Purchasing Wine Online

I've bought from wine.com before... find a good shipping deal. (They have a 1c shipping deal going right now in fact.)

Also find a winery you like and try buying direct.

I buy from Mollydooker, Beau Vigne, Burgess, Neal Family, Hendry, Schypoke and a few others.

Just bought several cases from Schypoke with free shipping. Same with Mollydooker. Just ordered from Beau Vigne with $20.00 shipping.

Get on their email lists and they will send you some good deals from time to time. Most will run a free shipping when buying a case at least once a year which is what I look for unless I'm looking for specific wines.

If you are in BR go to Calandro's, Whole Foods and shop. They have a pretty good handle on what's new, good and coming in etc...then do your own research as well.

I might see something at those stores or Mathernes or Martin, buy one bottle and if I like try to find it online for case value. That way I'm not buying a case blind that I might not like of course I've done that but what the hell, you have to drink your fair share of crappy wines to appreciate the good wines.

I drink mostly red but I do have and will drink whites if they are good. I really enjoy a Roseta as a starter.

Does somebody usually have to be home to receive alcohol by mail?

I live in Lafayette and we have our fair share of wine shops. I'm relatively new to drinking wine, it wasn't until I started dating a waitress from Marcello's that I really got into wine. Now it's probably my favorite casual adult beverage. I've been on a big Oregon Pinot Noir kick lately, so bad to the point that I'm thinking of getting married in the Williamette Valley. I'm always open to suggestions, so by all means throw some ideas my way.

I started out with white wines and since I've had good reds there is no way that I can go back to whites. Every time I try, I find that they just taste like cat piss.

I've been part of a few beer of the month clubs. I work offshore so I'm usually home when the deliveries come, but if I'm not they'll leave the box at my front door. They've always come in a plain brown box and I've never had any problems.

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taste like cat piss.

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Because you haven't found the good ones.

If you really start developing a palate you will be able to drink both red and whites. I drink mostly red blends now but many things determine what I'm drinking. Food, weather, time of year, location, mood, company etc...

Don't limit yourself. Get to know someone at the wine shops and let them help while also researching whatever you can. Don't be afraid to step out and purchase a bottle that might be a bit expensive from time to time.

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Living in FL, my concern is the bottles sitting out in the heat. The bottles are exposed to heat in the truck, heat in the warehouse, heat at the door, etc.. I've been told this is definitely not good for the wine and that unless you live in a cold climate the only time you should be buying wines by mail is during the dead of winter.. For that reason, I've not done the online thing..

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A lot of them won't ship during hot months. I have them shipped to my house but someone is always there. Just order in the fall or winter which is not unusual.

Particularly good for French Wines. Generally will not ship during summer. Always ships in thick Styrofoam lined Cases. Shipping is not cheap, but quality of wines is excellent.

Premier Cru
1011 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94710

Phone: (510) 644-9463 (WINE)
Fax: (510) 647-3833

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I guess my biggest hurdle would be that I'm not real adventurous. Once I find something that I like, I'll stick with it. With as many options as wine offers, it's a pretty daunting/fraustrating task to find the better ones. I hate spending $30-$40 on a bottle that I have to muscle down because I hate the taste.

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Well no one said a wine hobby or habit was cheap. You could collect Pez dispensers.

When I find ones I like I generally try others of that winery and more often than not find a couple others that I enjoy.

And I've "muscled down" my fair share.

That's why you need to do your research and find a local shop that can kind of point you in a direction. Then you can try different things one bottle at a time and once found start shopping online or elsewhere. But that's the whole beauty of it.

I've ordered wine from these three companies without any problem.

napacabs.com

wtso.com

wineaccess.com