wineflite

WINE TALK
#1

Ok so my first experience with Wineflite was the worst you could possibly expect!

After shipping with the winery from Burgundy they stated that I could use wineflite and due to my location it would cost $400 for a case of wine. I splurged mainly because the winery was able to sell me some of their library wines from the 90’s. So while still in France they emailed me asking when I wanted to ship it. I asked them for a weather hold until October. They agreed.

When I returned in June I sent them another email confirming in writing of the weather hold which they agreed too no problem. Last Wed. they sent me a random email stating that they had sent my case of wine and thanked me for my business. I instantly emailed them and they assured me it was still in their “Temp Controlled Facility”. Then I get an email from FedEx giving me a tracking number and that it would arrive on Monday sitting in Honolulu over the weekend because they shipped it on a thursday! Amateur mistake #1 always ship on Monday to avoid weekends!

Amateur mistake #2 never lie to the customer! So after I sent them an email with the tracking number they agreed and said that an “internal” error caused my wine to ship early and that they aim to please and wanted to know if I would accept the wine. So I wait around the house all day waiting for fedex only to find out when I look up my tracking number that it went from “out for delivery” to Hold for pick up. Since it is 5 pm I am screwed FedEx is closed.

So last night I advise them that I will pick up the wine but want a refund for their services. ($400) No reply. Except today when I go to pick up my wine it is gone they sent it back. FedEx advised me that the sender recalled the shipment! No phone call, no customer service! I then call them and their operator explains to me that they made an error in shipping it so they wanted to make it right by recalling it and that it was only out of their “temp controlled facility when it was out for delivery” Now I have to wave the bullshit flag! Inside scoop my company is the FedEx contractor interisland so I know exactly how it is shipped I know it sat in an aluminum ULD for 2 hours on the 85 degree airport ramp waiting to be flown out! I know it is sitting right now in HNL on a 90 degree ramp waiting to be shipped out! It is probably over 100 degrees inside this aluminum ULD. Amateur mistake number 3 when shipping to Maui always use UPS they have a direct flight!

Their director of operations is supposed to call me tomorrow morning. What would you do to make this right?

#2

What a horrible experience.

Thanks for sharing with us.

#3

Wow, what amateurs. Wineflight? Wrong name. Sorry for your grief.

#4

sure it is not winefright? And, if you don’t get it, wineslight?

#5

Full refund on the shipping, and a full refund on the wine. I am sure that same box will sit there until fall.

#6

Ask Ray Walker about Wineflite-he is using it for Maison Ilan-private client shipping.

It sounds like wineflite sucks bigtime.

#7

Great. I know no reason why people are this incompetent.

#8

It’s cheaper to fly to France and pick up 10 people’s cases of wine and pay to check them as luggage than to use WineFlite, even if you pay duty at the airport. Same day service, no label approval, no common carriers. So, who’s going?

#9

Don’t bury Wineflite too quickly. I have used them to ship wine on a number of occasions and they have proven reliable. This could be a one off or simply caused by them recently moving their wine shipping operation to Napa. Sh!t happens.

#10

Why wouldn’t you check your wine and take it with you? All international flights allow for 2 bags, I believe, per person, so why not buy a wine suitcase of some sort and fly with it?

#11

Recently?

#12

Already had 1 case plus two mags stuffed in luggage this last one I trusted these guys as they came recommended. But thanks for the message I am going to buy a wine suit case for sure.

I did find out that out of burgundy Cote d’Or Imports has a good record of reliable shipping.
info@cotedorpdx.com http://cotedorpdx.com

#13

Yup in the past month

#14

After 2 days and no response to my email of concern and request for a refund I contacted them using the toll free number on their website. I spoke to the same representative and she was surprised their Director of Ops had not called me. She very politely apologized and took my number stating he would call me right back. 30 min later he did call me back and was very apologetic explaining that on the mainland they have a cold chain set up with FedEx but of course not to Hawaii. And for reasons he is investigating will find out that this never happens in the future. He then stated he would like to inspect the wines and photograph them so we could discuss a settlement.

Stay tuned…