My Thoughts on LE PETIT BALLON, the Wine Discovery Box [2024]

Whether it’s a genuine passion or you simply enjoy tasting it with friends, wine often presents the perfect opportunity to share a lovely moment. The Le Petit Ballon subscription box that I’m introducing to you today offers the chance to discover new flavours each month, featuring two unique wines.

My partner and I subscribed to this box for three months. Today, I’m sharing our thoughts and impressions on this tasting experience!

What is Le Petit Ballon?

💖 I Loved It

• Discovering new wines,
• The quality of the bottles received,
• The uniqueness of the selections,
• The tasting advice,
• The carefully packaged delivery,
• The quick delivery.

❌ What I liked less

• Customer service only available via form (no phone number),
• No PayPal payment for subscriptions (card payments only).

How does the Le Petit Ballon subscription work?

Le Petit Ballon invites you to discover a monthly package containing 2 selected wines, along with tasting tips. This box is accompanied by a magazine about the world of wine. Everything is dispatched to your home in carefully prepared packaging.

With each wine you receive, you will benefit from the expertise of a sommelier, along with advice and information on:

• The wine profile (bold, complex, fruity),
• How to taste it (serving temperature, decanting, peak drinking time, ageing potential...),
• What food to pair it with (meat, vegetables, fish, cheese...),
• Information about the wine (origin, designation, type of cultivation, grape varieties, ...).

Who selects the wines?

We pay close attention to the selection of wines included in the parcels. Each one is tasted and chosen by Jean-Michel Deluc, former head sommelier at the Ritz, who has been recognised as a Master Sommelier since 1991.

Jean Michel Deluc, Master Sommelier, the mastermind behind the selections at Le Petit Ballon

Which wines are we talking about?

In the packages, you will find various categories of wines, including classics such as Bordeaux, Champagne, as well as rosés and organic wines.

🌍 This is of course about French wines, but also wines from around the world, to add a bit of variety to your enjoyment.

Who is Le Petit Ballon for?

The Little Balloon is a wine subscription service designed to be general and accessible to everyone. You don’t need to be an experienced connoisseur to enjoy the bottles sent to you, as all the necessary information will be provided in the accompanying guides.

It makes for an excellent gift that you can give to yourself or even present to friends. Depending on your preferences, simply choose the option that suits you best.

What are the different possible options?

The Little Balloon offers you four different subscription options, so you can choose the one that perfectly matches your tastes and your way of enjoying wine.

🔸 Age of Grapes, the discovery for wine enthusiasts

This option is the most accessible, at £19.90 per month. This is the one I was able to test. In the package, there were two wines, quite reasonably priced, but very good. These wines are generally ready to enjoy when you receive them.

🔸 Bel Âge, the premium formula for enthusiasts

This set, priced at £39.90, predominantly includes some more prestigious wines that can be aged in a cellar. It features famous appellations, whether they are from France or other countries around the world.

🔸 100% ORGANIC, a selection of eco-friendly organic wines

This option at £22.90 allows you to receive only certified organic wines. It's perfect if you are mindful of this criterion when making purchases or if you wish to choose a responsible consumption approach.

🔸 100% BIODYNAMIC, for those interested in alternative farming

Biodynamic farming is a cultivation technique that draws on ancestral knowledge, in harmony with the rhythms of nature. It involves respecting the needs of the land and biodiversity, aiming to minimise its impact on the environment as much as possible. If you are interested in this practice, you can choose a 100% biodynamic option at £25.90, featuring wines certified by Demeter or Diodyvin.

Example of wines from a 100% Biodynamic case

Simplify Your Experience with the Le Petit Ballon App 📱

Le Petit Ballon offers a free downloadable app at:

• Google Play for Android phones,
• App Store for iPhones.

From here, you can manage your subscription to the box, as well as purchase wines directly. It features a particularly well-designed search system, which allows you to find a wine based on:

• The type of wine (white, rosé, sparkling...),
• The dish it's paired with,
• The occasion,
• Your budget.

What is the price of a Le Petit Ballon subscription? 💰

Each plan has its own pricing. Additionally, a delivery charge of £3.99 will be added to the cost, unless you collect your parcel directly from the store in Paris. To make things easier for you, I have summarised everything in the table that follows.

👉 You can make payments using a bank card, Visa or Mastercard. At present, payment via Paypal is not available for subscriptions; it can only be used if you are purchasing wine directly from the Le Petit Ballon online shop.

What does a Le Petit Ballon box look like? Find out in the video!

When I subscribe to a service or order something online, I appreciate knowing in advance what to expect when my package arrives. With the Petit Ballon wine box, I was particularly concerned that the bottles might break during transit.

