I am interested having Vintrust organize my home inventory. How long will that take, and what does that entail?

Vintrust can process more than 1,000 bottles per day per two-man team. We have processed several hundred thousand bottles of wine with an error rate of less than 0.001%. We can achieve these industry-leading statistics by digitally imaging every bottle that we process. Unless a client requests that we keep wood cases closed, every box is opened and each bottle imaged and bar-coded. The high-resolution images allow our data entry team to see every detail of a bottle’s label. The images are stored on a secure server and downloaded to CDs for easy access and back-up. As a Vintrust client, you may request copies of your CDs at any time – including all of your images or a portion thereof. The images act as a record of your collection for insurance and any subsequent sale efforts.

What information will I see on my online account?

The information we record allows you to better search through your collection to find a particular combination of characteristics. We record the type and varietal of the wine. We also record the country, region, sub-region, appellation, vineyard of origin and any special designation of the wine. We provide ratings – in many cases a SOMMscore rating will exist, which we supplement with ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar and the Wine Spectator. While we only provide the scores from each reviewer, we provide links for those who have subscriptions to their respective websites. Vintrust also suggests drinkability ratings for each wine based on the experience of our SOMMelier team. Finally, we provide retail market values for most of the wines in our database.

Can I inventory it myself?

Yes you can. We provide all of the tools necessary to inventory your own collection.

Why should I use barcode labels?

Barcode labels make everything about managing your wine collection easier—and precise. When adding bottles into your collection, the system recalls which label numbers you own and which number you last used – it can even consecutively assign them for you automatically if you wish. When you remove wine from your inventory, our system will prompt you to record the reason for removal and provide an opportunity to write a tasting note.

Will the barcode labels detract from the bottle’s appearance?

We use 2-ply labels – the bottom layer, the one that sticks to the glass of your bottle, is transparent; the top layer is the actual barcode label itself. You can easily remove the actual barcode label to scan, enter the number or place in a cellar book for system removal later. What’s left is a small transparent rectangle on the bottle.

How do I manage my collection?

You can manage your collection online, from any computer, anywhere in the world. Click on any cellar listed in your summary table and you will be taken to that part of your collection. You may also search for specific wines or a combination of characteristics such as region, varietal, vintages, scores and bottle quantity. As you acquire wine, you may have it sent to Vintrust and we will add it to your online account, or you can add it yourself. You can also manage pre-arrivals – inputting wines as you order them and then receiving them into your account (Vintrust will do this for you if the wine is sent to us). As you move or remove wine, simply browse for the wine, specify a wine or specify a barcode number. The system provides reports for tracking all activity on your account and all open orders in your account, as well as your consumption history. To see a sample of how the account works, you may take a look at the Guild of the Court of Master Sommeliers' account.

What does it cost to use the Vintrust Inventory Management system?

There is no charge to set up and use an Inventory Management account. For a schedule of Collector Services fees, click here.

Does Vintrust offer pick-up service?

Vintrust can pick up your wine from any location in the greater Bay/Napa/Sonoma area in a refrigerated truck, so your bottles remain at a constant 55 degrees as they travel to our cellar. Vintrust maintains insurance for the wine when it is traveling in one of our trucks.

What happens to my wine once I ship it to Vintrust?

Within 24 hours of receipt, we will send you an email recording the contents of the shipment as well as a scanned PDF copy of any invoice or manifest included with the wine. Your wine is then imaged, inventoried, bar-coded and securely placed into storage, where it is secured by three levels of access control, laser motion sensors, closed-circuit digital cameras and a fire suppressant system.

How long does it take to view my wine online?

It takes approximately two weeks from date of receipt.

If I store my wine at Vintrust, how do you know where it is?

We have developed processes to check our data and audit our systems so that we know exactly where your bottles are at all times. We also digitally check the environmental conditions in our warehouse every second in four different zones of the warehouse, including probes lodged inside bottles full of wine (ours, not yours), inside both cardboard and Styrofoam boxes – densely and loosely packed. Our warehouse systems and processes have been designed to give you absolute piece of mind. Please schedule a visit if you are interested in learning more.

Where are Vintrust’s cellars located?

We have collector cellars in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City Metropolitan Area. For the protection of our clients’ wine assets, the exact locations of our storage facilities are confidential and provided only to our fully registered members. To inquire about our locations, please call 877-VINTRUST (1-877-846-8787) or email info@vintrust.com.

Is my wine insured?

Vintrust provides an insurance option for your wine. Please review the insurance sections of our Terms and Conditions by clicking here. Most higher-end insurance providers offer homeowner’s insurance that insures wine stored off-premises. To view Vintrust insurance coverage, click here.

What does it cost to cellar my wine with Vintrust?

For a schedule of Collector Services fees, click here.

How do I remove my wine from Vintrust?

You may request to remove wine from Vintrust either via online, over the phone or by fax. We will deliver it to you or send it via FedEx or UPS within 24 hours.

Will you pick and pack my wine?

We will pick and pack your wine – in fact, we now do it for some of the best wineries in Napa and Sonoma. We can also gift package your wine and include a personalized message from you.

