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Extreme Heat Hold Update

1 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect and unfortunately, sometimes it's just too hot to ship!

Every week, our team will evaluate the 7-10 day forecast from the National Weather Service to determine if wine can ship safely to your state. When temperatures reach 85 degrees, our packaging is not guaranteed to keep your wine stable in transit. If it's not safe to ship, we will hold until the following week, when we will re-evaluate. If your state is under an Extreme Heat Hold, you'll be notified via email. You will receive tracking information for your wine when it is safe to ship.

Here are the current states on Extreme Heat Hold:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Kentucky
  • Missouri
  • New Mexico
  • Ohio

We appreciate your patience in this matter and we plan to ship your wine as soon as it is safe to do so! 

 

Update: 9/23/24

Summer Shipping 2024

2 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect. Summer Shipping is now activated! Read on for more details: 

For non-Hold States, will continue to ship orders while taking additional precautions to protect your wine during transit. If the average temperature in your state exceeds 85 degrees, there will be a temporary Extreme Heat Hold placed on all orders traveling to the state. These shipments will be released as soon as temperatures have dropped below 85 degrees. This applies to all Wine Shop, Concierge, Build a Case, and Wine Club shipments. To review our Extreme Heat Hold policy and view which states are currently on Extreme Heat Hold for the week, please review our Extreme Heat Hold FAQ article. 

 

Ground + Safe Summer Shipping 

During the summer shipments will include thermal packaging, and ice packs. Safe Summer Shipping will be an additional $20 fee added to the standard ground shipping fee at the time of checkout. For orders over $300, the flat rate shipping fee will be waived but the Safe Summer Shipping fee will still be applied. Only Available in Non-Hold States West of the Rockies. 

$20 flat rate fee + $20 safe summer shipping 

 

Climate Control Ground (CCG) + Safe Summer Shipping

During the summer shipments will include transit via temperature-controlled trucks to a local shipping gateway in your region, thermal packaging, and ice packs. Safe Summer Shipping will be an additional $20 fee added to the standard ground shipping fee at the time of checkout. To review the process for CCG shipping, review our FAQ article titled: Shipping Methods. For orders over $300, the flat rate shipping fee will be waived but the Safe Summer Shipping fee will still be applied. Only Available in Non-Hold States East of the Rockies

$25 flat rate fee + $20 safe summer shipping 

 

Summer Hold:

Your wine will be held in our climate-controlled warehouse for shipping in the Fall. Due to the volume of Summer Holds, requests for earlier shipments cannot be granted.

$1 Per Bottle + Pre-Paid Shipping (either $20 or $25 depending on the state you are shipping to)

 

Build-a-Case HOLD 

If you want to still continue to build your cases over the summer but do not want to worry about shipping in heat, you can select the Build a Case - HOLD option. We will consolidate all of your Build a Case order from over the summer and have them shipped to you in the Fall. Due to the volume of holds, requests for earlier shipments cannot be granted. The standard 1% insurance will remain the same for this option. 

 

Build-a-Case

For those interested in continuing to have their Build a Case orders shipped throughout the summer, you can select the Build a Case - Ship option. These orders will be consolidated and shipped to you once you have completed a full case (12 bottles) or reached your 60-day holding limit. These shipments will ship via the standard ground option for your state with our Safe Summer Shipping option to protect your wine during transit. 

$1 Per Bottle + 1% insurance 

 

Regardless of your chosen shipping method, remember to make sure that someone 21 or older is available to receive your package on the first delivery attempt. After delivery attempt #1, we cannot guarantee the temperature protection of your wine. SommSelect is not liable for damage caused by missed deliveries and cannot refund or replace items.

Summer Shipping 2024: HOLD STATES

1 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect. Summer Shipping is now activated! Read on for more details about states that have been placed on HOLD for the summer: 

Due to the extreme heat that persists for the majority of the summer season, we will not be offering shipping to these states starting June 24th - until the fall when temperatures cool down.

Hold States Include: Texas*, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas, and Nevada.  

You can select either our Build-a-Case HOLD option or Summer Hold for $1 per bottle + pre-paid shipping. All orders will be shipped in the fall when the temperatures have decreased and it is safe to ship. This will be available for Daily Discovery, Wine Shop, Concierge, and Build Case shipments.

 

*If you live in a PWD service area in Texas, we will continue to ship to you throughout the summer season. To see if your zip code is covered by PWD, please review our FAQ article titled: Premium Wine Delivery in Texas

Summer Shipping 2024: Club Shipments

1 min read

For Wine Club members shipping to a Hold State (listed below), all shipments will automatically placed on hold for the summer and shipped in the fall when the temperatures have decreased and it is safe to ship.

Hold States Include: Texas*, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas and Nevada.  

Hold State Club Memberships will be charged throughout the summer for your membership, depending on the cadence of the membership selected. All holding fees are included in the price of your membership. 

Wine Club members shipping to a non-Hold State, will continue to ship orders while taking additional precautions to protect your wine during transit. If the average temperature in your state exceeds 85 degrees, there will be a temporary Extreme Heat Hold placed on all orders traveling to the state. These shipments will be released as soon as temperatures have dropped below 85 degrees. To review our Extreme Heat Hold policy and view which states are currently on Extreme Heat Hold for the week, please review our Extreme Heat Hold FAQ article. Any fees associated with necessary summer holds and safe summer shipping are included in the price of your membership!

 

*If you live in a PWD service area in Texas, we will continue to ship to you throughout the summer season. To see if your zip code is covered by PWD, please review our FAQ article titled: Premium Wine Delivery in Texas

Where We Ship

1 min read

Below is a list of all the states we can currently ship to. Please note, in some states, we partner with local shippers to get your wine to you.

  • Alaska - AK*
  • Arizona - AZ**
  • California - CA
  • Colorado - CO
  • Connecticut - CT
  • District of Columbia - DC
  • Florida - FL
  • Georgia - GA
  • Hawaii - HI*
  • Idaho - ID
  • Illinois - IL
  • Indiana - IN
  • Iowa - IA
  • Kansas - KS
  • Kentucky - KY
  • Louisiana - LA
  • Maine - ME
  • Maryland - MD
  • Massachusetts - MA
  • Minnesota - MN
  • Missouri - MO
  • Montana - MT
  • Nebraska - NE
  • Nevada - NV
  • New Hampshire - NH
  • New Jersey - NJ**
  • New Mexico - NM
  • New York - NY
  • North Carolina - NC
  • North Dakota - ND
  • Ohio - OH
  • Oklahoma - OK
  • Oregon - OR
  • Pennsylvania - PA
  • Rhode Island - RI
  • South Carolina - SC
  • Tennessee - TN
  • Texas - TX**
  • Vermont - VT
  • Virginia - VA
  • Washington - WA
  • West Virginia - WV
  • Wisconsin - WI
  • Wyoming - WY

 

States we are NOT currently shipping to:

  • Alabama - AL
  • Arkansas - AR
  • Delaware - DE
  • Michigan - MI
  • Mississippi - MS
  • South Dakota - SD
  • Utah - UT

 

* 2nd Day Air is only available in AK & HI, shipping rates for these states are based on the carrier rates and will vary based on the number of bottles purchased. Rates are based on standard 750ml bottles, therefore large format bottles may increase shipping costs. 

