Shipping Map
The following map provides the estimated time of delivery for our standard FedEx GROUND shipments.
2 day and overnight shipping options are readily available at checkout.
Shipping & Restrictions:
The purchase of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 is prohibited by law. You must be at least 21 years old to purchase and receive wine. By placing an order with Cult Wines International, you are representing yourself to be at least 21 years of age. We reserve the right to verify proof of age before shipping. All packages containing wine are shipped with “Adult Signature Required”. Someone over the age of 21 must be available to sign for the package upon delivery.
All wine orders are shipped FedEx. Standard shipping is FedEx Ground, but FedEx 2 Day Air and FedEx Overnight shipping are available at checkout. Please note: Wine cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Other items such as coffee and wine accessories may be shipped USPS at our discretion.
We typically ship all orders within 24 hours; however, delivery times are taken into account when shipping. Shipping for orders placed Wednesday – Friday are typically delayed until Monday. This is to avoid wine sitting in a warehouse over the weekend. Items with expedited shipping or shipping within the state of Florida may still ship on Thursdays at our discretion. Friday shipments will only be made by request and confirmation from the Buyer that Saturday delivery is available at their shipping address. If you have specific shipping requests, please leave us a note in the order at checkout or contact us at any time. We reserve the right to delay shipment if there is an extreme weather event ongoing or imminent. Examples include blizzards, hurricanes, heat waves, etc.
All packages include “Tamper Resistant Tape” on the box. If the tape is cut or damaged upon delivery: DO NOT ACCEPT THE PACKAGE. REFUSE IT AND INSTRUCT THE DELIVERY PERSON TO SEND IT BACK TO THE SHIPPER AND CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY. Once you have signed for and accepted the package, we cannot take liability if the contents contained within the box have been tampered with by the shipper.
DUE TO CREDIT CARD FRAUD & OTHER ISSUES, CULT WINES INTERNATIONAL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CANCEL AND REFUND ANY ORDER IN WHICH THEY SEE FIT. ADDITIONALLY, IF YOUR BILLING ADDRESS DOES NOT MATCH YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS ON THE ORDER, YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF IDENTITY BEFORE SHIPPING.
We can ship to ALL states EXCEPT the following:
ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, DELAWARE, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN, MISSISSIPPI, ILLINOIS, OKLAHOMA, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA AND UTAH
If you make a purchase on our website to a state we cannot ship to, your order will be cancelled.
Explanation about Wine Frailty and Temperatures:
All wines are not created equal. The age of the wine, alcohol content, tannin content and acidity profile all can contribute to the robustness of a wine during temperature fluctuations. As a general rule, younger wines can withstand a bit more abuse than older wines. Wines with higher alcohol, tannin and acidity are also more robust. However all wines can get damaged from improper temperature storage. When shipping, we use Styrofoam wine shipping boxes to mitigate temperature damage, as these packages have been proven to keep wine at a steady temperature for a longer period of time than cardboard or pulp shippers. However it is important to know the science and the actual temperatures and times that can create an issue.
HEAT: Science shows that from 75-80° Fahrenheit, wine can withstand 2-3 days in transit, especially in Styrofoam shippers. At 80-85° Fahrenheit the time window drops to 12-24 hours. If temperatures are 85-90° Fahrenheit, the time window for shipping without cool packs is 5-8 hours before damage occurs, and only 1-2 hours if not in a Styrofoam shipper. With cool packs and overnight shipping, the safety of the wine is much more protected. So please keep these times in mind when choosing your shipping method and time of the year to ship.
COLD: Wine is not water, which is a good thing. The alcohol in wine allows it to withstand colder temperatures than 32° Fahrenheit. At 15% alcohol, wine will freeze at 20° Fahrenheit. For every 1% alcohol up or down, wine will freeze at that same interval. For instance, wine at 17% alcohol would freeze at 18° Fahrenheit. Wine at 13% alcohol will freeze at 22° Fahrenheit. When wine freezes, it expands and can push the cork right out of the bottle. Low temperatures can also influence an increase of tartrate crystals to form inside the wine (wine diamonds). Again, the use of Styrofoam wine shippers insulates and mitigates the risk of wine freezing, but it can be a real problem during blizzards when all common carriers stop operating and wine sits in trucks and warehouses for days without movement. If we can see it coming, we will purposefully delay the shipment of wines during blizzards, but it’s important that you, as the Buyer, understand this risk and plan your shipment accordingly.
