Say hello to Wine Cult, the new bottle club from Phoenix's favorite happy hour restaurant

Postino Wine Cafe, a popular chain of Valley wine bars, is known for bruschetta boards and bottles. But when dining rooms closed during the pandemic, the company shifted to delivering wine to customers' doorsteps in a vintage Volkswagen bus called the Wine Wagon.

While the stylish delivery service is no longer in action, it was the "light bulb moment" that inspired a new project, said CEO and Co-Founder Lauren Bailey.

"There was a spark already, but that was kind of the gas on the fire," she said. "People really want to enjoy our wine at home and how do we do that?"

Now, the bar is offering customers a way to bring the experience home with their new wine club — Postino Wine Cult.

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"Buying wine is hard, there's a lot of it out there, there's a lot of places to get it," Bailey says. "Over the years Postino has become a very reliable place that you know you are going to get a great glass of wine. We had so many requests to take that home."

While this new wine club requires customers to pick up their bottles, it allows fans to continue trusting Postino to get pre-selected wines for every occasion.

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How does the Wine Cult work?

Memberships for Postino's Wine Cult open on Nov. 15. Members will receive four bottles, four times per year.

Customers can pay as they go at $60 per box or save a few dollars overall with a $220 annual subscription. The first boxes will be ready for pick up on Jan. 3, 2022, with additional boxes available in April, July and October.

Each box includes four bottles of wine, selected by Beverage Director Brent Karlicek. He's excited to share a "surprise, discovery moment" with each new box.

For the first installment, the selections will include an "aromatic" white blend, a sparkling rose and a "luscious and spicy Grenache," Karlicek said.

Postino's "Wine Culties," as the company is calling members, will also receive bonuses like a free sign-up bottle, 20% off bottles to-go, first tastes of seasonal wines sold by the glass and more.

One perk Bailey is excited to share is the new 'Vino Vortex,' a scannable QR Code that will give wine club members access to playlists and recipes to pair with the wine.

Those who sign up before the end of 2021, a group the company has named "The Cru" will receive extra perks including an extra wine bottle per year and invitations to pre-opening events at new locations.

"When a couple is headed to their friends' house for a Friday night dinner, we are giving them something special, unique, cool and fun that they can bring. It feels really good to be part of that experience," Karlicek said. "It's the culture, the feeling, the energy, all of it."

Arizona customers can pick up their bottles at the Postino location most convenient to them. Currently, Postino's Wine Cult is only available in Arizona, though the company plans to expand the program to its Colorado and Texas locations in the late spring or early summer.

Details: postinowinecafe.com/winecult.

Reach the reporter at tirion.morris@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @tirionmorris, on Facebook at Tirion Rose and on Instagram at tirionrose.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix restaurant Postino's new wine club launches soon in Arizona