 

** Climate Control Ground Only states.

Schedule a Local Pickup

1 min read

Local pickups are available to our local Bay Area community via appointment only

 

Pick Up Appointments

Please schedule your pick-up at least 2 business days in advance to ensure that there is someone at the office to coordinate your pick-up and the warehouse has sufficient time to prepare your wines.

To schedule a pick-up please click this link: https://calendly.com/sommselect-185/15min

Please visit the article titled "SommSelect Holiday Closures" for the dates our office will be closed during the holidays, as pickups will not be available during these holiday closures. 

 

Pick-Up Location

You can pick up your wine order(s) at our front office which is located at:

SommSelect

1620 Carneros Meadows Lane, Suite 115

Sonoma, CA 95476

 

Please Note: If your order(s) are not picked up within 60 days, they will be shipped to the address on file and standard shipping rates will apply.

 

If you are interested in having your wines shipped, please reach out to us at info@sommselect.com and we can set up a shipment for you. 

Help Track a Package

1 min read

There are three ways to track your shipments. The first two are in the tracking email that you receive once your package has shipped. When you receive this email you will see a WeShipExpress tracking number and a “View your order” button (circled in red below). Please note, you do not need to use the Shop App to track your packages, you can track everything through our system. 

If you click on the View your order button you will be taken to a screen that shows your order, click on the WSE Tracking number to track your order.

When you click this tracking number, it will take you to the WSE CloudeSuite Tracking page. You will also come to this page if you click on the WeShipTracking Number in your tracking email. The tracking page will give you information regarding the status of your shipment. This page will also allow you to track your shipment directly with the carrier. Some carrier tracking numbers may not be available. Please reach out directly to our customer service team at info@sommselect.com for additional assistance.

You can also track your orders by logging into your account and tracking through a specific order. When you log into your account you will see your order history. Click on the order you are looking for, if the status says “fulfilled” you will be able to track this order.

Once you click on the order you wish to track you will see the tracking number listed below each item. When you click on this tracking number it will take you to the same WSE CloudeSuite Tracking page shown above.

Some helpful tips to ensure your delivery goes smoothly: 

If you live in a region that has delivery service for UPS or FedEx, we recommend signing up for their free account services (they have paid services too that offer additional features and benefits). These services will allow you to more easily track shipments coming from these carriers.

UPS MyChoice Account 

https://www.ups.com/us/en/track/ups-my-choice.page?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=ds_gclid:CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5bKI1rTYXtDipHXNGsvIRfUKQdxruPkHyYW1YZXwatzffnGiH-vf0RoCJ2kQAvD_BwE:dscid:71700000031307143:searchterm:ups+my+choice+delivery&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5bKI1rTYXtDipHXNGsvIRfUKQdxruPkHyYW1YZXwatzffnGiH-vf0RoCJ2kQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

FedEx Delivery Manager

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/delivery-manager.html

Why Can't I Log Into My Account?

1 min read

With our recent website change, you may need to take an additional step when logging in for the first time. Not to worry — your customer profile and order history will still be available within our new site!

Follow the steps outlined below to complete your login on our new website:

  1. Go to the login icon at the top right of your page, click “Create Account”, using the same credentials (email address) as your existing account.
  2. Next, you will receive a Customer Account Activation email. In the email, you will see a button that says “Activate Your Account”. Click this button, and voila! Your login is complete.
  3. Please note: Due to security restrictions, you will need to enter a new payment method once you access your account!

If you continue to have trouble logging into your account please submit a request using the form at the top of the page and our Customer Service team will reach out and assist you! 

SommSelect Holiday Closures

Less than a min read
Our office and warehouse will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in observance of the Labor Day holiday. 
 
Operations will resume on Tuesday, September 3rd. 

 

Happy Labor Day from the SommSelect Team!

Announcements

Why Can't I Log Into My Account?

1 min read

With our recent website change, you may need to take an additional step when logging in for the first time. Not to worry — your customer profile and order history will still be available within our new site!

Follow the steps outlined below to complete your login on our new website:

  1. Go to the login icon at the top right of your page, click “Create Account”, using the same credentials (email address) as your existing account.
  2. Next, you will receive a Customer Account Activation email. In the email, you will see a button that says “Activate Your Account”. Click this button, and voila! Your login is complete.
  3. Please note: Due to security restrictions, you will need to enter a new payment method once you access your account!

If you continue to have trouble logging into your account please submit a request using the form at the top of the page and our Customer Service team will reach out and assist you! 

Helpful Tips for Delivery

1 min read

In order to ensure your delivery goes smoothly, we recommend signing up with UPS and FedEx for their free account services (they have paid services too that offer additional features and benefits). These services will allow you to more easily track shipments coming from these carriers. 

If you are in a UPS service area, you can sign up for a UPS MyChoice Account. Some of the great features included as part of the free service are: 

  • Delivery alerts (texts and emails available)
  • Inbound and outbound package visibility
  • Estimated delivery time

Click HERE to learn more about a UPS MyChoice Account

If you are in a FedEx service area, you can sign up for a FedEx Delivery Manager Account. Some of the great features included as part of the free service are: 

  • Stay informed with delivery notifications
  • Save package delivery instructions for your driver
  • Place a vacation hold on packages

Click HERE to learn more about a FedEx Delivery Manager Account

SommSelect Holiday Closures

Less than a min read
Our office and warehouse will be closed on Thursday, July 4th in observance of the Independence Day holiday. 
 
Operations will resume on Friday, July 5th. 

 

Happy Fourth of July from the SommSelect Team!

Emails

Email Update

1 min read

Make sure you're still in the know about all the happenings at SommSelect!

Be sure to add info@sommselect.com to your email contacts list! Doing this ensures that you'll receive our emails as we change our email provider.

Need help? Here are instructions for approving SommSelect emails across different providers: 

Gmail

  • Go to Settings (gear icon) > ‘See all settings’.
  • Click on the ‘Filters and Blocked Addresses’ tab.
  • Click ‘Create a new filter’.
  • In the ‘From’ field enter sommselect.com.
  • Click ‘Create filter’.
  • Check ‘Never send it to Spam’ and click ‘Create filter’.

Yahoo! Mail

  • Go to Settings (gear icon) > ‘More Settings’.
  • Click on ‘Filters’.
  • Click ‘Add new filter’.
  • Name your filter. In the ‘From’ field enter sommselect.com.
  • Under ‘Choose a folder to move to’ select ‘Inbox’.
  • Click ‘Save’.

Outlook

  • Click Junk icon.
  • Click Junk E-mail Options.
  • Click Safe Senders.
  • Click Add.
  • Enter info@sommselect.com and any additional information if you wish.
  • Click OK to finish.

Mac Mail

  • Click Address Book.
  • Click File.
  • Click New Card.
  • Enter [info@sommselect.com] and additional information if you wish.
  • Click Edit to finish

iOS Devices – iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

  • On any message, tap the sender and add to either a new contact or an existing contact.
  • Android Devices – Samsung, Google Nexus, others
  • In the default email client, touch the picture of the sender.
  • Click OK to add to contacts.