Moving Forward with Shipping in Summer Months:
If you absolutely need your wine delivered during the summer, and expect the weather to exceed 85° Fahrenheit during transit to you; we recommend the use of cool packs and overnight shipping. For a small fee, we are more than happy to include cool-packs in your wine shipment during the summer months or when weather conditions are not suitable for wine shipment. You can add cool-packs, 2 day air or overnight shipping during checkout. If this is not acceptable, we can hold onto the wine and ship when the weather permits. See the next section below:
Holds on Shipping during Summer Months or Freezing Temperatures:
Please understand that wine spoilage, leakage or cork pushing during transit due to heat or freezing is NOT our liability. This is because YOU HAVE A CHOICE AS TO WHEN WE SHIP.
If you have purchased wine but are worried about heat spoilage or freezing temperatures, simply let us put the order on hold, and we will ship when the weather is suitable.
We will hold shipment of your order when requested, and keep your wine stored in our cellars until the weather is more suitable for wine shipment. To hold your order, simply email us your request, or tell us in the “Order Notes” during checkout. Please also include the date which you would like us to ship, or just a generalized “Please hold until weather is suitable”. We will hold your wine free of charge for up to 6 months from purchase. After 6 months, storage fees will apply. For more details, please read the “Storage Fees” section below.
Sales Tax:
We collect 7% sales tax for all orders placed with a delivery address in the state of Florida
International Shipping (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL BUYER):
International wine shipments are available for many countries. Wines will be sent with an expedited international shipping method and usually will only take 3-5 days for delivery. However, international shipments can be subject to customs or weather delays. Additionally, some countries require import taxes to be paid before customs will release the package. The Buyer is fully responsible for the cost of any taxes or duties imposed on the package. It is important for you, as the Buyer, to know if your country legally allows the importation of wine and how much it will cost for the import fees. Some countries have very expensive customs taxes. Canada, for instance, can charge up to 102% of the wine’s value as import taxes at the border. You must include an accurate email address and phone number with international orders so that the customs broker may contact you to collect import fees.
Please note that if you refuse to pay the import duties (or the Broker cannot contact you) and the wines are sent back to us, we will not refund the shipping costs of the wine. Additionally, if the wines have been held in improper climate conditions during the customs delay, and the wines are sent back, no refunds will be given.
Countries which we can send wine are as follows:
Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan & Thailand
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England & United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands & U.A.E.
Others: Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia & New Zealand
However, it is important to mention that each country has its own set of rules. For example, Sweden allows only up to 1 liter of sparkling wine per shipment or 2 liters of still wine. So if you purchase more bottles than what is allowed per shipment, we may have to make multiple shipments in multiple boxes. In such a case, additional shipping charges will apply and will be charged to you before shipping.
If you would like to ship to a country not listed: Cult Wines International will NOT be held liable for seizure of the package in customs. Refunds will not be given. If the package is returned to us, any shipping costs or return shipping costs will be deducted from any refunds given to the buyer.
If you are International Buyer, once you have paid for this item you are agreeing to these terms. If you have not yet paid or the item has not yet shipped, and you wish to cancel the transaction, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Legal Notice:
Absolute ownership of all wine passes from Cult Wines International to the purchaser in the State of Florida at the time payment is made. Purchaser takes all responsibility for the shipping of wine from Florida to his/her home state or country. By arranging for transportation of the wine via common carrier, Cult Wines International is providing a service for, and acting on behalf of the purchaser. Purchaser will be billed for this service. By utilizing this service from Cult Wines International, the purchaser is representing that he/she is acting in a fashion compliant with his/her local, state and country’s laws regarding the purchase, transportation and delivery of wine. The purchaser represents that he/she has obtained any required permission, paid any required fees, is working through properly licensed intermediaries where required, is legally entitled to take possession of wine, is legally entitled to take quantities ordered and authorizes that he/she is 21 years of age.
Returns
We will accept returns within 7 days of the delivery date to the Buyer. Wine must be returned to us unopened and in exactly the same condition it was received in order to receive a refund. Wine must be shipped back to us within 7 days of receipt.
Shipping method for returns must be FedEx 2 day Air and the Buyer is responsible for the cost of return shipping. We will provide a return label via email and deduct the cost of shipping from the return (Unless you are legally allowed to ship wine back to us).
If wine is returned to us and has been opened, damaged or tampered with in any way, no refunds will be given.
We are not responsible for FedEx, or other common carrier delays. We cannot assume the liability of other companies. For example, if you paid for overnight shipping, and there is a FedEx associated delay, we will not refund the extra money you paid for overnight shipping.
