When I was returning to Perth from Sydney last week I got through to the departure side pretty quickly and had just under two hours to spare in the airport. So after eating my favourite type of Krispy Kreme doughnut and dinner at Sumo Salad, I wondered along towards the gate. I noticed the Wine Selectors stand and started talking to Emily, the wine representative and learnt more about the company’s unique offering.

Wine Selectors has actually been around for about 35 years, initially starting as the Hunter Valley Wine Society. The company’s USP is their home delivery service of interesting and good value wines you wouldn’t be able to find in a bottle shop. They are all from $20 – $38 a bottle but when bought as a dozen they are delivered at about $16 a bottle with freight charge. All the wines offered by Wine Selectors is selected by their panel made up of wine educators, winemakers and wine show judges. Plus if you don’t like the wine, you’ll get your money back. Wine Selectors offers free membershipfor the first six months with the first case of wine. Then it’s $22 annually.

The company specialises in representing boutique and smaller wineries (small to medium growers) and those that are the best from the regions. Wine Selectors is the largest distributor of boutique wines working with over 400 producers to source the best value wines. With your annual membership of $22 you receive tasting notes with each case of wine along with food matching suggestions. You also receive up to 4 Selector Life Food Wine magazines, special offers at selected Australian cellar doors and restaurants as well as an annual calendar with food and wine matching recipes. With New Zealand spending 20% less tax on their whites compared to Australian whites, you can see how challenging this market is for Australian whites.

Your mixed case of 12 wines will arrive at your home five times a year –  a mix of red and white wines. Wine Selectors has called this its Regional Series wines where Australia’s 12 main premier wine producing regions are represented over the year. These regions include Coonawarra, Borossa Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Margaret River and the Mornington Pennisula.

I only tasted two wines from the stand as I didn’t want to taste too much before my flight. However if those two are an indication to the quality of the cases, I’d happily try a case. What have you got to lose? If you don’t like the wines – whatever the reason, they’ll give you a refund. What can be fairer than that?