This wine subscription introduced us to our new favourite bottle

How does the Plonk wine subscription work?

To make sure you get a case of wine you’ll really enjoy, you have to fill out a short questionnaire to determine your preferences. First, you’ll be asked whether you prefer lighter, fresher styles of wine, or bottles with more heft and body to them. You’ll then be asked a selection of questions about your taste preferences and whether you want to receive all whites, all reds or a mixture of the two – we tested the latter.

For each bottle in the box, you’ll receive a tasting card detailing why it was picked for you, along with key facts, origin, taste and food pairing recommendations for the bottle.

The wines selected

Plonk’s USP is that it works closely with small-batch, family-run wine producers and vineyards, handpicking the bottles it sends out to its subscribers. In our box, we received a sauvignon blanc from the Rhône Valley, a sparkling wine from Sévre et Maine and a rich red.

We’ll be honest, when we first pulled out the sauvignon blanc, we were a little unsure. As wines go, this wouldn’t usually be our first bottle of choice, but we were pleasantly surprised. It’s got the signature acidity you’d expect from a savvy b that makes it particularly dry, but it also has fruitness to it that true fans will know and love. On a warm evening, it went down a total treat.

The second bottle within the drop was the Domaine Duseigneur la goutte du seigneur rouge, which is a 50/50 grenache-syrah blend. Fermentation and ageing happen in a tank, so there’s no oak here, but it still packs a serious punch. Packed with a juicy flavour, thanks to the grenache, the syrah adds structure. It’s ideal for pairing with tomato pasta, but also red meat, making it an ideal one for stocking up on for autumn and winter. This is now up there as one of our favourite bottles of wine.

Last and by no means least, the Domaine Bonnet-Huteau nuit boréale NV. The sparkling wine has been made using the same techniques as champagne, and, as you’d expect, it’s truly delicious. Much like champagne, it’s yeasty and makes for a great drink for serving friends. As champagne continues to get increasingly expensive, this bottle is a relatively affordable alternative that still feels just as special, so we’re very glad to have discovered it.

Alongside each of the wines is a helpful tasting card, which provides details on where each bottle is from, the grape, how it’ll taste and recommended food pairings. Our only gripe is that we would have liked more detail when it comes to serving suggestions – for the sauvignon blanc, the recommendation was salted almonds, but greater information would’ve been helpful.