Comcast

  • Go to Settings.
  • Under ‘Mail’ click ‘Filter Rules’.
  • Click ‘Add new rule’.
  • Name your filter. Click ‘Add condition’ and select ‘Sender/From’.
  • Choose ‘Is exactly’ from the next condition box.
  • Enter the email addresses you want to whitelist.
  • Click ‘Add action’ and choose ‘Keep’.

AOL Mail

  • Click on Spam Controls’.
  • In the now appearing box, click ‘Customer Sender’ link and choose the ‘Allow email from …’.
  • Enter info@sommselect.com.
  • Click click ‘Add’ and ‘Save’.

Earthlink

  • Click ‘Address Book’.
  • Click ‘Manage Domains’.
  • Click ‘Add’ and enter the domains you wish to whitelist.
  • Click ‘Allow This Company (sommselect.com)’. 

NetZero

  • Click the Address Book tab on the top menu bar.
  • Click Contacts.
  • Click Add Contact.
  • Enter info@sommselect.com and additional information if you wish.
  • Click Save to finish.

Outlook 2007

  • Right-click on the email you received (in the list of emails).
  • Click Junk E-mail.
  • Click Add Sender to Safe Senders List to finish.
  • Outlook 2003
  • Open the email message from the sender you want to add to your address book.
  • Right-click Click here to download images in the gray bar at the top of the message.
  • Click Add Sender to Senders Safe List to finish.

SommSelect Email Preferences

Less than a min read

Interested in only receiving specific emails from us? If so, please use this link to update your email preferences: https://sommselect.myklpages.com/p/email_preferences

If you are interested in unsubscribing to our emails, please use this link: https://sommselect.myklpages.com/p/unsubscribe

Additional Information

Gift Cards

Less than a min read

We are so excited to be able to offer Gift Cards this Holiday Season! Please visit our holiday gifting page to explore the gift card offerings. 

Here are some Notes for Successful Gift Card Gifting:

  • If you'd like to have a gift card sent directly to the recipient's email, please use our "Add A Gift Message" option on the product page, after selecting your desired denomination.
  • If you'd like to send a gift card to yourself, please follow the standard checkout process with your personal information.
  • Please review our "Where We Ship" article to ensure we can ship to the state of your recipient when they use the gift card. 

Bottle Shock

Less than a min read

Tempting as it may be to jump right in, we advise letting these wines rest in a cool, dark place for 7-10 days before opening them. The rigors of travel can negatively impact aromas and flavors, so give the wines time to settle down and show their best selves!

Decanting and Serving Recommendations

2 min read

Each of our daily offers includes decanting and serving recommendations. Notes to these stories can be found as a link in your order history.

In general, the best approach is to store wine on its side in a dark and cold place until you want to drink it. At that point when you want to consume the bottle, stand the wine up 24-48 hours, also in a cool place like a cold garage or your wine cellar, at about 55F. This is especially important for wines that are 15 to 20 years old, or older.

When you want to open it carefully remove the cork using a simple corkscrew, and if you open older bottles on occasion we highly recommend using an "Ah-So" in case the cork is in bad shape. It grabs the cork from the sides so it won't crumble and get into the wine (if it did you could strain it through wine strainer or a coffee filter into a decanter or carafe).You can find an Ah-So wine opener on Amazon and Google a video on how to use it, it is great to have to open old bottles.

Most young red wine, up to 10 or 15 years of age, benefits from a decant of 30 to 60 minutes, and some may demand even longer. The point of decanting young reds is to help awaken the fruit and the aromatics, while softening the tannins a bit. Red wines between 15 and 30 years old may also benefit from decanting, both to remove the wine from the sediment and to help awaken aromas. However, some more delicate wines may not need decanting at these ages, including some Red Burgundy or other Pinot Noirs. Older wines generally do not need decanting, and in some cases, decanting may cause them to decay rapidly. The exceptions are robust wines, like Bordeaux or Napa Cabernet, from the very best vintages. Vintage Port should always be decanted away from its sediment.

White wines of any age don’t generally require decanting, however young bottles from top regions like White Burgundy, Mosel Riesling, or Loire Chenin Blanc usually benefit greatly from a short decant. Dessert wines of any age also generally benefit from decanting, especially fortified ones like Madeira or Marsala.

The most important aspect of wine service is temperature, followed by stemware. If your wine is at the right temp and in the right glass you will have a far more enjoyable experience. No wine should ever be warm, the max temp is 65 degrees, and that is for only the most robust red wines, and/or older bottles. Too cold is also a problem, as it will mask all of the complexities. The coldest a wine should be served at is 45 degrees, for simple white wines and sparkling wines, while most white wine is best around 50 degrees and most reds shine in the 55 to 60-degree range. 

You really only need three types of stemware: An all-purpose stem, a Burgundy bowl stem, and a Bordeaux stem. The all-purpose stem is perfect for sparkling wines, most rosé, and lighter, low-aromatic white wines. The Bordeaux stem is for robust red wines, while everything else, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir etc. should go into the Burgundy stem. 

For any specific questions on wine service don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer service team.

Cheers,

David and Beau

How can I submit a wine to be considered for the SommSelect site?

Less than a min read

Thank you for your interest in having your wine featured on the SommSelect site!

Please email samples@sommselect.com for additional information regarding wine submissions.

Order Processing

When should I expect my order(s) to ship?

1 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect and at this time we are currently using our updated Summer Shipping options. Processing and shipping timelines are likely to be longer than usual due to holds caused by extreme heat. Please review our FAQ articles: Summer Shipping 2024 and Summer Shipping 2024: HOLD STATES to see how the summer season will impact your order. 

If your order is eligible for shipping during the summer season, please allow 7-14 days for orders to be processed by our fulfillment center. We use a third-party shipping company to get your wines to you.

SommSelect's model is slightly different than other wine retailers because the Daily Discovery wines we offer are curated directly from wineries, importers, and vendors and are not stored in our warehouse. Once you place an order with us for a Daily Discovery, we order that product from the producer/importer who then sends it to our warehouse to be packed and shipped. If a wine will not be available to ship within our standard processing time, we will include the information on the offer about the estimated shipping timeline so you know before you purchase. 

Unfortunately, we can experience unexpected delays from our vendors leading to processing delays on our end. If we do, we will send our customers an update regarding the delay. 

For additional information regarding our various shipping methods, please review our shipping information page: https://www.sommselect.com/shipping/

How can I cancel an order?

Less than a min read

In the case that an order needs to be canceled, please submit a request to the customer service team. To do so, select "Submit a Request" located at the top of the page. For Subject, select "Order Issues" and on the sub-menu provided select "Order Cancellation."

Please make sure to include your order information and a reason for cancellation in this request. Once submitted the customer service team will contact you. 

Cancelations are subject to a restocking fee per order. If an order has been shipped it is also subject to a return fee. 

 

SommSelect Credits

1 min read

SommSelect credits will now be distributed to customers in the form of a gift card. The gift card will be sent to the email you have on file. Gift card credits will not automatically apply to your order, you will need to enter the gift card details at checkout when you want to redeem them.