If you find yourself asking the same question, take a look at the Le Petit Ballon package in the video below:

👉 We can see that the bottles are well packaged, with secure thick cardboard packaging.

Contents of a Le Petit Ballon box

You can also see what the tasting notes look like. One very handy detail to note is that they can be attached to the bottle!

How to Gift the Petit Ballon?

Le Petit Ballon makes a fantastic gift for wine lovers, whether they are beginners or enthusiasts. It's a unique idea to delight them:

• to thank friends,
• to properly celebrate Father's Day or his birthday,
• as a Christmas gift,
• to commemorate a wedding or any other event...

To help you treat your loved ones with gifts that truly suit them, Le Petit Ballon offers you several gift selections. Here’s how it works:

This is a gift card that you will receive via email or post, which, once passed on, can be activated by the recipient.

👉 Giving a gift card is very straightforward! Just navigate to "GIVE A SUBSCRIPTION" in the menu at the top of the homepage, and then follow the prompts to explore the various options available to you.

🔶 Option One: Offer a Subscription Plan

In this case, you simply need to choose one of the packages outlined earlier and gift it for a duration of 3, 6, or 12 months. A personalised duration of 6 to 24 months is also available.

The various subscription options offered by Le Petit Ballon

📦 Please remember that the £3.99 shipping fee is not included in the base price stated below. However, when you select your offer on the website, it will be factored into the final calculation.

🔶 Second option: choose a customised subscription

For those looking to try something different, Le Petit Ballon also offers three-month themed subscriptions (or six months for the Ecole du Petit Ballon, if preferred).

👉 There is also a gift pack available, which includes a selection of rum bottles for £179, lasting for a duration of 3 months.

For your wines, trust the selections from Le Petit Ballon

Le Petit Ballon is not just about subscriptions for receiving surprise wine parcels. It is also a online shop dedicated to selling wines, champagnes, and beers.

🤑 You can discover some great deals, especially with the flash sales and exclusive discounted rates for subscribers of the box.

Here are some of the flash sales available at the time of writing this article:

👉 Feel free to visit the site: stock and offers are updated regularly!

Discover the Le Petit Ballon shop in Paris!

This wine retailer is not just online. Thanks to its success, it has opened two shops located in Paris, where you can find a selection of wines and champagnes.

📍 The first shop is located at 43 Rue du Rocher, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The second is at 79 Rue des Entrepreneurs, in the 15th arrondissement of the capital.

⏰ Both are open from Tuesday to Thursday from 4 PM to 8 PM, and on Friday and Saturday from 12 PM to 8 PM.

What do testers think? Discover opinions on Le Petit Ballon?

To better understand Le Petit Ballon and see if it meets your expectations, I invite you to take a look at this brief summary I have put together from various customer reviews that I found on Trustpilot and Google.

About Trustpilot

Le Petit Ballon currently has over 3500 reviews on this verified review platform, boasting an excellent rating of 4.8 / 5.

This reflects a high level of satisfaction among most customers. Let’s take a closer look at what they particularly enjoyed and what aspects need improvement.

💚 Le Petit Ballon customers loved:

• The quality of the wines (praised by most customers!),
• The very clear explanations provided with each bottle,
• The reliable delivery,
• The efficiency of the customer service,
• The option to pause your subscription or have it delivered to your holiday location,

Positive review of Le Petit Ballon left by a customer on Trustpilot

❌ Customers were less satisfied:

• No phone customer service,
• Occasional delays in delivery.

Mixed review of Le Petit Ballon posted on Trustpilot

On Google

The Google reviews for Le Petit Ballon reflect the profile of Parisian boutiques. However, many customers leave feedback about the subscription service, and the overall rating remains positive, similar to what is seen on Trustpilot. In fact, it boasts a score of 4.5 / 5 based on over 1000 reviews.

💚 Customers share their lovely discoveries made possible through the subscriptions, as well as the promptness of the customer service in addressing any issues. The fast delivery is also highly valued.

❌ Negative comments, such as those on Trustpilot, highlight occasional delivery delays. Le Petit Ballon consistently responds to these reviews to provide a solution.

Le Petit Ballon on Social Media

The sommeliers at Petit Ballon are, of course, active on social media to keep us updated on the latest news from the company. You can find them on:

• Instagram, to discover the behind-the-scenes of the box creation, for example,
• Twitter, to engage with the team,
• Facebook, to see the latest updates and share your thoughts on this month's parcel with a community of over 85,000 followers.

