I first heard about Tasting Room from a colleague about a year ago: "...a subscription based wine service, which creates a wine profile for you based on a mini at-home tasting kit they send out." I was of course, dubious, but an at home wine tasting sounded like something fun I could do with my husband and it was only $6.95; so I signed up. Sure enough, the kit arrived and the wine tasting was a fun time. They then sent me an outline of my 'wine profile' based on how I rated their tasting kit and pointed out the types of wine I tend to or would enjoy, what regions they come from and even the foods they pair well with. This was something I really loved and it hence left me curious, so I signed up for the first shipment. Here's what happened.

I received a 12-bottle variety case of wines tailored to match these preferences. They sent me a mix of light dry whites and fruity reds because that's what I like according to my Wine Profile (and my taste buds). After that, I had to continue: you just keep rating your shipments and each delivery is further refined as you continue rating each bottle.

What's even better, is that Tasting Room scours the globe to find some of the best wines from boutique, and even smaller, family run vineyards from some really cool locations. It's awesome to feel like you're supporting these small international businesses that can't afford to cut into the wine retail space. This is kind of a win-win; when you buy wine in a retail store, it's usually marked up 2-3x by importers, distributors, and retailers by the time you drink it. Tasting Room cuts out these middle men which in turn saves me up to 60%.

Each case roughly works out to be $12 a bottle and they ship as often as you would like: you can easily customize your shipment date(s), size, and contents on their website and I have yet to receive a bottle I did not enjoy.

What's even better, is I always have a bottle on hand whether a friend rings up and says they're coming over, I've had a long day at work and need to unwind with a glass or we get a last minute invite to dinner at a neighbor's house. I haven't needed to make a run to the liquor store in over a year, I'm drinking wine I love which comes from really cool regions around the world and I know I'm paying the absolute best price for it. Tasting Room is an absolute no brainer for anyone who enjoys a glass of wine. Give it a try!

Update: The folks at Tasting Room are extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to get your wine tasting kit for just $6.95 (originally $39.95)!