 

To redeem a gift card you have received, you will need to enter the gift card information during the checkout process. In the checkout view, on the right-hand side, there is a bar to enter in the gift card information (see image below). Once you have entered in the gift card number, click on the apply button and the gift card will apply to your order.

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 10.41.07 AM

Gift cards will only apply to the subtotal of your order and will not apply to taxes and shipping fees. You are able to apply multiple gift cards to an order if you have them.

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 10.51.28 AM

Once a gift card is issued, the full gift card code is visible only to you the customer because gift cards are considered currency. The customer service team can see only the last four characters in the code for the gift card once it has been issued and therefore cannot apply gift card credits to your order(s). The customer service team can resend you the gift card email if you are having difficulties locating the information, please reach out to our team at info@sommselect.com if you need a gift card resent. Please note, if you forward the email with the gift card code to another person, they will be able to use that gift card for their own purchase. 

 

These gift cards will expire 90 after being issued. 

Promo Codes

Less than a min read

Applying a Promo Code to your order is easy!

Promo Codes can be applied to your order during the checkout process. In the checkout view, on the right-hand side, there is a bar to enter promo code information.  

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 10.41.07 AM-1

Once you have entered the promo code, click on the apply button and the discount will apply to your order.

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 2.06.47 PM

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 2.06.54 PM

Please note: Promo codes are not able to be reversed once applied to an order. Promo codes cannot be applied after an order has been placed.

My order just arrived, but the wine is not what I ordered. What do I do?

Less than a min read

We are so sorry you received the incorrect wine! Please reach out to our customer service team by submitting a service request.  

To do so, select "Submit a Request" located at the top of the page. For Subject, select "Order Issues" and on the sub-menu provided select either "Incorrect Item" Or "Missing Item" to best describe your situation. 

If you are able to include a photo of the packing slip which will be located on the inside flap of the shipment and/or photos of the incorrect bottle(s) that you received, that would be greatly appreciated!

The customer service team will contact you once the request has been submitted. 

Why am I being charged sales tax?

2 min read

As you know, when you buy wine at a 'brick and mortar' retailer typically, you will pay some combination of sales tax (which can vary county by county) and excise tax. When retailers first began selling products online, many took the position "Well, I am located in State A; if I sell into State B, then I won't charge sales tax, because I'm not located in State B", etc. This was great for consumers in State B, who now didn't have to pay sales tax, and for internet retailers, who got lots more business from consumers who now understood they could avoid paying taxes by ordering online. 

Traditional retailers were not so happy and went to the courts for a solution. Things initially went against them when the Supreme Court, in the 1992 Quill v North Dakota case, ruled that states could NOT collect taxes from internet retailers located in other states. A big part of the Court's rationale was that, in 1992, the internet was a new, promising - and still very small - technology and the government wanted to encourage its growth. While that view has changed in recent years, for a long time we all got used to buying things online without paying sales taxes. 

However, traditional retailers never dropped their objections to what they saw as an unfair competitive advantage. Also, as internet sales ballooned after 1992, putting many local retailers out of business, states began to realize they were losing huge amounts in uncollected sales taxes. This again led to court challenges, ending just a few months ago - in June 2018 - when the Supreme Court decided the South Dakota v Wayfair case, which overturned the 1992 Quill holding. Under the new Wayfair ruling, internet retailers ARE now required to charge sales taxes, and, if applicable, excise and use taxes in every state in which they sell. This is enormously confusing, as some states have no sales taxes, but may impose excise taxes on alcohol, while most states do have sales taxes, but because counties and municipalities are allowed to add their own riders onto the basic sales tax, the actual tax varies county by county within that state. Other states impose special taxes on alcohol. It's really a very confusing situation, and the states and the federal government are trying to work toward a unified, sensible national method of collecting these taxes. Just don't expect a solution soon, because there are other, non-tax interests - specifically, those who oppose the interstate sale of alcohol and direct to consumer (DTC) wine sales - who are hoping that the cost and complexity of dealing with the fractured sales/excise/use tax system will discourage such cross-border sales.

In any event, since Wayfair, SommSelect has been complying with the new law. There are some other internet retailers who either don't know about the law or who will ignore it until they get caught - either might apply to the other retailers you mentioned. For anyone who intends to stay in business for the long haul, this is not a good idea - the tax liabilities, along with penalties, will just pile up over time. Sooner or later, they will have to deal with the accrued tax bill, which could, conceivably, be large enough to put many firms out of business.

General

Will price information be included in my gift shipment?

Less than a min read

No, pricing information is not included in any SommSelect shipment. 

Where can I find my Order History?

1 min read

Order information and history can be accessed by logging into your SommSelect Account. Click on the "Account" icon located in the top right corner of the website page. When you click on this icon it will take you to your account home page. Once logged in, your order history will populate at the top of your account home page.

Screen Shot 2023-07-17 at 4.07.33 PM

Your order history on the home page will allow you to see the order number, date the order was placed, payment status, shipping status as known as "Fulfillment Status" and order total.

For more detailed information about a specific order, such as tasting notes, shipping information, and tracking information, click on the order number link in the order column on the home page. 

Screen Shot 2023-07-17 at 4.25.53 PM

You can also view your order history, by selecting the "Historical Purchases" menu option on the left-hand side of your account home page. However, this view only shows you the bottles you have ordered previously and does not break down the information by order number. Your most recent bottles purchased will populate at the top of this section. 

Screen Shot 2023-07-17 at 4.07.59 PM

 

Updates

Extreme Heat Hold Update (2024)

1 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect and unfortunately, sometimes it's just too hot to ship!

Every week, our team will evaluate the 7-10 day forecast from the National Weather Service to determine if wine can ship safely to your state. When temperatures reach 85 degrees, our packaging is not guaranteed to keep your wine stable in transit. If it's not safe to ship, we will hold until the following week, when we will re-evaluate. If your state is under an Extreme Heat Hold, you'll be notified via email. You will receive tracking information for your wine when it is safe to ship.

Here are the current states on Extreme Heat Hold:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Kentucky
  • Missouri
  • New Mexico
  • Ohio

We appreciate your patience in this matter and we plan to ship your wine as soon as it is safe to do so! 

 

Update: 9/11/24

 

Summer Shipping 2024

2 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect. Summer Shipping is now activated! Read on for more details: 

For non-Hold States, will continue to ship orders while taking additional precautions to protect your wine during transit. If the average temperature in your state exceeds 85 degrees, there will be a temporary Extreme Heat Hold placed on all orders traveling to the state. These shipments will be released as soon as temperatures have dropped below 85 degrees. This applies to all Wine Shop, Concierge, Build a Case, and Wine Club shipments. To review our Extreme Heat Hold policy and view which states are currently on Extreme Heat Hold for the week, please review our Extreme Heat Hold FAQ article. 

Ground + Safe Summer Shipping 

During the summer shipments will include thermal packaging, and ice packs. Safe Summer Shipping will be an additional $20 fee added to the standard ground shipping fee at the time of checkout. For orders over $300, the flat rate shipping fee will be waived but the Safe Summer Shipping fee will still be applied. Only Available in Non-Hold States West of the Rockies.

