With so many wines available, it can be challenging to know if you’re picking the right one. Sure, you can do research and drive to local wine shops to find a bottle. But what if a sommelier just sent you their top picks? That’s precisely what Wine Access is doing after being named the official wine provider of Michelin Guide.
The limited-edition wine subscription service will include five seasonal collections, each featuring four wines chosen by Wine Access’ Master of Wine and the sommelier or beverage director from a different Michelin-starred restaurant. For example, the spring collection was curated alongside the beverage director at Californios, the San Francisco-based two Michelin star Mexican restaurant.
Wine Access’s team works closely with the beverage director or sommelier at each restaurant to choose their favorite styles of wine. If they want to include a grower Champagne, say, they’ll show them what they can get. Maybe it’s a new producer for them to get excited about; perhaps it’s one of their current favorites. For example, the Syrah they’re featuring in the first shipment is a favorite of Californios’ beverage director. It’s an excellent wine, she loves it and wanted to include it, so Wine Access made it happen.
RELATED: New Napa Valley Wine Concierge Will Get You Wines Not Available for Purchase
“That’s the magic—when the Wine Access team and the sommeliers and beverage directors from Michelin starred restaurants are truly passionate about a wine, and we’re able to share that wine with the club members,” Vanessa Conlin MW, Wine Access’ Head of Wine, told Departures.
A limited amount of bottles will be sourced for each shipment, and it will come with inventive pairing recommendations from Michelin-starred chefs, which make the connection between the wines and the cuisine. As with all of the subscriptions, every bottle comes with an insert that tells the full story behind each wine and includes serving suggestions.
RELATED: Private Austin Neighborhood Comes With a Vineyard Where You Can Bottle Your Own Wine
Wine Access is also making a curated collection of wine chosen by a group of Michelin-starred restaurants available for purchase by the bottle on the site. They, too, will be picked by the sommelier or beverage director at restaurants from across the country, creating a taste of the Michelin experience at home.
“I’ve got to say the sheer level of expertise that goes into the selections and the quality of the wines is what makes this service unique,” said Conlin. “We’re curating wines that consumers would typically get at some of the world’s best restaurants and delivering them directly to their homes.”
The Spring shipment is available on the website now and will be sent out immediately. The Summer shipment will likely begin shipping in late June. Pricing starts at $160 per shipment.