Can you assure safety in shipping my wine to where I need it to go?

All wine being shipped out of our facility is repacked into Styrofoam shippers and carefully handled to prevent any breakage that may occur in a wood crate or cardboard box.

How do you deliver or ship my wine?

We deliver wine in our refrigerated trucks to locations within a 75-mile radius of our facilities. Outside the area, we ship via FedEx and UPS, depending on location and price. We suggest shipping methods to match the destination and weather en route. However, ultimately, we will follow your instructions. For those living in states with wine shipping restrictions, we will pull and package your wine on request and have it ready for any agent that you designate to us.

What do pickups and deliveries cost?

Please click here to view our Collector Services Pricing.

Can I avoid pick-up/delivery charges?

You may avoid pickup and delivery charges if you pick up or deliver the wine to one of Vintrust’s locations.

How can a Vintrust SOMMelier help me?

As a Full Member of Vintrust, a SOMMelier is assigned to you – free of charge. You may connect with your SOMMelier directly to discuss how he or she might help you. You and your SOMMelier can interact via our private email system or over the phone. In addition to advising you on your collection – what to drink, hold, sell, buy and pair with your wine, your SOMMelier can provide a number of other services, including:

SOMMservice –select and prepare the wine for a special event.

SOMMseminars –create and guide wine tasting classes – either a single event or a monthly course program. They’ll source the wine and bring the Riedel glasses.

SOMMsojourns –arrange an exceptional itinerary for you to some of the most exclusive and beautiful vineyards and wineries in the world. They have the connections to get you into almost anywhere you wish to visit.

Who are the SOMMeliers?

Vintrust has partnered with many of the leading Sommeliers from the best properties around the country. We believe that there is no one more qualified and credible to provide you advice. Our SOMMeliers are compensated for their time – no commission, no marketing expectations – just great advice.

Are the wines provided for the SOMMseminars?

The SOMMelier can source the wine for your event or select bottles from your own cellar to taste and discuss.

Will our SOMMelier join us on our SOMMsojourn?

Your SOMMelier can accompany you if your travel schedule matches their availability (travel expenses and time are charged).

How can Vintrust help me acquire wine?

Vintrust tailors our acquisition services to your interests. It all starts with recording your wine preferences when you register with Vintrust. After that, you may choose to involve Vintrust as deeply as you want. You will receive wine offerings developed by our SOMMelier team. You will also receive Vinalerts from our Vice President of Acquisitions alerting you to great new finds, limited allocations or terrific deals. You may elect to join one of our unique wine clubs. Finally, you may take advantage of our targeted search or discretionary buying programs, where we will help find specific wines you desire or build your collection more broadly as defined by your preferences and budget. You will work on a one-on-one basis with an acquisitions director in connection with your SOMMelier to find what you are looking for and build an exceptional collection that matches your interests.

Where does Vintrust source the wine from?

Provenance is essential to Vintrust. We source wine from as near to the source as we can find, starting with the vintners, then the importers and distributors, and finally the collections of our own clients – both individual collectors and restaurants.

What are Vinalerts?

Vinalerts are emails for offering so unique that they deserve to be sent directly to our client base. Typically, as the alerts will involve limited quantity, we will target them to those who would most appreciate them, which is determined by their Wine Preferences Profile.

What is a SOMMscore?

Vintrust has put a new spin on the traditional 100-point rating system. SOMMscores have been designed to provide transparency to each wine reviewed by our SOMMeliers. Each SOMMscore isolates the five characteristics that often make up a wine's rating, and prescribes a number of points for the related descriptor, which add up to total score of 100.

How does Vintrust’s discretionary buying service work?

You set the budget, discuss your preferences with our wine experts and your SOMMelier, and then Vintrust selects, sources and cellars the wine for you. All purchases are inventoried, invoiced and recorded into your account.

Can I include a personalized gift card with a shipment?

We can gift package the wine and provide a tasteful card with a personalized message from you. You may also provide a card of your own.

Can Vintrust help select wine from my cellar to give?

Yes, simply consult your SOMMelier or wine director.

Can Vintrust handle a large volume of gift shipments all over the country?

We ship for some of the finest wineries in Northern California – involving thousands of packages and ship-to addresses. We would be happy to handle your gift shipping needs, regardless of how big or small.

Can Vintrust help select wines to donate?

Either your SOMMelier or our wine acquisition can assist you in selecting wine for donation.

How can I track my donations?

Your Vintrust online account will track donations for you. The system will allow you to sort by recipient, date, value and wine. At the end of each year, simply print a report of the year’s donations for your accountant, who will appreciate the level of detail we can provide, including a third-party valuation.

How does Vintrust value my wine?

We determine our stated value for your wine by analyzing retail data. It is our opinion that auction data is simply too inconsistent to use as a proper indicator of value – differing countries, cities, local tastes and lot combinations make auction prices inexact. Instead, we look at the market for a given wine as described by retailers throughout the United States and average the results. Ultimately, though, the sale price of your wine will be set by what you and the buyer agree to – their best offer and your accepted price. Our pricing only acts as a reliable benchmark to begin a conversation.