Plonk vs Bright Cellars Comparison 2022

About Plonk

Plonk is 100% about small-production, organic and biodynamic wines. Founded by Etty Klein, who’s received accolades across the drinks media for her innovative club, it works with artisanal vintners across renowned regions.

Its portfolio boasts a unique and healthy range of well-known and undiscovered varietals.

About Bright Cellars

Bright Cellars is the brainchild of Richard Yau and Joe Laurendi, two graduates of the MIT who loved the drinks space and wanted to launch a wine club incorporating their top-notch tech knowledge.

In 2013, they created Bright Cellars featuring member palate technology for personalized shipments.

Plonk Main Benefits Overall 

What Plonk does best is deliver a fantastic range of wines made with nature in mind. Each bottle comes from a vigneron that practices organic or biodynamic farming in the vineyard and carries this over in the winery.

Plonk has three solid membership plans plus several shipping frequencies and bottle counts that cover a variety of lifestyle needs. There’s sound customer support, you can cancelation is straightforward, and there’s a satisfaction guarantee if you get a wine that doesn’t work for you. What’s more, the club has a range of gift options if you want to brighten up a wine lover’s day.

Bright Cellars Main Benefits Overall 

The signature feature of Bright Cellars is its palate technology specially developed by its founders to create customized profiles for each subscriber. This happens through a quick quiz that dives into what you prefer in a red or white and – voilà– you have your own taste profile that informs which styles of wines go into your cases.

You can also give a rating to each bottle as you sip away which seamlessly refreshes the details of your profile meaning your next shipment will be just as tailored to you. Wines represent all the major regions, varietals, and styles.

Overall Winner

Plonk and Bright Cellars each have lots to offer so it’s a tie.

Plonk Wine Selection

Plonk is a great choice white wine club because it ferrets out its organic labels from all the classic wine-producing areas where there’s plenty of fine Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Albariño to be had. Its selection of reds and rosés plus sparkling labels match the quality of its whites, all being produced to top environmentally-friendly standards.

What’s more, it knows that variety is the spice of life. While it covers all the popular grapes, Plonk also showcases less-known varieties from spots you may not have much experience with but will love once you get going! 

Bright Cellars Wine Selection 

Bright Cellars features favorites like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot so is a good find if you want a red wine club. That being said, it has an equally rich selection of whites from all the iconic Old and New World regions so you can be certain of enjoying a broad expression of amazing varietals.

Occasionally, it will stock sweet wines and it touches on sustainably and biodynamically farmed labels if that’s your thing. Its intrepid wine tasting team also digs out untapped grapes that merit more fans. Only one in 12 of wines tasted is given the stamp of approval.

Wine Selection Winner:

Plonk and Bright Cellars are both winners with their exceptional wine selections.

Plonk Subscription Plans

Plonk has a handy choice of subscription plans, bottle numbers, and shipping frequencies covering every wine lover’s needs. You can also personalize to an extent by opting for a case of all reds, whites, or mixed with the latter choice featuring the occasional rosé and sparkling wines as well. Whatever membership you go for, your case includes both domestic and international labels for good variety.

In terms of timings, you have a choice of a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly subscription plus the choice of paying month to month or in advance. Additionally, you have a selection of four, six, or 12 bottles per case. On the whole, the choice of bottles counts, and delivery frequencies suits all budgets and lifestyles.

Bright Cellars Subscription Plans 

Bright Cellars subscription offers monthly delivery for those who like a steady flow of wine, bi-monthly for an easier pace, and quarterly if stocking up once in a while is enough for you. Whatever you go for, the fee is $80 per shipment and labels are suited to your palate profile.

You can change the delivery frequency whenever it suits you depending on how much wine you want at any given time. Bright Cellars also offers member perks like rewards for bonus bottles credited to you every time you rate a wine and refer a friend. 

Subscription Plans Winner:

Both clubs deliver so It’s another draw.

Plonk Pricing and Shipping

Plonk’s pricing is clear as day with no hidden fees. Whether you choose the red, white, or a mixed selection, each case has a flat rate based on its bottle number. Four wines cost $110 per shipment, six bottles are $160, and 12 are charged at $285. Adding to the simplicity is the fact shipping is free across all bottle counts and delivery frequencies.