Returns due to Buyer Unavailability:
Sometimes, wine gets returned to us because the Buyer was not available to sign for the package. FedEx will typically make 3 delivery attempts. After that, the package will go back and sit at the FedEx warehouse for 10-14 days. If no one picks up the wine, it will be sent back to us. If this happens WE WILL NOT REFUND YOUR MONEY. This is because of the high risk of heat spoilage. If the Buyer requests us to re-ship the wine after it is sent back to us: We will oblige, but the Buyer will be required to pay an invoice covering the cost of re-shipment PLUS the cost of the return shipping charged to our account. Please ensure someone over the age of 21 will be at the delivery address to sign for the package.
Returns due to Incorrect Delivery Address:
Sometimes, wine gets returned to us because the delivery address was incorrect or was inaccessible. If this happens WE WILL NOT REFUND THE COST OF SHIPPING and we will charge you a 25% restocking fee. Please ensure your delivery address is correct upon checkout.
Storage Fees
To hold your order for shipment at a later date, simply email us your request, or tell us in the “Comment” section of the order during checkout.
Cult Wines International will gladly hold your wine in our climate controlled cellar free of charge for up to 6 months from purchase. However, after 6 months, storage fees will apply. The fees are as follows:
Storage fee chart:
1-12 bottles: $10.00 per month
13-24 bottles: $20.00 per month
25-36 bottles: $30.00 per both
and so forth.
Cult Wines International will reach out to the purchaser via email before storage fees are charged and attempt to set up a shipping time before the fees go into effect. All storage fees will need to be paid in full prior to the shipment or delivery of any wines.
If the purchaser does not respond to our emails, we will continue to hold the wines, however the storage fees will be charged per the chart above. If the purchaser remains unreachable and the storage fees add up to the cost of the order itself, the order will be cancelled and the wine will be re-listed for sale. No refunds will be given back to the purchaser.
Storage Liability: It is a natural occurrence that the condition of wine depreciates over time, even when stored properly. Wine ullage can increase, labels can stain with age as paper degrades, corks can fail causing wine to leak. These may be rare occurrences, but they are possible occurrences none-the-less. This is particularly pertinent to vintage wines 30+ years of age. Therefore, Cult Wines International holds no liability for the degradation of wine condition while it is stored in our cellar. For example, if the fill level of the wine at the date of purchase is base neck, and then we store the wine for 10 months in our cellar, and the fill level has dropped another few millimeters, we will not be held liable nor give refunds.
Disclaimer:
Regardless of the date, climate or shipping method: Wine spoilage or leakage in transit is NOT covered. Heat creates the wine in the bottle to expand. Wine can seep thru the cork and create slight leakage if shipped during the summer months. Heat exposure for such a short period of time (during shipping) is typically harmless and are not acceptable reason for refunds. If you have purchased wine but are worried about heat spoilage or freezing temperatures, simply let us put the order on hold, and we will ship when you want. When purchasing shipping insurance, remember that shipments are only covered for theft, breakage during shipping or complete loss of the package.
Regarding Vintage Wines:
Cult Wines International cannot guarantee the condition of the cork or quality of the wine inside the bottles. We examine our wines carefully before purchase and avoid wines with poor provenance. Wines with any type of condition issues are discounted greatly and will be detailed in the description. We do our best by storing the wine in optimum conditions and accurately describing the condition of the bottles, but obviously this is as far as we can go when it comes to quality assurance. Wine is alive inside the bottle and changes over time. Cult Wines International cannot guarantee when the peak drinking window of a wine is. Older wines may be past their peak when you open them. Older vintage corks can shrink, and degrade. The cork may break or crumble when you remove it. This is normal for older wines. There is always a risk with older wines. It’s as simple as that. You may open one up and have one of the greatest experiences of your life. You may open a similar bottle and find it’s past its prime or oxidized. That is the inherent risk assumed by the buyer in the vintage wine world.
Some buyers do not know how to drink older wines, and in turn end up having a bad experience for no reason other than lack of knowledge. If you purchase a bottle 20 year old or older, please check out these 7 tips for enjoyment:
1. Keep in mind that the lower the fill level is of the wine inside the bottle, the greater chance the wine has oxidized. This is not a rule but rather a calculated risk. A wine at base neck or greater has basically no risk of oxidization. A wine right at halfway mid-shoulder has a 35-40% chance of being oxidized. Below that, the risk keeps increasing further. Keep this in mind when purchasing.
