My first damaged shipment - What would YOU expect?

WINE TALK
1

One broken bottle and others with stained labels. What would you want replaced?

  • Just replace the broken bottle
  • Replace the broken bottle and all stained labels
  • Other (please detail in your comments)

0 voters

I guess that I have been pretty lucky because after 8 years of getting wine shipments, I have only just received my first broken bottle shipment yesterday.

It was from A Donkey and a Goat, Syrah sampler pack, and luckily it was the least expensive bottle, the Mendocino Syrah. The wine was packed in a cardboard shipper, and the box itself look relatively intact, although one side of the box was soggy. I would have guessed from the moisture level, that the damage had occurred a few days earlier because it was about 80% dried by the time I saw it yesterday. The culprit bottle itself had one intact chunk broken off and was still hanging on by the label. There were no other shards or fragments. The other 5 bottles are intact, but the labels are stained.

There was no acknolwledgement from Fedex that the box was damaged, and it was accepted by my wife. I have emailed the winery for directions, but received an auto-replay that the owners, Tracy and Jared “are off to pour our wines at the exclusive Vin Natur eventin Italy with 100+ European producers of natural wine and us, the first EVER U.S. participant!”.

Congrats to them, and I have little worry that whether they, or Fedex, pays for the replacement, that I will be made whole.

Now, I am not a label drinker, what is important to me is what is in the bottle, but I am interested in what others would expect. Would you want just the one broken bottle replaced, or would you want all bottles with stained labels replaced? If you are ITB, what would you do?

2

Not ITB, but have an opinion. I would contact FEDEX and make them aware, and I would await the return of the winery owners. I would at least expect the one bottle replaced. The labels are not really an issue, and as you have already stated, you don’t drink the labels. Great wine BTW. Under manys radar.

Cheers!

3

Had a similar experience with a 6 bottle shipment from Husch via UPS, except (fortunately) the broken bottle was white, so label damage was evident, but less so than red would be. I didn’t deal with UPS but called the winery (assuming they had contracted for the delivery and therefore needed to file the claim-maybe wrong on my part, not sure). They readily agreed to reship the broken bottle, which I found satisfactory. When the box arrived, it was a reship of the entire order. Above and beyond the call, in my opinion.

4

I would just want the broken bottle replaced, unless of course it was a shipment of wine with a high flippability coeficient…ala Screagle, SQN or Scarecrow. Then, I would want them all replaced. [stirthepothal.gif]

5

I like this winery. That said, whatever you do, make sure they’re aware that these cardboard containers are NOT an adequate shipping solution. I get it – people like to pretend they’re saving the planet by not using styrofoam. It makes them feel good. Whatever. They can do that with their own wine. I want mine shipped in styro.

6

Keith, I did send this thread’s URL to Tracey, so she may see your comments!

Maybe they should use straw like DRC!

7

+1 I fully agree with Bill’s perspective. If its not expensive wine and you plan on drinking it so what about the label. I am sure the winery will replace your broken bottle.

8

The stained labels are also a future talking point if you want to keep them. Depending on how FEDEX responds, I have had situations like this where they just declared the whole thing a loss, paid me the insurance, I reshipped the wine and the customer got to keep the other damaged bottles as a plus. Since it was accepted as is without damage declaration, they might resist that.

I’m sure if you prefer the winery would be happy to have the damaged ones picked up and a new shipment resent providing they have the inventory to fill the order. At the very least I would expect the damaged bottle to be replaced.

9

I would contact the owners (I know you did) and let them deal with FedEx. I am sure they will replace the bottle. I am not worried about the label.

10

Have only had one damaged shipment over the past four years. Shipment never arrived at the customer. I contacted Fedex and was told “they threw out the package as it was badly damaged” - but they never contacted us (or the customer) before doing so. We reshipped the order to the customer. It took a few months (and much follow-up) but Fedex did make good on the package (to us). I’m sure Jared would want to know about the package.

Karen

11

+1

I remember when Pax was Pax and he was defending the big bottles with the fancy wax capsules, they shipped using that egg-crate crap. The bottles survived, but the wax was all over the box.

12

So, just to finish the story on this one, I received an email from the shipper asking me to send back the undamaged bottles, at their shipping cost, and they would replace all six. I responded back and said that I would keep the stained label bottles, silly to waste money on shipping, all I was really asking for is a replacement for the one that broke, but… if they did want to extend some sort of credit, I would be more than happy to purchase another six pack. The winery owner, Tracey, responded back offering an '08 El Dorado as a replacement for the no longer available '07 Mendocino, and a 2007 Recluse Syrah at no extra charge.

Both bottles arrived safe and sound. I am happy.