$20 flat rate fee + $20 safe summer shipping 


Climate Control Ground + Safe Summer Shipping 

During the summer shipments will include transit via temperature-controlled trucks to a local shipping gateway in your region, thermal packaging, and ice packs. Safe Summer Shipping will be an additional $20 fee added to the standard ground shipping fee at the time of checkout. For orders over $300, the flat rate shipping fee will be waived but the Safe Summer Shipping fee will still be applied. Only Available in Non-Hold States East of the Rockies.

$25 flat rate fee + $20 safe summer shipping 


Summer Hold:

Your wine will be held in our climate-controlled warehouse for shipping in the Fall. Due to the volume of Summer Holds, requests for earlier shipments cannot be granted.

$1 Per Bottle + Pre-Paid Shipping (either $20 or $25 depending on the state you are shipping to)


Build-a-Case - HOLD 

If you want to still continue to build your cases over the summer but do not want to worry about shipping in heat, you can select the Build-a-Case HOLD option. We will consolidate all of your Build a Case order from over the summer and have them shipped to you in the Fall. Due to the volume of holds, requests for earlier shipments cannot be granted. The standard 1% insurance will remain the same for this option. 

Build-a-Case

For those interested in continuing to have their Build a Case orders shipped throughout the summer, you can select the Build a Case - Ship option. These orders will be consolidated and shipped to you once you have completed a full case (12 bottles) or reached your 60-day holding limit. These shipments will ship via the standard ground option for your state with our Safe Summer Shipping option to protect your wine during transit. 

$1 Per Bottle + 1% insurance 


Regardless of your chosen shipping method, remember to make sure that someone 21 or older is available to receive your package on the first delivery attempt. After delivery attempt #1, we cannot guarantee the temperature protection of your wine. SommSelect is not liable for damage caused by missed deliveries and cannot refund or replace items.

Summer Shipping 2024: HOLD STATES

1 min read

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect. Summer Shipping is now activated! Read on for more details about states that have been placed on HOLD for the summer: 

Due to the extreme heat that persists for the majority of the summer season, we will not be offering shipping to these states starting June 24th - until the fall when temperatures cool down.

Hold States Include: Texas*, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas and Nevada.  

You can select either our Build a Case option or Summer Hold for $1 per bottle + pre-paid shipping. All orders will be shipped in the fall when the temperatures have decreased and it is safe to ship. This will be available for Daily Discovery, Wine Shop, Concierge and Build Case shipments. 

 

*If you live in a PWD service area in Texas, we will continue to ship to you throughout the summer season. To see if your zip code is covered by PWD, please review our FAQ article titled: Premium Wine Delivery in Texas

Options

Shipping Methods

1 min read

No matter which way you ship, remember to make sure that someone 21 or older is available to receive your package on the first delivery attempt. Please visit our FAQ article "Where We Ship" to ensure we can ship to your state. 

SHIPPING OPTIONS

A 1% insurance fee will be added to the shipping fee at checkout, this is to cover your order if it is damaged or lost while in transit.

Ground

Ground orders are shipped on Monday through Thursday. When orders are processed, an automatic email will be sent to you which includes tracking information. Tracking information will update once the shipping carrier scans the package. Flat rate shipping of $20 or $25 for orders less than $300 depending on the state you are shipping to.

Climate Controlled Ground

With the Climate-Controlled Ground shipping method, wines are packed and shipped each Friday in a climate-controlled truck headed to the local shipping gateway in your region. Tracking information is sent to customers via email once the package is labeled by our 3rd party shipping company. Once the package arrives at the local shipping gateway, your wine is handed off to your local carrier for its final transit via standard ground to your delivery address; this is when your tracking information will update. Total time for delivery from the time the package leaves our warehouse is approximately 5 to 10 days, assuming there are no delays. Flat rate fee of $25 for orders less than $300. 

*Required and only available for orders shipping to AZ, NJ & TX.

Please note that to ship to some states we use specialty carriers to get your wines to you:

  • Arizona- Wine2U is a refrigerated wine delivery service used for all orders shipped to AZ. These orders are shipped on Fridays with our Climate Control Ground orders.
  • Texas - Premium Wine Delivery or PWD - keeps orders in a climate-controlled environment for their entire journey. You will receive an email from PWD which includes a tracking number, and they will also contact you personally to arrange delivery when it is convenient for you!
  • Alaska & Hawaii - All orders shipping to Alaska and Hawaii will be shipped via 2-Day Air, and shipping rates will be calculated based on carrier rates.

Local Pick-up 

For customers in the Bay Area who would prefer to pick up their wines from our warehouse in Sonoma CA, you can select the Local Pickup option at checkout. Please visit our article "Schedule a Local Pickup" for details on the pickup process.

Where we ship

1 min read

Below is a list of all the states we can currently ship to. Please note, in some states, we partner with local shippers to get your wine to you.

  • Alaska - AK*
  • Arizona - AZ**
  • California - CA
  • Colorado - CO
  • Connecticut - CT
  • District of Columbia - DC
  • Florida - FL
  • Georgia - GA
  • Hawaii - HI*
  • Idaho - ID
  • Illinois - IL
  • Indiana - IN
  • Iowa - IA
  • Kansas - KS
  • Kentucky - KY
  • Louisiana - LA
  • Maine - ME
  • Maryland - MD
  • Massachusetts - MA
  • Minnesota - MN
  • Missouri - MO
  • Montana - MT
  • Nebraska - NE
  • Nevada - NV
  • New Hampshire - NH
  • New Jersey - NJ**
  • New Mexico - NM
  • New York - NY
  • North Carolina - NC
  • North Dakota - ND
  • Ohio - OH
  • Oklahoma - OK
  • Oregon - OR
  • Pennsylvania - PA
  • Rhode Island - RI
  • South Carolina - SC
  • Tennessee - TN
  • Texas - TX**
  • Vermont - VT
  • Virginia - VA
  • Washington - WA
  • West Virginia - WV
  • Wisconsin - WI
  • Wyoming - WY

 

States we are NOT currently shipping to:

  • Alabama - AL
  • Arkansas - AR
  • Delaware - DE
  • Michigan - MI
  • Mississippi - MS
  • South Dakota - SD
  • Utah - UT

 

* 2nd Day Air is only available in AK & HI, shipping rates for these states are based on the carrier rates and will vary based on the number of bottles purchased. Rates are based on standard 750ml bottles, therefore large format bottles may increase shipping costs. 

 

** Climate Control Ground Only states.

Why do you require a signature of someone over 21+ for delivery?

Less than a min read

It is the law.

Shipments containing alcohol require an adult (21+) signature by United States law and it is illegal to leave a package containing alcohol without a signature, or in the care of a minor.

We highly recommend shipping to an office address if there isn't someone at your home to sign for deliveries.

Let us know if you have any additional questions as we are happy to help answer them for you.

Can you Hold shipping on my order(s)?

