Service, Shipping & Client Information

How Porthos Ships Wine

Can Porthos ship wine to every state?

Not quite. Due to interstate shipping regulations, Porthos is unable to ship directly to certain states. While these laws continue to evolve, restrictions currently apply to Utah, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and South Dakota.

If you would like wine shipped to one of these states, please contact us directly. In many cases, alternative arrangements may be available.

How are wine shipments handled?

All wines are shipped from our temperature-controlled California facility and leave our care in pristine condition. Because wine is a delicate, living product, shipments require the signature of an adult 21 years of age or older upon delivery.

For the greatest convenience, we strongly recommend shipping to a business address whenever possible.

What happens if a shipment cannot be delivered?

Our shipping carriers typically make three delivery attempts. If a shipment is returned due to circumstances beyond our control, including:

• Incorrect or incomplete shipping information
• Recipient unavailable for delivery
• Failure to retrieve wine from a carrier facility
• Absence of an adult age 21 or older to sign
• Refusal of shipment

The order may be subject to a 25% restocking fee. Original and return shipping charges will be deducted from any applicable refund.

Porthos reserves the right to refuse any sale that we deem inappropriate, unsafe, or inconsistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Protecting Your Wine in Transit

Why might my shipment be delayed?

Our responsibility is to protect your wine investment and ensure every bottle arrives in optimal condition.

Wine is highly sensitive to temperature extremes. Freezing temperatures can cause corks to push, bottles to crack, and wine to leak. Excessive heat can prematurely age wine, accelerate oxidation, and permanently diminish quality.

Because major carriers do not reimburse the value of wine damaged by weather conditions, Porthos carefully monitors temperatures along the entire shipping route, not just at the final destination.

Even when weather is favorable in your city, shipments may pass through warehouse hubs and transit points experiencing extreme heat or cold.

For this reason, we may temporarily delay shipment during periods of unsafe weather.

What shipping method does Porthos use?

Unless otherwise requested, orders are shipped via UPS Ground. Ground shipments typically travel through multiple climate zones and may spend time in trucks, warehouses, and transit facilities that are not temperature controlled.

What are the best times of year to ship wine?

In general:

These windows are guidelines only. Actual shipment timing depends on current weather conditions throughout the shipping route.

Whenever necessary, we are happy to hold your wine in our temperature-controlled cellar until conditions are suitable for safe delivery.

When We Recommend a Wine, We Stand Behind It

Porthos is built on long-term relationships with collectors. When a Wine Concierge personally recommends a wine, we stand behind that recommendation.

If you are disappointed with a wine we have personally recommended, please contact us. We will make every reasonable effort to resolve the situation to your satisfaction.

Our goal is not simply to sell wine, but to earn your trust over many years of collecting.

Returns, Refunds & Bottle Condition

What is your return policy?

Wine is a living product and can be affected by storage conditions, transportation, temperature, and age. All wines sold by Porthos are maintained under optimal conditions prior to shipment.

Once a wine has been successfully delivered and you have had a reasonable opportunity to evaluate it, responsibility for its ongoing condition necessarily shifts to the owner.

For this reason, we cannot accept responsibility for damage resulting from improper storage after delivery.

Examples include:

• Storing wine in vehicles
• Exposure to excessive heat or cold
• Storage near appliances or direct sunlight
• Other unsuitable storage conditions

How are refunds handled?

If a wine personally recommended by a Porthos Wine Concierge does not meet your expectations, we may offer a full refund or another satisfactory resolution.

For most other circumstances, including cancelled orders and special-order purchases, a 30% restocking fee may apply.

If wine is damaged during transit due to carrier mishandling, such as breakage, a full refund will be provided.

Please note that carriers do not reimburse weather-related damage. For that reason, clients are encouraged to allow Porthos to delay shipment or provide temporary cellar storage whenever weather conditions are unfavorable.

What about older wines?

Mature wines often evolve significantly from their youthful characteristics and should be approached with patience and an open mind.

Variation is part of the experience of collecting older bottles, and differences from release-day tasting notes do not necessarily indicate a flaw.

Client-Requested Bottles

Because special-order wines are sourced at a client's request, including old and rare bottles, our taste satisfaction guarantee does not apply.

However, we do guarantee the provenance and physical condition of these wines upon arrival following shipment.

When Your Card Is Charged

Most orders are fulfilled, shipped, and billed within approximately fourteen days of purchase. In most cases, your credit card will be charged when the wine ships.

Certain purchases may be billed earlier, including:

• Pre-orders
• Futures
• Highly allocated wines
• Wine club shipments
• Special-order requests

In these situations, earlier billing may be necessary to secure the wine on your behalf.

How Pre-Orders Work

Occasionally, Porthos offers highly sought-after wines before they are released by the producer.

Pre-orders allow clients to secure allocations before the wines become generally available and provide the fairest method of allocating limited quantities.

To guarantee a pre-order, payment for the wine, shipping, and applicable sales tax is collected at the time of purchase.

Estimated delivery timing will be provided when available. Depending on the producer, shipment may occur weeks or even months after the order is placed.

Fair Pricing, Personal Guidance & Access

Is Porthos a discount wine retailer?

No. Our mission is not to be the lowest-priced retailer on every bottle. Instead, we focus on providing exceptional service, trusted recommendations, fair pricing, and access to wines that are often difficult to obtain.

That said, we strive to maintain competitive pricing on featured wines and avoid excessive markups on rare allocations.

If you find a legitimate offer for the same wine at a significantly lower price, we will make every reasonable effort to match it, subject to availability and verification.

What value does Porthos provide?

The majority of our clients are serious wine collectors who value personalized recommendations, trusted guidance, and access to rare opportunities.

We believe true value comes not from chasing the lowest price, but from helping collectors discover wines they genuinely love while avoiding costly mistakes.

Age & Compliance

By placing an order with Porthos Ventures, Inc., you certify that you are at least 21 years of age and legally permitted to purchase alcoholic beverages.

Wine deliveries require adult signature and valid identification upon receipt.

All wine is sold in the State of California, and title passes to the purchaser in California. By placing an order, you acknowledge responsibility for compliance with all local laws governing the purchase, shipment, and receipt of alcoholic beverages.