The best wine streaming services. An honest comparison.

WineMasters.TV

Wine only, cinematic, never sponsored

WineMasters began in 2017. Its founder, Klaas de Jong, is a feature film producer, a wine geek and a keen home cook. Netflix's Chef's Table, with its cinematic way of filming food, made him want to film wine the same way, and that became the WineMasters documentary series. In 2019 the team broadened its scope and launched its own streaming channel.

WineMasters.TV makes documentaries and courses about wine and nothing else. Its documentary seasons cover the classic regions of France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria and Portugal, told by the families who make the wine. Alongside them sit WineMasters Class, a 48-episode course covering the regions of WSET Level 3, The Science of Wine with Dr Jamie Goode, How It's Made on corks, barrels, glass and amphorae, and food pairing series with Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of the World.

Presenters include Masters of Wine such as Tim Atkin, Jeannie Cho Lee, Sarah Heller, Peter Richards and Susie Barrie. Films are shot on location across a full growing season, with cinematic camera work and original sound design. No winery pays to appear and there is no sponsored content. Every program is subtitled in English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Japanese. Selected WineMasters documentaries are also available on Prime Video and Apple TV.

SOMM TV

From the makers of the SOMM films

SOMM TV was launched in 2019 by the team behind the documentary SOMM (2012), which followed four candidates for the Master Sommelier exam, and its sequels. Besides those films it offers original series such as Verticals and the James Beard Award-winning The Whole Animal, plus competition shows and licensed films. Its app store listing describes it as a service for wine, food, spirits, beer, travel and lifestyle.

It is the cheapest dedicated option and has a loyal, enthusiastic audience. On its partnerships page, SOMM TV offers brands programming sponsorships that can be worked into its streaming content, so some programs may involve commercial partners.

Netflix, Prime Video and Apple TV

A few good films, no structure

The big streamers carry a small, changing selection of wine documentaries and dramas, and the catalog differs per country. They are a fine way to watch one well-known film, but you will not find a curated library, a course or a series that takes you region by region. Some independent wine producers, including WineMasters, also publish selected titles there.

MasterClass

One famous teacher, one class

MasterClass offers classes by well-known names across cooking, writing, business and more, including wine appreciation. It is a polished way to get started from one point of view. It does not go region by region or show you producers in depth, and wine is a small part of a much broader catalog.

YouTube

Free, fast, variable

Some of the best wine educators publish on YouTube, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. It is free and great for a quick explanation or a tasting video. Quality and independence vary widely, though: sponsored videos and gifted wine are common, and few channels can afford to film on location across a season.