led by Bessemer Ventures. Club W, which first started as an e-commerce platform for wine producers, has been moving into wine making in recent years, as part of an effort to offer exclusive and unique products.
Club W sees its value in offering a unique but not overwhelming selection of wines. Before members join Club W they take a Palate Profile test to help determine their tastes. Based on that test members receive three $13 bottles of wine per month for $39. The selection is hand curated by Club W and in recent years the company has began to expand beyond just retailing wine to actually making it..
"To create high-quality, small lot wines at our $13 price, we went deeper into the winemaking process. Now we get our hands dirty in the vineyards," said chief wine officer Brian Smith in a statement.
Club W partners with existing wine makers to create new and exclusive bottles for their members. That has led to interesting creations like Orange Wine, an orange colored wine that doesn’t actually contain oranges. The company said it will be launching more than 80 wines this year.
Despite launching lots of new wines this year, Club W sees its relatively limited selection as key to its success. By helping wine drinkers find wines with their Palate Profile test and keeping a small but quality selection the company believes it improves the wine discovery process.
"After watching venture backed wine companies come and go, the question is 'why these guys?'" said Kent Bennett, partner at Bessemer. "BVP invested because Club W's approach is fundamentally different: They removed self-doubt from wine purchasing and solved the discovery and curation issue for the average wine drinker. Much as BlueApron eliminates the stress of what to make for dinner, Club W banishes the anxiety around what to pour."
Wine is a fast growing industry these days, especially as the downright caustic quality of alcohol in countries like China has sent people looking for more refined options. Now that more and more people acquire a taste for the drink, they are also looking for a guide. That should be something companies like Club W are ready to serve up.
