There are two types of wine clubs in Dallas. One are private social clubs where wine aficionados gather with top-tier vintages and exclusive pours. Clubs like Dallas’ Graileys Fine Wines, Park House, and 55 Seventy are high-society markers that can come with hefty membership fees and five-figure annual purchase minimums. The other are subscription-based wine clubs that are far more accessible. These programs take the hassle out of choosing wine by offering hand-selected picks monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually. Joining this type of a wine club is the perfect gateway to expand wine knowledge and curate an impressive wine stock.
Among the bounty of wine clubs in Dallas, many are dedicated to sustainable practices, natural wines, regional varieties, and education. Consider this guide of some of the best to join when it comes to stocking your cellar.
Lucky Draw
Wayward Coffee’s community-focused philosophy has garnered the coffee company a devoted following since its humble roots as a mobile coffee bar in a 1975 Volkswagen bus. With six years and a pandemic under its belt, the shop has expanded to two brick-and-mortar locations that now offer coffee and bar programming, including the Lucky Draw wine club. Wine director Abbie Dehring crafted the program as an affordable and approachable natural wine-focused club. The Wayward Coffee crew selects three unique pours for the club, like family-run Meinklang’s Prosa, a biodynamically-grown Austrian chillable pét-nat rosé with floral and strawberry tasting notes. After paying a $20 initiation fee, members can choose from one- ($25) or three-bottle ($60) monthly subscriptions, and enjoy added perks like Wayward Coffee happy hour discounts, waived corkage fees, and private tastings. 2025 Irving Blvd., Unit 102, Dallas, waywardcoffee.co
Neighborhood Cellar
Owner and certified sommelier Ian Montgomery is at the helm of this Bishop Arts shop, offering a treasure trove of knowledge to its many visitors. Montgomery has a knack for small-production wines without the hefty price tag, with Neighborhood Cellars’ wine club filled with his impeccable finds. Subscriptions for up to four bottles per month are offered, and include a 10% off in-store discount. The shop’s current Argentina-focused selections include bottles like ZaHA Calcaire Blanc de Blancs, Anko Torrontes, Altocedro Año Cero, and the premium Altocedro Reserve. 246 W. Davis St., Dallas, neighborhoodcellar.com
Vinito
Vinito is one of Texas’ first exclusively Mexican wine and beer shops, helmed by best friend-duo, Acapulco-born Arturo Flores and Eduardo Mendoza. The idea for the Oak Cliff shop was born from Flores’ sommelier textbook’s scant one-page Mexican wine section. Today, the pair operate Vinito and Valle, a Mexican wine and cocktail lounge in the Bishop Arts District. Vinito’s wine club selections are curated by Flores and Mendoza through meticulous research and their travels. Subscriptions are offered as one-, two-, or three-bottle plans, starting at $30 per month. Expect elegant, easy-to-drink bottles like Lagrimas San Vincente 2022 Chardonnay from Baja California, Mexico, or Queretaro; and Mexico’s playful Barrigón’s 2021 organic tinto. 939 W. Jefferson Blvd., Ste. 125, Dallas, vinitoshop.com
Wine with Kelley
Kelley McGuire is a shower, not a teller. The Dallas wine enthusiast exited the nonprofit sector after two decades to pursue her passion of wine education. Backed by a Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level 3 certification, McGuire has made it her mission to activate the sight, smell, and taste of curious wine drinkers to uncover the sommelier within. McGuire partners with Melier, an artisanal-focused wine company, for a quarterly wine club ($275). Wine with Kelley ships three limited-production California wines handpicked by McGuire in March, June, September, and December. Featured vintners include Sonoma County’s Keller Estate; and Napa County’s Ancien Wines, Cuvaison Winery, and Zeitgeist Cellars. winewithkelley.com
Smith Story Wine Cellars
Healdsburg, California is one of Sonoma County’s must-visit wine country towns, with Stars Hollow charm and a roster of successful women winemakers — one of whom is Fort Worth’s Ali Smith. Smith’s love for wine blossomed from the many business dinners had during her corporate years in the late ‘90s, working for the Dallas Stars, Texas Rangers, and in local media. Fate would sweep Smith to California, where she became known as “Texa Cali Ali”, and one-half of the husband-wife duo behind Smith Story Wine Cellars. The first-generation winery’s portfolio includes a 2021 Pinot Noir “The Boonies,” which earned 94 points from Wine Enthusiast and 93 points from Decanter. The Smith Story Wine Cellars wine club offers three-, six-, and 12-bottle subscriptions, with wines shipped twice per year. smithstorywines.com
Roots and Water
The créme de la créme of Dallas-founded wine clubs is Roots and Water. A.J. McClellan is the certified sommelier behind the premiere wine club and brokerage. McClellan’s resume touches the who’s who of Dallas wine including the exclusive Graileys Fine Wines and Las Vegas’ Nove Italiano. Roots and Water checks off all of the boxes an oenophile could ask for, with vintage selections, emerging winery selections, temperature-controlled wine storage, secure cellaring, and a private members only clubhouse. Four-bottle wine subscriptions, categorized in three tiers, start at $100 per month. 2200 Vantage St., Dallas, rwdallas.wine