It’s worth noting that, if weather conditions are very harsh, Plonk may suspend delivery for a few days until its safer for your wines to be transported. Plonk sends your cases on the first week of every month and arrival is between five and ten days later. 

Bright Cellars Pricing and Shipping 

Firstleaf has an attractive introductory offer of half a dozen wines for $39.95 which includes shipping costs. Following on, membership is $79.98 plus shipping which brings it to $90. If you double the bottle count in your shipment, delivery is free. The club also offers $10 off if you rate your first three wines and, if you invite a friend to the club, you each get to enjoy $40 in credit.

Winc is flexible about delivery, allowing you to have your case sent to a holding location for up to a week. This is handy during the summer heat and winter cold when it could be harmful to your wines if left outdoors.

Pricing and Shipping Winner:

Plonk

Plonk Customer Service and Guarantee

The two ways of getting in touch with Plonk are phone during office hours or email. You’ll get hold of someone right away or won’t have to wait long because this club is really up on customer service. When it comes to Plonk’s satisfaction guarantee, admittedly, it would be surprising if any bottles weren’t up to scratch simply because of how fussy the Plonk tasting team is!

It tastes countless organic and biodynamic international bottles and only passes a small number. If you do receive a bottle you don’t like or that’s arrived in a compromised condition, contact the club within 72 hours and it’ll make you whole. 

Bright Cellars Customer Service and Guarantee

The club’s customer service team is available by phone or by email during office hours. Bright Cellars has a few ways of making things right if you’re not happy with your delivery. If it’s simply that you don’t enjoy the wine in your case, contact the concierge team to fill it in and it’ll add a free bottle more to your tastes to make up for it next time around.

Alternatively, should your case arrive with damaged or defective bottles, you have an obligation to inform Bright Cellars within 30 days of receipt to be eligible for a refund. Bright Cellars doesn’t refund gift cards. 

Customer Service and Guarantee Winner:

Both Plonk and Bright Cellars do the right thing so they’re neck-on-neck.

Plonk Cancellation Terms  

Whether or not you can cancel your Plonk subscription depends on which plan you have. Unfortunately, prepaid subscriptions covering all durations of three, six, or 12 months are classed as “final sales'' which means they’re not refundable. However, if you pay for your subscription on a rolling monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly basis, you have the freedom to cancel whenever it’s convenient.

For Plonk to process cancelation, you need to inform the club no fewer than seven working days before your next scheduled billing date. You can also cancel yourself in your account.

Bright Cellars Cancellation Terms  

To end your Bright Cellars membership, you go through an online request system any time it suits you. Be prepared for the customer service team getting in touch to find out why you want to leave since it may be something that can be tweaked in your favor. Maybe you simply need to use the club’s great facilities properly including rating your wine for customized shipments and such.

The club will find out if there’s anything it could do to make the membership a better fit for your needs. However, if you’re certain you want to cancel, Bright Cellars will make the process straightforward.

Cancellation Terms Winner:

Bright Cellars

Plonk Gifts 

If you love the selection of healthy, fine, and unique reds, whites, rosés and bubbles Plonk treats you to, you can share the joy with gift options for wine-loving friends and family. You purchase a gift membership for your friend or family member, and they get a surprise delivery of extraordinary wines.

Simply buy a gift membership via your account, select the “gift” option using your recipient’s address for the delivery, and Plonk sends all the gift details by email to your loved one. For a personal touch, the club can send you a printable gift announcement that you can give your recipient yourself.

Bright Cellars Gifts 

Enjoy your Bright Cellars membership so much you want to give it as a gift to a wine lover? The club has a gift card program that fits the bill. You can choose anything from one to 12 months’ worth of wine with monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, and annual frequency choices available. Whichever you go for, each month costs $100 and delivers six bottles to your recipient.

If you want to send a physical gift card, you can mail one with a personal message for an extra $10 and it’ll arrive in a beautifully-packaged gift box with a Bright Cellars corkscrew. There’s also an email gift card option.

Buy as a Gift Winner:

It’s another draw.