Less than a min read

We are happy to arrange holds for your order(s) if you will be out of town and cannot receive your wine at the time of delivery. Please reach out to our customer service team at info@sommselect.com to make this request and let us know when you will be unable to receive shipments. 

Please note that we can make these arrangements for orders that are in the "Pending" status in your account, we cannot hold orders that have been shipped. Also, we cannot hold orders for longer than 30 days. 

Schedule a Local Pickup

1 min read

Local pickups are available to our local Bay Area community via appointment only

Pick Up Appointments

Please schedule your pick-up at least 2 business days in advance to ensure that there is someone at the office to coordinate your pick-up and the warehouse has sufficient time to prepare your wines.

To schedule a pick-up please click this link: https://calendly.com/sommselect-185/15min

Please visit the article titled "SommSelect Holiday Closures" for the dates our office will be closed during the holidays, as pickups will not be available during these holiday closures. 

 Pick-Up Location

You can pick up your wine order(s) at our front office which is located at:

SommSelect

1620 Carneros Meadows Lane, Suite 115

Sonoma, CA 95476

Please Note: If your order(s) are not picked up within 60 days, they will be shipped to the address on file and standard shipping rates will apply.

If you are interested in having your wines shipped, please reach out to us at info@sommselect.com and we can set up a shipment for you.

Arizona - Wine2U

Less than a min read

In Arizona, we use a company called Wine2U to deliver your wines. Refrigerated trucks are always used to safely deliver your wine year-round even in the hottest weather!

If you have any questions about a shipment you are expecting, feel free to reach out to our SommSelect team or Wine2U directly!

Premium Wine Delivery in Texas

2 min read

With Premium Wine Delivery or PWD, your orders will be in a climate-controlled environment for their entire journey.

You will receive an email from PWD which includes a tracking number as well as text message updates about your delivery status. If you are unavailable for the delivery, you can respond to the PWD emails directly and reschedule your delivery or place the orders on hold if needed. Once your package has been delivered, you will receive an email and text message confirming the delivery.

PWD Service Areas.  

PWD only services specific areas within the state of Texas, the following zip codes are currently included in their service area.

If you live in one of these zip codes we will offer shipping to you all year round!

75001
75002
75006
75007
75009
75010
75013
75019
75022
75023
75024
75025
75028
75032
75033
75034
75035
75037
75038
75039
75040
75041
75042
75043
75044
75048
75050
75051
75052
75054
76115 
75211
75056
75057
75060
75061
75062
75063
75065
75067
75068
75069
75070
75071
75074
75075
75077
75078
75080
75081
75082
75087
75088
75089
75093
75094
75098
75099
75104
75115
75116
75134
76110
75072
75137
75141
75146
75149
75150
75159
75166
75172
75173
75180
75181
75182
75189
75201
75202
75203
75204
75205
75206
75207
75208
75209
75210
75211
75212
75214
75215
75216
75217
75218
76016
75072
75219
75220
75223
75224
75225
75226
75227
75228
75229
75230
75231
75232
75233
75234
75235
75236
75237
75238
75240
75241
75242
75243
75244
75245
75246
75247
75248
75249
75251
75252
76016
75253
75254
75258
75260
75270
75275
75277
75283
75284
75285
75286
75287
75301
75303
75310
75312
75320
75323
75326
75342
75353
75358
75363
75364
75368
75373
75386
75387
75388
75389
76013
75390
75391
75392
75393
75394
75395
75396
75397
75398
75407
75409
75424
75442
75454
76001
76002
76006
76010
76011
76012
76013
76014
76015
76016
76017
76018
76019
76020
76021
76022
76015
76034
76036
76039
76040
76051
76052
76053
76054
76060
76063
76092
76102
76103
76104
76105
76106
76107
76108
76109
76110
76111
76112
76114
76115
76116
76117
76118
76119
76120
76122
76015
76123
76126
76127
76129
76130
76131
76132
76133
76134
76135
76137
76140
76148
76150
76155
76164
76166
76177
76179
76180
76182
76191
76192
76193
76195
76196
76197
76198
76199
76201
76014
76205
76207
76208
76209
76210
76226
76227
76244
76247
76248
76249
76258
76259
76262
76266
76299
77002
77005
77007
77008
77009
77010
77019
77024
77027
77032
77042
77056
77057
77063
76010
77070
77081
77098
77379
77401
76005
75036
77003
77004
77006
77014
77021
77025
77030
77046
77054
77055
77066
77067
77068
77069
77090
77204
77388
77038
77086
77088
77091
77018
77092
75211

As always, please let us know if you have any questions about shipping options in your area.

International Shipping

Less than a min read

At this time, we are not able to ship internationally. 

Additional Information

My order is in a "Unfulfilled" status, when will it ship?

Less than a min read

The "Unfulfilled" status means your order is being processed to ship, our team is packing and labeling your shipment and preparing it to be picked up by one of our shipping partners.

Please allow 7-14 days for your order to be processed. 

Daily Discovery wines typically take longer to ship since they are ordered after the offer closes and can take time to reach our warehouse for processing.

Store wines are in stock and are ready to process to ship so they typically ship sooner depending on the order date and shipping method selected at checkout.

 

We thank you for your patience while waiting for your wines and if you need to request expedited shipping for any order, please let us know and we will do our best to help.

Help Track a Package

1 min read

There are three ways to track your shipments. The first two are in the tracking email that you receive once your package has shipped. When you receive this email you will see a WeShipExpress tracking number and a “View your order” button (circled in red below). Please note, you do not need to use the Shop App to track your packages, you can track everything through our system.

If you click on the View your order button you will be taken to a screen that shows your order, click on the WSE Tracking number to track your order.

When you click this tracking number, it will take you to the WSE CloudeSuite Tracking page. You will also come to this page if you click on the WeShipTracking Number in your tracking email. The tracking page will give you information regarding the status of your shipment. This page will also allow you to track your shipment directly with the carrier. Some carrier tracking numbers may not be available. Please reach out directly to our customer service team at info@sommselect.com for additional assistance.

You can also track your orders by logging into your account and tracking through a specific order. When you log into your account you will see your order history. Click on the order you are looking for, if the status says “fulfilled” you will be able to track this order. 

Once you click on the order you wish to track you will see the tracking number listed below each item. When you click on this tracking number it will take you to the same WSE CloudeSuite Tracking page shown above.

 

If you live in a region that has delivery service for UPS or FedEx, we recommend signing up for their free account services (they have paid services too that offer additional features and benefits). These services will allow you to more easily track shipments coming from these carriers. 

 

UPS MyChoice Account 

https://www.ups.com/us/en/track/ups-my-choice.page?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=ds_gclid:CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5bKI1rTYXtDipHXNGsvIRfUKQdxruPkHyYW1YZXwatzffnGiH-vf0RoCJ2kQAvD_BwE:dscid:71700000031307143:searchterm:ups+my+choice+delivery&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5bKI1rTYXtDipHXNGsvIRfUKQdxruPkHyYW1YZXwatzffnGiH-vf0RoCJ2kQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

FedEx Delivery Manager

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/delivery-manager.html 

Address Change Requests

Less than a min read

If you selected the incorrect shipping address at checkout and your order(s) are in the unfulfilled status, please reach out to our customer service team with the correct shipping address and we will make the update to your order(s). 

