Thrive Market Launches 'Clean' Wines Online Ordering

Danica Lo
·3 min read
thrive-wines-blog918.jpg
thrive-wines-blog918.jpg

Thrive Market

Membership-based e-tailer Thrive Market has long been a go-to in the healthy and organic living community for its affordable pricing and broad range of hard-to-find food and lifestyle products—and beginning today, wine lovers looking for convenience without the 'extras' can also take advantage of the retailer's 'clean living' know-how and direct-buying power. On October 11, Thrive Market launches 'Clean Wines,' a sustainably-sourced selection from artisanal producers—organic and biodynamic wines that contain:

  • No added sugar

  • Minimal fining and filtration

  • Low sulfates, when possible

  • No oak chips, staves, or flavorings

  • No flash pasteurization

  • No manipulation of must

  • No use of dimethyldicarbonate (DMDC) or polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)

"Our members are super-excited about the launch of clean wines because it aligns with how they're already shopping across the rest of their pantry and home goods," says Nick Green, co-founder and CEO of Thrive Market. "These are shoppers who care about clean ingredients, want to read the ingredient label, want to learn about the sourcing story, want to shop healthier for themselves or their family.

"We know from surveying thousands of customers that roughly 60 percent of our members drink wine multiple times per week, so we're excited to bring them a world class offering, sourced from small batch producers that are farming sustainably, growing healthier grapes, and taking a more artisanal approach to their wines," Green says.

By buying and sourcing directly from producers, Thrive cuts middlemen out of the supply chain—and sells goods at 25 percent to 50 percent below MSRP. The company's selection of wines ranges in price from $11.99 to $17.99 per bottle—with each and every vintage vetted to 'clean wine standards.'

"Before tasting any wine, we first make sure the wine meets both our farming and winemaking standards," Green says. "First and foremost, this blocks any wines made with grapes treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Next, the charter outlines certain winemaking practices that we don't allow—from over-filtration, to use of certain chemical additives, flavorings, or correctives. The result are wines made by artisanal producers in small batches from healthy grapes. From there though, we still had hundreds of wines to sample, which is where our program really shines because each wine has been handpicked for flavor, complexity, and approachability by our Master Sommelier Josh Nadel."

Here are Master Sommelier Josh Nadel's favorite picks from Thrive Market's new 'Clean Wines' selection:

Domaine de Roquemale Gres Syrah 2016, $191.88/case and the Domaine de Roquemale Les Terrasses Grenache 2017, $191.88/case: "Either of the Roquemales are tremendous if you like Grenache or Syrah. Small batch from a husband and wife team named Valérie and Dominique Ibanez who cherish the biodiversity of their vineyard and take great care that the wine reflects the rocky terrain—hence the name roquemale which is patois for 'bad rock' in the local dialect."

Bonnet Rouge Gamay Noir 2013-2015, $107.94/half-case: "The Gamay is a deliciously drinkable, low-sulphur wine. this is a sommelier favorite in restaurants, a varietal classic for French table wine, but only now starting to gain a reputation in the U.S. Incredibly easy to pair, a great choice if you like a lighter-bodied Pinot Noir."

Tenuta Dell'Ugolino Verdicchio Classico 2017, $167.88/case: "Lastly on the whites, we love verdicchios. Another varietal classic to old world winemaking but less known in the U.S. If you're a fan of non-oaked whites or crisp Sauvignon Blancs, this is a great option."