MVA.wine, a new wine club founded by Laurent Vernhes (entrepreneur behind Tablet Hotels), is taking a curated approach to wine discovery by centering each quarterly release around a unifying theme rather than scores, labels, or producer prestige. The selection process is deliberately rigorous. Every three months, the MVA team convenes at maison vernhes, a restored farmhouse in Tuscany's UNESCO-listed Val d'Orcia, to blind taste more than 50 wines from independent producers worldwide. Bottles are concealed in black sleeves and evaluated without knowledge of the winery, region, grape variety, or reputation. Only six wines earn a unanimous "yes" and become the next collection. "Rather than focusing on scores, labels, or prestige, each release is built around a unifying theme that invites members to discover wine through storytelling, craftsmanship, and the people behind each bottle," according to the club. Membership is intentionally limited, positioning the club as a community for discovery-driven wine drinkers. The model aims to provide rare, small-batch wines that are difficult to find through traditional retail or conventional wine clubs while giving independent winemakers a platform for their stories and products.
Why It Matters
The wine club market has fragmented significantly as direct-to-consumer models proliferate. MVA.wine's blind-tasting methodology and emphasis on independent producers appeal to operators and retailers seeking differentiated wine programs that align with consumer interest in artisanal sourcing and producer narratives.
For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.
Written by FBM Publications Editors