 

If your order has already been processed and is in the Fulfilled status, then our customer service team will have to request a re-route with the shipping carrier. Re-route requests with shipping carriers may be subject to a fee. 

 

Disclaimer: re-route requests are not guaranteed and can take up to 48 hours to take effect resulting in later delivery times and a greater potential for lost or damaged packages. Also, orders cannot be re-routed over state lines. 

Helpful Tips for Delivery

1 min read

In order to ensure your delivery goes smoothly, we recommend signing up with UPS and FedEx for their free account services (they have paid services too that offer additional features and benefits). These services will allow you to more easily track shipments coming from these carriers. 

If you are in a UPS service area, you can sign up for a UPS MyChoice Account. Some of the great features included as part of the free service are: 

  • Delivery alerts (texts and emails available)
  • Inbound and outbound package visibility
  • Estimated delivery time

Click HERE to learn more about a UPS MyChoice Account

If you are in a FedEx service area, you can sign up for a FedEx Delivery Manager Account. Some of the great features included as part of the free service are: 

  • Stay informed with delivery notifications
  • Save package delivery instructions for your driver
  • Place a vacation hold on packages

Click HERE to learn more about a FedEx Delivery Manager Account

What do I do if my package was delivered damaged?

1 min read

Please submit a request to the customer service team right away if an order was delivered damaged or you have not received your order because the tracking information has been updated stating the order has been damaged. We will do our best to replace damaged items or refund you if needed! To do so, select "Submit a Request" located at the top of the page. For Subject, select "Shipping and Tracking" and on the sub-menu provided select "Damaged by Carrier."

We will file a claim with the carrier on your behalf. If possible we greatly appreciate that you send our customer service team photos of the damaged shipment, as it helps with the claim process. Listed below are some examples of helpful photos: 

  • Photo 1: A photo of the damaged item(s) or shipment.
  • Photo 2: A photo showing the damaged merchandise, inside the original box, with all of the original cushioning (the picture should show the placement of the merchandise and packaging inside the box).
  • Photo 3: A photo of the packaging material used inside the box (e.g. bubble wrap, Styrofoam peanuts, cardboard dividers, etc.).
  • Photo 4: A close-up photo of the box manufacturer’s certificate (BMC), if available. The BMC is a round stamp that details either the bursting strength of the box or the edge crush rating of the box. The BMC is generally found on a bottom flap on the outside of a corrugated cardboard box.
  • Photo 5: Dimensions of the box including the package height, length, and width provided in the body of the email.

3 helpful ways to avoid wine returns

1 min read

To help your wine be delivered successfully the first time around, we have 3 helpful tips to avoid your wines being returned which can, unfortunately, take a long time. 

  1. Deliver to a Business! - This is one of the easiest ways to insure an adult will be able to sign for it. Can't deliver to your place of work? Maybe one of your friends is willing to accept deliveries for you, what a great excuse to see them more often and maybe even share a glass with them!
  1. Deliver to a Pack & Ship or other Shipping Store (UPS/FedEx) - Usually shipping stores will accept packages for you and hold them for pick-up within 5 days. Many times these stores are closer to your home than UPS/Fedex Distribution Centers. Sometimes they will charge a fee for holding the package for you but compared to the anguish and cost of having wine returned it's well worth the $$!!
  1. Will Call - As a last resort you can request that the carrier hold the package for you at their distribution center. These facilities are typically outside of towns in industrial areas and usually, a Will Call hold is only good for 5 business days so you've got to make a little extra effort, but again, still better than having your wines returned!

We hope this quick guide has helped you avoid the dreaded wine shipment return, but if you do find that your wine was sent back to us, please let us know and we'll do our best to get it back to you ASAP!

How do I add wines to my Build a Case?

Less than a min read

After selecting the wine you'd like to add to your Build a Case, simply follow the standard checkout process and select the "Build a Case" shipping method before completing your order.

How do I cancel my Build a Case subscription?

Less than a min read

If you aren’t loving the Build a Case program as much as we do, we’ll be happy to help you cancel and find a shipping option that better suits your needs. Please reach out to our Customer Service team directly at info@sommselect.com if you wish to discontinue your Build a Case membership.

*Terms of cancellation: You can cancel your Build a Case subscription at any time. If you cancel with an incomplete case (less than 12 bottles), you will be charged a flat shipping fee to receive your selections to date.

Why did my Build a Case ship with less than 12 wines?

Less than a min read

We do our best to help you complete a case within the allotted 60-day window, but if the oldest order in your case is greater than 60 days, it will automatically be triggered to ship with all available orders.

The Build a Case portal allows you to view your case progress so you know exactly how many bottles are needed to complete each case and how many days are left to do so.

How do I view the wines in my Build a Case?

Less than a min read

You can view the progress of your Build a Case when you are signed into your SommSelect account.

Click on the "Account" icon located in the top right corner of the website page. When you click on this icon it will take you to your account home page.

On the left side of the account home page is a menu bar, select the option "Your Build a Case" and the page will take you to your Build a Case dashboard.

The Build a Case dashboard will show you what bottles are currently in your case, how many bottles are currently in your case, and how many days you have left to complete your current case. 

Screen Shot 2023-07-17 at 3.44.24 PM

Order information is always available in the Orders section of your account as well.

My Build a Case is full, when will it ship?

Less than a min read

Processing a completed Build a Case can take up to 2 weeks for your case to ship once it has been filled. This allows time for the wine to reach our warehouse and for our fulfillment team to pack your case for you.

You can track the status of your completed case in the Build a Case section on your account page. 

Tracking information will be sent automatically as soon as your completed case has been packed and handed off to the shipping carrier.

Updates

Summer Shipping 2024: Club Shipments

1 min read

For Wine Club members shipping to a Hold State (listed below), all shipments will automatically placed on hold for the summer and shipped in the fall when the temperatures have decreased and it is safe to ship.

Hold States Include: Texas*, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas and Nevada.  

Hold State Club Memberships will be charged throughout the summer for your membership, depending on the cadence of the membership selected. All holding fees are included in the price of your membership. 

For Wine Club members shipping to a non-Hold State, will continue to ship orders while taking additional precautions to protect your wine during transit. If the average temperature in your state exceeds 85 degrees, there will be a temporary Extreme Heat Hold placed on all orders traveling to the state. These shipments will be released as soon as temperatures have dropped below 85 degrees. To review our Extreme Heat Hold policy and view which states are currently on Extreme Heat Hold for the week, please review our Extreme Heat Hold FAQ article. Any fees associated with necessary summer holds and safe summer shipping are included in the price of your membership!


*If you live in a PWD service area in Texas, we will continue to ship to you throughout the summer season. To see if your zip code is covered by PWD, please review our FAQ article titled: Premium Wine Delivery in Texas

Wine Clubs Billing & Shipping

1 min read

Billing:

Your club shipment will be billed and shipped on a monthly basis. Depending on the membership you have chosen, here’s when to expect billing/shipping:

  • Blind 6: Billed on the First the month.
  • Explore 4: Billed on the Eighth of the month.
  • 3 Essential Reds: Billed on the Fifteenth of the month.
  • Somm 6: Billed on the Fifteenth of the month.
  • Somm 6 Reds: Billed on the Fifteenth of the month.
  • Sparkling Voyager: Billed on the Twenty-Second of March, June, September and December.
  • SommSelect Benchmarks: Billed on the Twenty-Second of March, June, September, and December.

