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Frequently Asked Questions


Who is First Bottle?

First Bottle is the brainchild of several Napa Valley entrepreneurs and longtime experts in various arenas in the global wine business. First Bottle is a “sister site” to the much-loved and wildly popular one-wine-per-day site we started in 2011 called Last Bottle (lastbottlewines.com). We discovered that people who loved our picks at Last Bottle needed a place to buy MORE of their favorite wines and perhaps browse other similar wines as they voyage into the ambrosial world of vinous deliciousness. So we built FIRST BOTTLE. It’s the same buying team who buys for Last Bottle, same ridiculously high standards on quality and price, same warehouse and crack shipping team, same FREE SHIPPING on all orders of 6+ bottles, just more to check out! Plus a few special things we particularly love that we think you will, too.

Is Ground Shipping always free?

Yes! As long as you buy the minimum amount of 6 bottles (of anything, any price, mix and match off course), then the shipping is on us. This applies to anywhere we ship in the U.S., but excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

How long before I receive my wine?

During our regular shipping season, orders shipping Ground ship within 2-5 business days (oftentimes, even sooner!). 

If your state is sent via Third Party Shipping (Refrigerated Ground), orders are shipped each Thursday. You will receive a shipping confirmation email once tracking is available. Tracking is also uploaded to your account the following Monday. Tracking will not show any activity until scanned at your state’s area hub. Once scanned, your tracking link will start to show activity and provide you with an accurate ETA. Delivery is then made within a day or two (occasionally three) depending on your distance from the area hub.  Please note that refrigerated shipping takes roughly 1-3 weeks to get to you. 

In the summer months (typically May-October), we have summer shipping options available at checkout. We can add an ice pack to the package to keep the wine cool during transit. For orders shipping Ground, the ice pack option is an additional $4 fee. If the Refrigerated Ground + Ice Pack shipping option is chosen ($8 additional fee), orders travel temp controlled to the shipping hub, then an ice pack is dropped in before the shipment goes Ground (non-refrigerated) with the end mile carrier. 

If your order isn't received in 10 business days, please email us at [email protected].

Can I order less than 6 bottles and consolidate it with another order to get free shipping?

Nope. Here's why -- First Bottle is all about "lean and mean" to keep prices as low as possible, and that means getting all orders out as fast as possible to your hot little hands. We ALWAYS give free shipping on 6+ bottle purchases. However, if you do order 3 bottles and want to ship those without free shipping, we offer some of the VERY LOWEST shipping rates in the USA. -- compare us to some of our competitors and you'll see it's true. So, it's pretty much a win-win whether you buy 2, 4 or 6+ bottles!

I want you to ship my wine ground mid-July in a heat wave. Can you?

We offer an ice pack option to keep the wine cool during transit. For orders shipping Ground, the ice pack is an additional $4 fee. For orders shipping Refrigerated Ground + Ice Pack ($8 additional fee), orders travel temp controlled to the shipping hub, then an ice pack is dropped in before the shipment goes Ground (non-refrigerated) with the end mile carrier. 

Keep in mind, inclement weather can cause popped corks, leakage, and major damage. 

The wine that I want to order is no longer on the website. How do I order it?

Generally, if a wine is not on the website, we are sold out. But, there's always a possibility of a customer cancellation, or maybe we could get some more of it. Feel free to email us at [email protected] in the off chance we can get you some.

It is too hot to ship now but I want to buy today's wine.

In the summer months (typically May-October), we have summer shipping options available at checkout. We can add an ice pack to the package to keep the wine cool during transit. For orders shipping Ground, the ice pack option is an additional $4 fee. If the Refrigerated Ground + Ice Pack shipping option is chosen ($8 additional fee), orders travel temp controlled to the shipping hub, then an ice pack is dropped in before the shipment goes Ground (non-refrigerated) with the end mile carrier. 

We can hold for up to two weeks during the regular shipping season, and for an extended period of time during the summer season. If you have a specific ship date, choose a shipping option at checkout, and put your requested ship date in the shipping notes box. If you want to hold for the summer and ship in the fall when temps cool, please email [email protected].

How do I return a defective product?

Just email us at [email protected]! We stand behind every bottle we sell, and we know that sometimes you can get a bad bottle (just like with a dozen eggs or a dozen oysters, right?). If you feel you have a bad bottle, please let us know via email, and we'll take care of it as best we can.

Can I use a faster shipping method?

Yes. We offer Overnight and 2 Day Air at reduced costs to most states. 2 Day shipments are only sent Monday through Wednesday. Overnight shipments are only sent Monday through Thursday.

Wine is heavy and the cost to ship faster is expensive, but as always, we will quote you the lowest price we can.

Do you insure your shipments?

You are automatically opted into shipping insurance at checkout. It is 1% of the subtotal, and will cover you in case of loss or damage in transit. If you do not want this protection, you may deselect the 'Shipping Insurance?' box at checkout.

What happens if I receive a defective product?

Just email us at [email protected]! First Bottle guarantees the excellent provenance of the wine it sells, and stands behind every bottle. For wine you've had in your possession longer than six months, our support may be limited as we have no way of verifying the conditions it was stored in. We will, however, review this on a case by case basis.

What payment options do I have?

You can pay using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. We do NOT accept checks or money orders.

Can I send my order as a gift?

Of course! Who doesn't like wine as a gift? Just enter a message in the gift message section at checkout, and we'll send it along, making sure NOT to include an invoice.

Can I buy a gift certificate?

We don't have physical gift certificates, but you are welcome to purchase gift credits to put into another account. Just email us at [email protected] to set this up!

What is your invite policy?

You may invite family and friends to our site as a way to promote the site and earn referral credits. Sweet!  However, please refrain from opening multiple accounts to acquire referral credits. You cannot send multiple orders to the same address under different accounts to acquire credits. One invite per address.  You cannot open multiple accounts using the same credit card but different names. If we find a customer has done any of this, all associated orders will be cancelled and the accounts will be blocked. *We have last judgment on all orders and can cancel if we feel the system is being abused.*

What happens if my shipment is being returned-to-sender?

In the event that your order is rerouted back to our warehouse, our returns team will reach out to you once the package has been checked in, providing you with choices on how to proceed.