After more than a decade of loyalty to Sobels, I’m genuinely shocked by how far the customer experience has fallen under the new management. For years, our membership orders were handled with a simple, reliable courtesy: Sobels would call, we’d discuss our next selection, and everything was transparent and straightforward. This year, that seemed to be far too hard to expect.
Without any meaningful notice, nearly $400 was debited from our account for our membership order. No phone call, no heads-up, nothing. When we queried this, we were told an email had been sent, one that later turned out to be sitting in our junk folder. But why would we have ever thought to search for it when the standard practice had always been a phone call? This shift alone made us question the new management we had already sensed during our last visit to the Hunter. The warmth, quality, and attentiveness we once loved had noticeably faded even then.
The real frustration, however, came afterward. We were told the order was an “automatic selection,” as though that justified anything. What made this even more baffling is that the wines took almost a month to arrive after we followed up, so clearly, there was time to correct the order or at least offer our usual selections. Historically, Sobels would tailor every box to our preferences or at least include varieties we’d previously purchased. Instead, we received a box almost entirely filled with wines we don’t drink and would never have chosen. Nearly $400 for a selection that feels random and disconnected from our entire order history, how is that remotely customer-centric?
When we explained this and requested either a credit, a refund, or some sort of reasonable solution, we made it clear that if nothing could be done, we would likely cancel our membership. Their response? They cancelled our membership, without a word. No explanation. No apology. No acknowledgment. After 10+ years as a loyal customer, this was the final confirmation that customer care is no longer a priority at Sobels.
And sadly, it appears we’re not alone. Other long-time customers seem to be noticing the same decline in service and passion, makes our choice to leave validated. Sobels used to be a business we genuinely loved supporting, one that cared deeply about its craft and its community. That feeling is completely gone under the current direction.
At this point, sharing our experience feels like an obligation. For us, this has been one of the most disappointing customer experiences we’ve ever had, and we’d strongly caution others before signing up for a membership. Honestly good luck to you Sobels. Thankfully, the Hunter is full of incredible wineries run by people who still care, and we’re looking forward to supporting one of them instead.
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