Being a creature of whimsy, one occasionally experiences an attack of drinking pangs. While the old standby is scotch, one does occasionally want to enjoy the fruit of the vine.
The trouble, of course, is that wine needs a fair bit of work. One has to first select a wine out of the thousands of options available- long before one wants to drink it. Then, one has to store it in a cool, dark place to prevent spoilage and breakage. In the cramped flats we live in, this can be a thorny issue. And finally, one has to chill the wine to 14 degrees for maximum enjoyment. While one can actually accomplish the last two at the same time using a wine chiller, the machines do not come cheap.
BottlesXO takes these issues and solves these issues quite handily. It’s a wine delivery service that is accessed through an app. The owners promise that the chilled drinks will be delivered to you anywhere in Singapore (yes, even Sentosa) within an hour. The friendly delivery chap even opens the bottles for you and provides wine glasses on request (beforehand). The best part is, there is no delivery charge. Sound too good to be true?
Maybe- so I decided to test it for myself.
One first downloads the BottlesXO app, which takes a few seconds at today’s speeds. If it’s your first time using it, you simply sign up, which takes about a minute- so far so good.
You then choose a wine out of a curated list. I understand that the team at BottlesXO selects them based on their ties to small family owned vineyards to ensure that the quality is up to standards. The wine is also quite affordable- check out the prices.
They also give a few helpful hints about the wine itself; its component grape varietals, tasting notes, pairing suggestions, a bit of history and so on. This is quite helpful; it’s easy to get quite lost when choosing wine.
You then choose a delivery location using the locator in the app.
Easy peasy. You add it to your cart and check out. You can pay through Paypal or cash on delivery.
You can track the wine and when it will arrive. It’s fairly accurate, though I was thrown off by the packing stage- the courier’s location will be quite static for a while.
And voila, the wine gets delivered to you. It’s chilled, as promised, though I was a little disappointed that there were no wine glasses provided by default; it turns out that you have to make a special request for them when ordering the wine.
Was the wine any good? I’d say that for the price, they’re very reasonable in quality. You’re not going to find many Bordeaux or Burgundy Grand Crus, but mostly quality everyday wines. I’d recommend the La Vieille Ferme Rouge and the Chateau Montcabrier- both are full flavoured reds bursting with the taste of ripe berries, have good structure and go well both with food and on their own. If you’re looking at whites, I’d suggest the Kurt Angerer, an Austrian wine. It’s a little peppery, but balanced with the freshness of green apples and passionfruit.
While I do have a stock of wines, I can see myself using the app to fulfil a craving for something outside my collection, or if I was out and simply wanted a bottle of wine. I’d also consider using it for parties or small events; so much less hassle to have chilled bottles of wine delivered to you.
Overall, I’d say that I am a fan of the BottlesXO app. It’s easy to use, convenient, and the wines are very reasonably priced for what you’re getting.
