Frequently Asked Questions

WineAccess is the largest wine buying network in the world. We allow over 700,000 wine consumers to buy the world's finest wines from hundreds of wineries and fine wine shops every day.

WineAccess Direct™ is a free service from WineAccess. We pour through thousands of special offers we see from wineries and stores, focusing on a handful of the most compelling wines available on the market. Then, by using the power of the WineAccess network to negotiate, we are able to offer these wines at great prices.

Domestic wines are shipped directly from the winery's west coast warehouse, while imported wines are sourced and shipped by importers and network stores. In all cases, you will receive only handpicked wines that measure up to our rigorous standards.

WineAccess Direct is primarily an email-based service. You must create a free WineAccess account to receive these emails. Registration is free, and you can always unsubscribe if you do not find the service valuable.

Our allocations on our selected wines are often limited and can sell out quickly. Most times we'll post our offers on our website, but this is not the best way to be at the front of the line. First buyers always come from our emails.

It will vary. Some weeks you might see two or three offers in your inbox, some weeks we may have none. It depends on whether the current batch of offers meets our standards (see below).

First, we search for top-quality, unique wines made from special places--wines not easily found in the marketplace. (Sometimes we find imports with just a barrel or two arriving into the U.S.!) We get to know or research the winemakers and the land so we understand the special story behind the wine.

Then we taste each bottle ourselves and pick only the best ones to feature. And it's often not about high scores from the well-known experts. Our experience is that "highly scored" wines aren't always what they're cracked up to be, or are often not good values. If you rely solely on scores, you will miss many wonderful discoveries.

We believe in high standards and this philosophy: We must be as excited about seeing that bottle on our dinner table as on yours.

Most times your wine will ship right after you purchase it. During hot or extremely cold weather, the winery will store your order under perfect, temperature-controlled conditions until it's safe to ship. Sometimes we have opportunities as "pre-arrival" offers, before the wine is shipped to the U.S. or bottled. We make these conditions clear on each offer and in the checkout process.

If your wine arrives in a damaged condition (broken bottle, frozen), send it back for a full refund, no questions asked. We take customer satisfaction seriously, and so do our partner wineries, stores and importers.

Both! Whether you're new to wine or a Pinot freak, there will be WineAccess Direct offers that appeal to you--from superb bargains to 2005 Grand Cru Burgundy.

It depends. Each shipper determines its shipping rules. Nonetheless, customers in most states are eligible to receive shipments on all offers. This information is listed on the bottom of each offer.

Simply create a free WineAccess account to receive these emails. Registration is free, and you can always unsubscribe if you do not find the service valuable. Registering on WineAccess also gives you free pricing information on over 55,000 wines from over 100 stores.

Email wineaccessdirect@wineaccess.com.

If you are a winemaker or importer and are interested in participating in WineAccess Direct, please email us and tell us more about your wines.