What is SommPicks?

SommPicks is a members-only website providing exclusive access to the world's most extraordinary wines.

How is SommPicks different?

We don’t offer ordinary wines at ordinary prices.  We work hard to bring our members the best wines at the best prices.  Every time.

Why is SommPicks a membership-only service?

We limit the size of our membership because many of the wines we offer are limited in quantity.  We want to make sure that our members have access to the wines they want, without worrying too much about inventory disappearing.

Can I invite my friends to join SommPicks?

Of course!  As a SommPicks member, you can always refer friends - simply email us at team@sommpicks.com, and we'll send your friend(s) an invite email right away!

How do I change the name, email address or address tagged to my SommPicks account?

Just email us at team@sommpicks.com and we will take care of it for you.  If you need to change the shipping address for a current order, please call us at (415) 294-0670 as soon as possible and we’ll do the best we can.

What do I do if I forget my username or password?

Please click the "forgot your password" button under the sign-in box and we'll email you password-reset instructions.

Who sources the products I see on SommPicks?

All of the products listed on the website are sourced and sold by SommPicks.  Our founder, Mike Zima, scours the world (literally searching high and low) to find the best of the best.  Mike works with an amazing team of tastemakers and curators to be on the pulse of the wine industry – always searching for the best quality and value, with an eye towards the yet undiscovered gems.  Learn more about Mike here.

What are "In Transit" and "Pre Arrival" wines?

We source the best wines from around the world, so sometimes it takes a bit of time to get the goods stateside. 

"In Transit" refers to items that are en route (via air, sea or land) to our warehouse and generally expected to arrive in 4-7 weeks. 

"Pre Arrival" refers to items that are not yet on the way to our warehouse. Pre Arrival items are generally expected to arrive in 7-14 weeks; however Pre Arrival items from the EU Direct platform are generally 14-24 weeks out. The relevant timeline is noted on each product’s page and at checkout.

In order to offer you the best value, we consolidate shipments from Europe (or elsewhere), constantly balancing timing and cost.  We always do our best to offer accurate arrival estimates and to keep you informed throughout the process, but we are not able to offer guaranteed arrival dates on In Transit or Pre Arrival items.  For questions regarding specific In Transit or Pre Arrival items, please contact us at team@sommpicks.com.

As is industry standard, In Transit and Pre Arrival items are final sale and therefore not cancellable.

What is SommPicks EU Direct?

With SommPicks EU Direct, you have access to our most coveted European offers the moment we do. Think of it as an extension of buying our regular Pre Arrival stock, but with a slightly longer timeline (items from the EU Direct platform are generally 14-24 weeks out).

Can I recommend products for SommPicks to offer? 

Absolutely!  We’re always looking for new interesting wines.  Please email Mike directly at mike@sommpicks.com.

I’m looking for a particular bottle – can SommPicks help me find it?

Maybe!  We’ll certainly try - please email us at team@sommpicks.com and we’ll see what we can do.

Can I order a product as a gift?

Of course, as long as the recipient is at least 21 years old! Just let us know by dropping a note in the "Special Requests" field in the cart. While we are unable to offer gift wrapping, we are more than happy to include a gift message and will be sure no price details are included. As with all shipments, it is your responsibility to actively monitor tracking, but we would be more than happy to provide tracking information directly to your recipient - if you'd like us to do this for you, please include their email address in the "Special Requests" field.

Can I buy a gift certificate?

Absolutely.  Please email us at team@sommpicks.com and we’ll put it together for you! 

How long until I receive my order?

Weather permitting, In Stock orders typically ship within 1-2 business days unless requested otherwise.  We always do what we can to make sure your order won’t spend the weekend in a non-temperature controlled logistics hub and in order to facilitate this, we may hold your order for shipment the following week unless you tell us not to. 

We do not fulfill partial orders by default, so if your order contains a combination of In Stock and In Transit/Pre Arrival items, we'll automatically hold the In Stock items until everything is ready.  If you wish to receive your In Stock items in advance of your In Transit and/or Pre Arrival items, we do ask that you place two separate orders.  If you forget to place two separate orders, but still want to receive your In Stock items first, please send us an email at team@sommpicks.com and we’ll take care of it for you.

How long will transit take?

Transit time always depends on what delivery method* you select and where your order is going, but here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Please note that not all delivery methods are available for all locations.  To see what options are available for your destination, simply enter your delivery details at checkout and the various options will auto-populate.

*All timeframes are estimates only. Please understand that SommPicks cannot be responsible for, nor control, any third party carriers. 

What is the difference between "Climate Controlled Ground" and "Temperature Controlled" shipment?

Climate Controlled Ground: Your order will go out via temperature-controlled freight to the carrier’s hub in your region.  Once your order reaches the hub, the order will go out via Ground for last-mile delivery to you (which will take one business day).  You will receive an email with your Ground tracking information once your order is processed at the hub.  Shipments typically take 1-3 weeks.

Temperature Controlled: Your order will go out via temperature-controlled freight to the carrier’s hub in your region.  Once your order reaches the hub, the order will go out via temperature-controlled van for last-mile delivery to you.  You will receive an email to schedule your last-mile delivery once the order is processed at the hub.  Shipments typically take 3-5 weeks.

