Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted Wine Review

Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted Wine Review

Whether you’ve been a long time reader or have just started following along, it’s probably no secret that I am a major wino (it’s my not-so-guilty pleasure). If you asked me how I’d spend the perfect summer evening, it would be outside on the deck with a few yummy appetizers and a nice, chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

The downside to being a self-proclaimed wino? The dreaded headache and the general feeling of crappiness. Oy. Anyone else feel like a wine hangover is a “special” kind of hangover? I used to chock it up to the sulfites (it’s actually due to so much more than just sulfites – more on that below), and a friend suggested I try drinking organic wines to alleviate my symptoms. I do try to buy organic produce when possible, including grapes, which are on the “Dirty Dozen” list, so it made total sense that the same logic would extend to my favorite grape product. 

Unfortunately, the organic wines I’ve tried left me feeling pretty disappointed. Something about their taste, texture, and aroma was just kind of, well, blah. I felt that they lacked complexity. I drink wine for pleasure, so if I am going to imbibe, I want to make sure that it’s enjoyable. Still, I’ve kept up my search for an organic wine that could be my go-to. I mean, I’ve committed myself to using more natural and ethically sourced skincare and beauty products. I feel that wine is a similar “gray” area where most consumers are unaware of the chemicals and additives that are part of the conventional wine-making process. Finding a clean wine just seemed like the next step for me!

Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted Wine Review

That’s why I was intrigued (and thrilled!) when a CNC reader reached out to introduce me to Scout & Cellar’s clean-crafted wines. Although I was a little skeptical given my lack of success with organic wines, I was open to trying it and popped open a bottle of the 2018 Dove Hunt Dog Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino County, California.

You guys, this wine was absolutely delicious – light, crisp, and perfect for a late spring happy hour.  I was more than pleasantly surprised, so I immediately signed up to have my next shipment delivered. Our busy season is coming up (as I’m sure it is for many of you) and with a summer calendar packed with all kinds of social events, I knew that I’d be doing myself a favor keeping Scout & Cellar’s clean-crafted wines on hand at home for impromptu guests, last-minute celebrations, trips to the beach, or just because I wanted to crack open a bottle! 🙂

I’ve since tried several of Scout & Cellar’s wines – and not only have they all tasted amazing, I wake up headache-free (and as a mom to a five-year-old that’s often up before the sun rises, this is a major perk). What makes their wines different from conventional ones?

Well, mass-produced wines are often riddled with pesticides, chemicals, and extra sugars. Ughhh. Unfortunately, it’s kind of a supply and demand situation. Think about your own favorite wine. Every time you pop open a bottle, you expect it to taste the same, right? The truth is, wines are supposed to vary in flavor, even if two bottles are the exact same brand, year and blend. To keep up with our unrealistic expectation that wines should taste the same (while still keeping costs low), conventional winemakers have unfortunately resorted to some not-so-desirable means, such as including potentially harmful chemicals and additives like ferrocyanide, ammonium phosphate, synthetic pesticides, and mega purple (a super-concentrated grape juice). Sugars and sweetener concentrates are also added to preserve the taste. In fact, the average bottle of wine can contain up to 16 (!!) grams of sugar (that’s about the same as a large donut). I love a sweet treat as much as the next person, but I definitely don’t expect one from my wine!

Thanks to Scout & Cellar’s clean-crafted wines, I am able to enjoy without worries because I know that I’m drinking wine in its purest form as it was meant to be – with no artificial chemicals, additives, and unnecessary sugars. In fact, Scout & Cellar’s wines are made with just grapes and less than 50ppm of sulfites on average (all are definitely under 100ppm). Given the fact that mass-produced wines can contain up to 350ppm sulfites per bottle, I’d say that’s a huge win! 

Scout & Cellar isn’t an individual winery or vineyard – it’s so much more. Its sommeliers’ source their wine from the top growing regions across the world, focusing on boutique vineyards that have met very strict criteria and even independently lab test them. The wines are made from grapes that are grown consciously and that are bottled without the added ingredients that modify taste, texture, color, and aroma. The result? Naturally grown, high-quality wines that you can feel great about drinking yourself and sharing with family and friends!

How much do Scout & Cellar wines cost?

There are a few different ways that you can purchase Scout & Cellar’s clean-crafted wines:

1. Check out their individual bottles and purchase the ones that you’d like to try. (My favorites? This Sauvignon Blanc of course, as well as this yummy Chardonnay)
2. Not sure where to start? You can purchase a four-bottle tasting set (either as a one time purchase or as part of the membership). This is a great way to try a red, a rose, and a white – plus, the selection changes each month, so you will experience a ton of variety. A lot of first-time customers love this option! 
3. Sign up for a membership plan. Perks include access to exclusive, limited selections, an automatic delivery schedule, and special discounts such as 5% off all club purchases as well as 5%-10% volume discounts. The options are limitless – you can select 6 or 12 bottle packs of whites, reds, or mixed for a bit of both!

Shipping is free with orders over $99 (which isn’t always the case with wine clubs), and because this business model cuts out the retailer, a layer of markup is cut out, so you get really nice wine at great prices! Clean-crafted, natural wines that are delivered straight to my door, all without restaurant markups? Sign me up! I’ll be on my back porch all summer with a glass of wine in hand! 

I’m so thrilled to be able to introduce Scout & Cellar to all my fellow winos out there that are looking for natural, organic wines that taste as excellently as they were crafted at an affordable price. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve paid $12+ for a glass of wine, only to later found out that the whole bottle cost $16! Plus, summer is right around the corner with all sorts of parties, BBQs, and celebrations. If you’re hosting, you can’t beat the convenience of having wine delivered right to your door (one less errand to run, right?), and if you’re a guest, what better gift to give your host then the gift of clean-crafted wine?

P.S. If you enjoyed this Scout & Cellar clean-crafted wine review and might be interested in becoming a Scout & Cellar wine consultant, send me an email at tina@carrotsncake.com. I’d love to chat with you! It’s a fun side gig and you get free/discounted tasty wine! 🙂

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