You will be notified via email 5 days prior to billing about your upcoming shipment.

When joining a membership, you will be charged for your first shipment on the day you sign up. If there is stock available at the time of signup we will ship your first shipment to you immediately. If you sign up and there is no stock available, you will have to wait for your first shipment to be fulfilled during the next shipping cycle.

Shipping:

Your club shipment will be shipped the following week after the billing date per our standard ground shipping methods. You will receive tracking information via email when your club shipment is ready to ship.

Due to laws regulating the shipping of alcohol and specialized shipping requirements, we cannot ship wine clubs to the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Utah.

Delivery:

Because we are shipping alcoholic beverages, someone 21 years or older must be present at the time of delivery to receive your club shipment. You will receive the tracking details for your club shipment via email when the wine has been shipped.

Weather:

Preserving the integrity of your wine during shipping is a responsibility we take very seriously at SommSelect. During times of extreme temperatures (heat and/or cold spikes), your club shipment will be placed on hold. Once extreme temperatures have passed, we will release the shipments. You will be notified via email if your club shipment has been placed on hold due to extreme temperatures.

Membership Cancellations & Updates

1 min read

To cancel your membership, please submit a request to the customer service team. To do so, select "Submit a Request" located at the top of the page. For Subject, select "Wine Club Cancellation" and on the sub-menu provided select the reason you would like to cancel the membership. Please note that a reason must be selected for the customer service team to process the cancellation. 

Updating a Membership can be done through the Membership section of your account page. On your account home page, select the "Membership" link listed in the account menu on the left-hand-side.

Screen Shot 2023-07-17 at 4.07.33 PM-1

This will take you to the membership section of your account page. Once in the membership section, click on the "Manage Subscription" button. 

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 2.42.59 PM

The "Manage Subscription" button will direct you to a new page that will list out all your memberships associated with your account. Simply click on the membership you'd like to update and you will be directed to the membership portal associated with the specific membership you would like to update. 

Screen Shot 2023-07-19 at 2.45.15 PM

From this page, you can update the contact information, shipping address or payment information for the membership. You can also see the upcoming billing schedule so you know when your next shipment will be billed. 

If you need assistance accessing your membership portal, please contact our customer service team by submitting a service request at the top of the page. 

How do I update my billing information?

1 min read

Billing information can be updated in your membership portal. To access your membership portal, please visit the Membership Cancellations & Updates article.

In the membership portal, select the edit button listed in the "Payment Method" section on the page. 

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When you select "Edit" you will receive a pop-up notifying you that an email with a secure link has been sent to you (to the email associated with your membership) where you can update your payment information. 

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Once you receive and open the email (as shown below), click on the "Confirm payment Information" button which will then direct you to a secure webpage where you can update the credit card information. 

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You will receive a notification in that secure webpage confirming that your payment method has been updated, and then it will populate in your membership portal (please allow 20 minutes after updating to populate correctly on your account). 

For security reasons, the customer service team cannot update billing information for you via email or over the phone. A service member can send you an email that will prompt you to update your credit card information. 

Please make sure your billing information is up to date before your next billing cycle so your club shipments can continue to ship as scheduled. 

 

Can I skip a shipment?

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Yes! Instead of canceling your membership, you may skip an upcoming shipment. This can be done through the Membership section of your account page. Simply click on the membership you'd like to skip and you will be directed to the the management page. On the management page you can select the specific month(s) you would like to skip.

For more details on how to make updates to your membership, please visit our Membership Cancellations & Updates article. 

If you would like to pause your membership for an extended amount of time, please send your request our customer service team at members@sommselect.com

Skipping and pausing must be completed prior to billing of the month you'd like to skip.

Is there a time commitment for the monthly memberships?

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All SommSelect Memberships, can be canceled at any time and do not have a specific time commitment. 

To cancel your membership, please submit a request to the customer service team. To do so, select "Submit a Request" located at the top of the page. For Subject, select "Wine Club Memberships" and on the sub-menu provided select "Membership Cancellations."

Are your wine clubs customizable?

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No, the wines selected for each membership are curated by our team of sommeliers.

Other than wine what else is included in the monthly wine club shipments?

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Each shipment will also include a catalog with in-depth tasting notes on each wine in your shipment. If you are an Explore 4 member, the catalog will also include information about how each wine relates to the monthly theme. If you are a Blind 6 member, you will receive 2 catalogs, one will have instructions on how to best enjoy the blind tasting and the second one will reveal the wines.

Is there typically a combination of white and red?

Less than a min read

This is dependent on the membership you select. The Blind 6 will always be 3 whites and 3 red wines. The Somm 6 is typically 3 whites and 3 reds, but the occasional rose, sparkling or dessert wine may be included in a shipment or two. The Somm 6 Reds, will always be 6 red wines. And the styles selected for the Explore 4 wines will vary based on the monthly theme, some months it may be all red, and other months it may be all white wines.  

Are the wines drinkable on arrival or will they benefit from a period of aging?

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All of the wines in our monthly clubs are ready to drink. Tempting as it may be to jump right in, we advise letting these wines rest in a cool, dark place for 7-10 days before opening them. The rigors of travel can negatively impact aromas and flavors, so give the wines time to settle down and show their best selves!

Can I access the tasting notes that are in my shipment online?

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Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to upload the club tasting notes to our website for members to access. With the Members Only Wine Club Portal that will be launching in 2023, these notes will be available as a digital copy. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us at members@sommselect.com and we can send you an electronic copy!

Do you offer a reds-only Explore 4?

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We do not have a red wine-only option for our Explore 4 membership. The 3 Essential Reds and the  Somm 6 Reds are the only memberships that are exclusively red wines.

Blind 6 Service Temperature Guide

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Serving temperature for the Blind 6 wines is approximately 42°- 50° for the whites wines (1-3) and 55°- 60° F for the reds wines (4-6).

For full serving temperature recommendations please see the last page of the CMS Service Standards guide.

Gift Memberships

Is there a gift subscription option?

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We have a couple of ways to gift a membership!

You visit our gifting page to explore our options for prepaid memberships and gift packs.

You can also gift a monthly membership that can be canceled at any time. Follow the steps below to successfully gift a monthly membership:

  1. Visit our Wine Club page and select the membership you would like to gift.
  2. During the checkout process add the shipping address of the recipient.
  3. Make sure to add your billing information for the monthly renewal. 
  4. When you're ready to end the gift membership, visit the Membership section of your account page. Simply click on the membership you'd like to end and you will be directed to the management page where you can cancel the membership. Membership can be canceled or paused at any time. 

Please let us know if you have any questions or need any additional assistance.

Can I order a one time club shipment?

Less than a min read

Yes! Please visit our Club Gift Packs to browse the gift packs we have available for a one-time club shipment.