2. Older wines have natural sediment in them that accumulates with age. These are tannins which precipitate out of the wine over time. The color of the wine will slowly fade from purple to brick red or even orange as the tannins accumulate and lump together to form the sediment. This sediment can be bitter when consumed but is harmless to health. However, for the best drinking experience, it is a good idea to drink sediment-free wine. Allow all vintage wines to stand upright for several days and even sometimes a few weeks if the wine has very fine sediments (as in older Burgundy or Champagne). Once the wine is clear you can proceed to uncork and decant the wine. Keep in mind the final drinking place of the wine and keep the wine there until it settles. If you bring an old wine with you to a friend’s house or a restaurant with plans of drinking it that evening, you will disturb the sediments and make the wine impossible to properly decant.
3. Do not use a standard corkscrew as older wines have corks which will easily break during extraction. Purchase an ah-so or better yet a Durand. We have pulled out corks whole from 1945 bottles with a Durand.
4. Properly decant the wine. Purchase a decanter if you don’t have one. We won’t go into too much detail about decanting. There are many great videos on YouTube which will show you how to properly decant vintage wine. However the idea of decanting is to gradually pour the wine into a different container while leaving (and without disturbing) the sediment in the original bottle. A small amount of wine will be left in the original bottle which is full of sediment and is typically discarded. The decanter can now be swirled, handed around and poured without risk of sediment issues.
5. Allow the wine to breathe. Older wines require less breathing time than younger wines, but still typically need about 25-30 minutes for best aromas and flavor. These wines have been cooped up in an enclosed container for many years and often can have a musty smell upon freshly opening. This will usually go away upon breathing.
6. Do not expect old wines to taste like better versions of young wines. Older wines often taste completely different to their younger counterparts. They lose their fruity qualities and their secondary complexities increase. More earthy notes and minerality is to be expected. Most often the bouquet of wine improves over time, imparting a smooth, rich flavor without the bitterness of a younger wine. However its intensity decreases and the wine feels lighter and thinner in the mouth. To many people these qualities are highly desirable, however there are many people who prefer younger wines also. So simply don’t assume you’ll enjoy an old wine more than a younger one.
7. Not all wines get better with age. Bold, higher-end red wines, complex whites and dessert wines are the ones to benefit most greatly from age. Varietals which typically get better with age are as follows:
Riesling: A good Riesling can improve, growing rounder in flavor, virtually forever.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Bordeaux, California, and many other places produce Cabs with the bold richness needed to age well. However not all Cabs will develop delicious secondary and tertiary flavors. This is dependent on the structure, tannins, and richness of fruit needed to hold up to years of aging. Typically the higher-end Cabs are designed this way. Budget Cabs aren’t typically suitable for aging over 15-20 years.
Chardonnay: This depends on acidity greatly. A rich, buttery Chardonnay won’t have the structure necessary to age well and will fall apart within 5-7 years. Higher acidity Chardonnays with rich mineral tastes can very well improve with aging. Namely higher-end French White Burgundies.
Sauternes: Some of the longest lived non-fortified wines in the world. The combination of sugar and alcohol give these wines an almost immortal lifespan and the complexities they can develop are endless.
Fortified wine: Similar to Sauternes but even higher in alcohol and an extremely low chance of oxidization. Port, Madeira and the like age wonderfully because their high quantities of sugar and alcohol act to slow down the aging process, meaning that they can open well after even hundreds of years. Typically you can open the bottle, pour a glass and go back to the bottle months later to have another sip with the wine being completely unharmed.
Pinot Noir: This is greatly variable depending on the level of Pinot. Budget Pinot tastes great and there’s no need to hang onto it longer than 5-7 years. However many experts hold that a well-aged Pinot is the holy grail of the wine world. High end French Burgundies like Romanee Conti are considered a travesty if opened too young as their flavors can evolve unlike anything else in the wine world.
Syrah: Most Syrahs age well, but only up to a limit–about 15 years.
Merlot: Merlot is a very forgiving wine when it comes to age. Many bottles can taste great young, however they can still benefit from some time in the cellar. Higher end Merlot like Petrus is well known for aging gracefully and beautifully.
Zinfandel: Like Cabernet Sauvignon, many Zinfandels have the potential to age to greatness.
Old Italian wines: Some varietals like Chiati do not benefit much from aging. Barolo is one of the world’s greatest age-worthy wines. Brunello and Super-Tuscans are also excellent wines for aging. Italian wines from the 50s and 60s age well because they were made by farmers with primitive equipment. Their wines ended up very high in tannins, making them perfect aging candidates.