Le Petit Ballon also has a YouTube channel, where the team shares wine discoveries along with their tastings, selections based on your budget, and even some great tips related to oenology.

😊 I highly recommend it: I've subscribed and I'm discovering lots of new things about wine!

Video Tip from Le Petit Ballon: Which Glass for Which Wine?

Is Petit Ballon a scam? Can you order with complete confidence?

Who better than the French to talk about wine? Le Petit Ballon is indeed a French company that was established in 2011. It is based in Paris, in the 8th arrondissement, and today has over 60 employees. Among them, there are web marketing specialists as well as, of course, experienced sommeliers.

The team behind Le Petit Ballon

The company does not offer a telephone customer service, but you can fill out a contact form on the website or send an email. Moreover, the team is very responsive and addresses reviews left on Trustpilot and Google, providing solutions to any issues encountered.

✅ Ordering from Petit Ballon is just like visiting a wine merchant, but online. The company is reliable and well-established: there's no need to hesitate! 😉

My verdict on Le Petit Ballon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When we were gifted a three-month subscription to Le Petit Ballon, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. My partner and I enjoy wine, but we are by no means experts.

When we opened our first parcel, we were impressed by the practicality of the packaging and its sturdiness. Everything is designed to ensure that the bottles do not break!

We also greatly appreciated the advice provided in the tasting notes accompanying the bottles. For us, this is what truly enhances this box: the sommelier's recommendations allow you to enjoy the wine with dishes that highlight its qualities.

As we had the basic subscription at £19.90 per month, we received wines to enjoy straight away. This was perfect for us as we don’t have a wine cellar.

We were able to taste several wines, some of which were truly delicious, such as the Okoma, a wine from South Africa. We also enjoyed French wines, including Burgundy and Bordeaux.

We are a little disappointed to see our subscription to Petit Ballon coming to an end, and we are considering resubscribing in due course, as the price is truly attractive. It's also a fantastic gift idea that we're keeping in mind for Christmas or a birthday.

✅ My husband and I wholeheartedly recommend Le Petit Ballon. Like many other customers (as evidenced by the rating on Trustpilot), we have made some wonderful discoveries in a fun way and without any hassle.

FAQ about The Little Balloon: I answer YOUR questions!

👉 In this frequently asked questions section, I answer the most common queries regarding the Petit Ballon. If, however, you don't find the answer to your question, feel free to ask it in the comments so I can add it to this list and respond! 😊

How to Obtain a Le Petit Ballon Promo Code?

At the time of writing this article, there are no promotional codes available on the website. Feel free to check the homepage to see if anything has changed!

How to Get a Discount with Le Petit Ballon Referral?

If you know someone who wants to subscribe to Petit Ballon and you’re already a subscriber yourself, you can earn £20 and they can gain the same amount. To do this, simply go to your account, then head to the "REFERRAL" section. After that, just send an invitation via the online form, by email, Facebook, or Twitter.

If your referee subscribes, everyone will receive a voucher to use across the entire site!

What is the phone number for Petit Ballon?

Le Petit Ballon does not offer telephone customer service. However, you can contact the team:

• via the contact form available on the website,
• by email, at the address bonjour@lepetitballon.com,
• by post, at the following address:
  Le Petit Ballon - Customer Service
  43 Rue du Rocher
  75008 PARIS

👉 You can also get in touch with Le Petit Ballon on social media, via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, through direct messaging.

How do I activate my Le Petit Ballon gift card?

It's very simple! You just need a code, which you can enter in the form provided on this page. This will allow you to log in or create an account, enabling you to redeem your gift and set up your delivery.

How to arrange delivery to your holiday destination? 🌴

Le Petit Ballon offers you the option to have your order delivered directly to your holiday location. To do this, you need to change your address before the end of the current month for it to be effective the following month. You can do this from your customer area, in the section "ADDRESS AND DELIVERY".

👉 Don't forget to update your usual address afterwards!

How to pause your subscription?

If you wish to take a break, you can also pause your subscription. Like changing your address, this must be done the month before.

To do this, log in to your subscriber account, then go to "MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION". After that, just click on "SKIP THE NEXT MONTH".

How to Cancel Your Le Petit Ballon Subscription?

To unsubscribe, simply follow the instructions provided in the previous lines, but select "UNSUBSCRIBE ME". This will take effect from the following month. You can re-subscribe if you wish later on, and this will account for any parcels already received to avoid duplication.

I hope this testimonial and all these explanations have made you keen to try Le Petit Ballon. For my husband and me, it was truly a delightful experience that we would happily do again. If you're already a subscriber, I would love to hear your thoughts on it: feel free to let me know in the comments! 😉