I tried wine bath ‘therapy’ at the spa loved by Hailey and Justin Bieber… here is what I really think of the $700 service

Sloshing around in wine didn’t strike me as a typical spa treatment.

But several years ago I’d heard about the concept of ‘vinotherapy’ while traveling in Argentina after a friend showed me a photo of himself submerged in a vat of red water, which was actually leftovers from red wine making. 

After doing a bit of research, I found several luxury hotels and spas promoting the health benefits of vinotherapy, which typically involve immersing the body in baths infused with red grape skins, seeds, and extracts – the byproducts of wine production – but no alcohol.

These are rich in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that have been widely studied for their potential health-promoting properties.

When the skin is exposed to them topically, as in vinotherapy, the idea is that the polyphenols may protect the skin from free radical damage caused by pollution and UV exposure, help maintain collagen and elasticity, and improve skin texture and hydration through mild exfoliation and antioxidant effects.

Eager to test out the treatment for myself, I could only find a few places in the US offering wine-inspired spa treatments, and luckily, one of the spots wasn’t far from me in New York City.  

The subterranean Greek- and Roman-inspired Aire Ancient Baths in TriBeCa offers vinotherapy as one of its most exclusive treatments. 

Beloved by a roster of A-listers including Hailey and Justin Bieber for its tucked away and private setting, this salubrious spa chain prices its ‘Signature Wine Experience’ at $700 per person. 

After recruiting a friend, who is an avid wino, I booked in for the treatment and was told it would take roughly two hours. 

Online, Aire Ancient Baths details the package as a 180-minute long experience that includes a 15-minute exfoliation with a grapeseed scrub, a 60-minute massage using more grapeseed in the form of an oil, followed by a 45-minute ‘red wine soak’.

The details around the ‘private red wine soak’ were a little vague, however, and I was unsure what it would consist of. 

Would I come out smelling for days like ‘au de Malbec’? Would my bikini be forever stained a shade of Shiraz? Would I feel drunk after letting wine soak into my exfoliated pours for close to an hour?

Venturing into the unknown, we checked in for our treatment one Tuesday evening. 

It all felt slightly ritualistic, like I was about to be offered as a sacrifice to the gods, as we were led through the myriad of corridors by the glimmer of candlelight with ancient chants cutting through the silence. 

First up was the exfoliation stage, which consisted of us being vigorously scrubbed down with grapeseed and mildly jet washed on a marble slab.

Then, after donning our Cabernet-hued robes, our two therapists led us to another cellar-esque room for a massage to further infuse grapeseed into our bodies. 

Grapeseed, particularly in the form of grapeseed extract or oil, is rich in antioxidants called oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), which has been proven to offer numerous potential health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, enhanced skin elasticity, and protection against oxidative damage.

The grapeseed certainly felt less oily than a traditional massage oil and it had a pleasant natural scent, transporting me from the confines of a New York basement in fall to the wilds of the French countryside in the haze of summer.

Feeling pleasantly pummeled and ready for marinating, we were then invited to experience the pièce de résistance: the wine bath. 

Unlike other spa settings where green juices and detox waters are traditionally thrust upon you, we were presented with two half bottles of Spanish Tempranillo wine (a juicy 2019 Bodega Matarromera Ribera del Duero Reserva), along with a plate of cheeses and chocolates. 

My friend and I were invited to step into the heart-shaped tub, which was half filled with wine and then hot water to create a diluted concoction. 

While the bath was filling, we were given a head massage and then were left to enjoy the fruits of our non-labor.

The first thing I noticed was that there was no smell of alcohol; it felt more like warm grape juice from the grocery store than mulled wine.

A staff member confirmed the ‘wine’ used in the Aire Ancient Baths’ treatment consists of ‘a special formula enriched with grape extract and active ingredients that help hydrate and revitalize the skin.’

My friend had joked about scooping up the bath liquid to refill our chalices, but sans alcohol, it was less appealing.  

After almost an hour in the non-alcoholic grape vat and feeling slightly prunish and a little tipsy from the Tempranillo, we extricated ourselves. 

Following the treatment, my skin did feel exceedingly soft and I felt very well rested. 

But I couldn’t help but think that for $1,400 (the cost of the treatment for two people) we could have flown to Spain for several bottles of wine to sip on rather than sit in.

However, the wine bath will go down as one of the most unusual and romantic spa treatments I have ever had – even with a platonic friend – and certainly one I would recommend for those with cash to splash.

Dr Castel Santana, a board-certified family medicine doctor and medical director at 10X Health System, told the Daily Mail that he is a proponent of vinotherapy as it is a natural therapy. 

He added: ‘There is plausible benefit to incorporating grape derivatives (or the fruit itself) into skin-care routines or treatments.’

Meanwhile, Dr Raj Dasgupta, internal medicine physician and Chief Medical Advisor for Sleepopolis, told this website that while wine baths ‘are likely to provide many short-term benefits such as smoother, brighter skin and stress relief, it’s best not to expect major anti-aging results.’

He concluded: ‘There isn’t much real evidence that wine-based spa treatments make a big difference. The ingredients don’t soak deep into the skin.

‘But it’s fine to try for fun!’