Direct Cellars

Closed.The website no longer loads. Suspended its direct-selling wine club operations in the US, UK and Australia because of a lack of financing.

What's in the box: When it operated, each shipment held a selection of wines chosen by the club.

Direct Cellars has closed. Its website no longer loads, and the company suspended its direct-selling wine club in the US, UK and Australia because it could not get enough financing. When it was running, Direct Cellars combined a wine subscription with a network marketing model. Members got regular shipments of wines picked by the company, and they could also sign up as promoters who earned rewards for bringing in new customers. That made it different from a regular wine club, where the focus is only on the bottles. If you only wanted wine, the club was a way to try labels you might not find on supermarket shelves. Because of the direct-selling side, though, most of the promotion came from personal referrals rather than independent reviews, so it was harder to judge the value before joining. Now that the service has shut down, you can't join, order, or manage a membership through its site. If you still have an open order or unused credit, contact your card issuer or payment provider for help. If you want a wine subscription today, look for a club that is still running and has clear terms, open pricing and a good delivery record where you live.