Do you release shipments in the summer and winter months?

We are happy to offer various shipping options aimed at minimizing the chance of temperature related damage.  However, during periods of extreme heat (or cold), we may hold your order by default until safe shipping is possible (you’ll get an email, don’t worry).  We do this for your benefit and to protect the integrity of your wine, but we understand that sometimes you just can’t wait.  If this is the case, just say the word and we’ll make it happen - however, please understand that if you choose to ship your order against our recommendation, you assume full responsibility for all weather-related damage.

My entire order is In Stock, and temperatures are safe to ship, but I’m not ready to receive it at this time – can you store it for me?

We are happy to offer our members free storage for up to 30 days.  As we are not a storage facility, we ask that you please limit storage to the 30 day period (beyond this time, we charge $10 per case, per month).

My entire order is In Stock, but I only want to receive part of it at this time – is that possible?

Unfortunately, we are not able to partially fulfill orders at this time (with the exception of sending In Stock items ahead of In Transit and Pre Arrival items when necessary).  If the entirety of your order is ready to go, we ask that you please accept the entire order.  If you are not ready to accept the entire order, you may store your order free of charge for up to 30 days in our temperature controlled facility.  As we are not a storage facility, we ask that you please limit storage to the 30 day period (beyond this time, we charge $10 per case, per month).

I received an "Email Only" offer from SommPicks, what does this mean?

On rare occasions, we sell our most allocated "gems" (you know, those special occasion, I’ll be lucky if I drink it once in my lifetime bottles) via direct email offer.  This means that the bottle is not listed on the website and can only be ordered by replying to the offer email with an order request. We use "Email Only" offers as a way to give all our members a shot, rather than just the lucky few who happen to be on the website at the right time.  Once we receive your order request, we will allocate as fairly as possible.  Orders are typically confirmed with 24-48 hours and all confirmed e-mail order requests are subject to our Cancellation Policy.  

I have other questions about shipping, who can help me?

Please visit our shipping section for more information or, as always, feel free to contact us at (415) 294-0670 or at team@sommpicks.com.

Can I cancel my order?

We always want you to be happy, but in order to keep our costs (and your prices!) as low as possible, we do limit cancellations.  In Transit and Pre Arrival items are final sale and therefore not cancellable.  Cancellations on In Stock orders are subject to a 15% cancellation fee.  All orders that have already shipped and all special order wines (wines you asked us to find specifically for you) may not be cancelled.  If you have specific concerns about your order, please contact us at team@sommpicks.com.

Can I return or exchange my order?

We want you to love our wines as much as we do. If for any reason you’re not happy with your order, please contact us at team@sommpicks.com and we’ll do our best to make it right.  However, in order to keep our costs as low as possible and pass the savings on to you, we do adhere to the following policies:

For wine, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible (but in no event later than 60 days from the date of delivery), because the passage of time limits our ability to recover credit from our suppliers and because we have no way of verifying your storage conditions.

If you suspect that a bottle is corked, please re-cork the bottle and leave the wine inside (we will ask that you return the bottle for inspection and possible return to our supplier). The winery, not SommPicks, is the source of this problem, but we want you to be happy, so we’ll split the difference – we offer 50% credit on (confirmed) corked bottles less than 5 years old.

While we do everything in our power to ensure your wine is the finest available, as with standard industry practice, we cannot guarantee wine older than 5 years old.

We do not offer credits on bottles purchased on SommPicks EU Direct.

All gifts and all special order wines (wines you asked us to find specifically for you) are final sale.

For stemware and other accessories, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible (but in no event later than 48 hours from the date of delivery), because we cannot accept returns due to breakage or other damage after receipt. 

All orders sent to hotels or other third party destinations are final sale.

If you simply changed your mind or don’t like a wine, we are happy to recommend another selection, but unfortunately cannot accept a return or offer a credit.

What if I receive a damaged product?

In the rare event that you receive a broken bottle or an otherwise physically damaged product, please contact us right away at team@sommpicks.com.  We will happily replace (or credit) broken bottles or otherwise physically damaged product if we are notified within 48 hours of delivery.  Please note we are unable to replace (or credit) wines showing signs of damage after leaving our possession for reasons such as adverse weather conditions during shipment (when shipped against our guidance) or delays caused by failed delivery attempts not the fault of the shipper.

What forms of payment are accepted on SommPicks?

SommPicks accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover.

Can I place an order over the phone?

We are happy to assist you in placing an order over the phone.  Just call us at (415) 294-0670.

Is it safe to use my credit card to place orders on the website?

Yes.  We use current and highly secure technology to ensure that your information is safe.   SommPicks will never store or share your credit card information.

Where is the "CVV" number located on my credit card?

On Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards, the three-digit CVV number is printed on the signature panel on the back of the card immediately after the card's account number.  On American Express cards, the four-digit CVV number is printed on the front of the card above the card account number.

Will I be charged sales tax?

SommPicks collects and remits sales tax as required by state and local law.  If you have a valid resale permit and liquor license and wish to create a tax-free trade account, please contact us at team@sommpicks.com.