Frequently Asked Questions
Hey Leslee, in general, how would you recommend I select a wine club?
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While we would LOVE for you to be a part of the Sip Better family, we understand that there are a lot of choices out there when it comes to selecting a wine club. Over the years, I've actually not only run winery wine clubs but have been a member to a large variety of them as well. My thoughts, pick a club that is suited for you! In all honesty, I don't need a mix tape, gummy bears or wine ad lib games in my wine club shipment. It's simple: when I join a wine club, I'm looking for good wine. Secondly, I know that fancy labels are alluring, but it is the ‘Brosé’ label that should attract you to a club, or is it the quality of the wine? Next, I like to know where my wine comes from JUST like I like to know where my food comes from. With Sip Better, I can guarantee you that I've either walked the vineyards from which I selected these wines, or have met the winemakers and their families personally. Quality for me is a must. And lastly, I'm in the world of wine because every day feels like an adventure and a journey. When I teach, write or talk about wine around the globe, I want my attendees to feel as though they have been right there with me in these regions. THAT is what I want Sip Better to do for you as well. To help you explore, move beyond your ‘usual suspects’ and sip in a new adventure every time you share a bottle of wine via the Sip Better Wine Club. So, come along and join me as we travel the world of wine together!
Clink, Clink -
Leslee
How is Sip Better different than the other wine clubs out there?
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Sip Better is based on YOUR individual wine palate! Because Sip Better's sommelier, Leslee, hand selects your next wine shipment based on how you rate the wine, each new shipment is based on YOUR individual palate. We don't use a generic form like ‘do you like milk or dark chocolate’ or ‘cream in your coffee’ to determine the wines you are going to like. Leslee will select wines based on what you taste and like. Together we will explore grapes beyond the ‘usual suspects’ you may be used to drinking daily. Explore the world of 10,000 grapes, produced by a variety of real winemaking families from around the globe with this one-of-a-kind hand curated wine club. Sip Better, a wine club based on wines selected for you, not wines so esoteric only a sommelier will love, but wines that new wine drinkers and wine enthusiasts alike will love.
Does Sommelier’s founder, Leslee, actually hand select each batch of wine for me?
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Yes! No algorithms or A.I. are used when selecting wine for your wine club shipments! With as many members as we have today, Leslee spends hours (yes, hours – sometimes 40+ in a week!) using your 1-5 star ratings to select wine for your palate. Leslee’s selections are not based on the colors of wine you like or even grape or region. Because she knows the wines intimately, she will use your ratings to send you wines that match the ones you liked best via weight, acid, sometimes tannin structure and their old world/new world personalities.
What if I am more of an ‘all red’ or ‘all white’ sort of sipper?
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All discovery kits come with a 4 bottle shipment of both whites and reds. Know that you joined Sip Better because you are looking to ‘explore’ the world of wine, unbiased of colors or grapes that you may have broken up with due to misconceptions about wine. Sip Better is not only explorative, but educational. You may have just been selecting the wrong regions, styles and producers this whole time! We implore you to take the journey with us to discover something new about your palate. Remember, your ratings count and Leslee does use those to make your next selections.
However, yes. Leslee can certainly always tweak your selections after your first discovery kit to be all reds, all whites or all sparklings or all rosés if this is truly your wish. Simply email leslee@sipbetter.com to let her know.
Oh hey! Why is my first box just 4 bottles when I signed up for 6bts every other month, every month or quarterly?
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Remember, all of our discovery kits (the very first box you’ll receive when you sign up for the club) is just four bottles. From there, your shipments will contain the exact quantity that you signed up for. The 4 bottles just helps you kick off your journey + helps Leslee understand where you’re coming from in terms of your likes. Don’t forget to rate your wines, this will help Leslee fine tune your selections.
Do I have to rate every single wine that comes to me?
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Definitely not. If anything, rate one here + there to give Leslee an idea of what you like.
Ideally, if you want shipments that are truly curated for your specific palate – then yes! Rate each one 1-5 stars. Those ratings, again, help Leslee select wines that she thinks will match your palate via the weight, acid, sometimes tannin structure and their old world/new world personalities of the wines you’ve rated highest.
What states can you legally ship to?
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Because we are a small retailer, we have to comply with each state’s allowances as a retailer. Remember, wineries have a different compliance structure. And, we know, we know—wine.com can ship to way more states than we can. When you are a giant shell of a company + have oodles of financial backers, you find ways to get into states that small companies like Sip Better cannot, legally.
Let’s focus on the happy! Sip Better can ship to: Alaska, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
How much does the Sip Better Wine Club cost?
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There is not a membership fee to join Sip Better! The cost of the club with exclusive access to Leslee's videos, tasting tips, winery info, pairing recommendations and more is simply the cost of the wine sent to you. Leslee will choose bottles ranging in price-point, but you can expect a bottle average of around $17-$19 in your club selections, not including your member discount. Therefore, the average cost of a 4bt shipment can sit right around the $72-$75 mark. The cost of shipping/handling and tax are in addition to the cost of the wine.
Why don't you charge a flat fee for each Sip Better wine club shipment?
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What you’re asking is ‘why is each club shipment a different price each month’?
Because your personal sommelier, Leslee, is selecting individual wines from a variety of different grapes and regions from around the globe, there is not one set price per bottle. Other clubs purchase wine in bulk, then repackage it with cute labels, making their bulk juice one price because they own the juice as a large company. Remember, we deal with farmers + families from all over the globe (yep, real people) and not one of them sells their wine at the same price. Leslee sleuths out the best wines from the best growers, worldwide at approachable price points (mostly under $20). But remember, vintage, how the wine arrives to the U.S. and distribution channels can all affect how a wine is priced.
When can I expect my shipment and how many bottles are shipped with each Sip Better club shipment?
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Remember, YOU pick your quantity and frequency. Please adjust those at any time, by logging in to your account. Click the top right corner that reads ‘welcome (your name)’ once you log in. Inside of that tab, you may change your frequency/quantity at any time, any of your personal info or your wallet info. Four, six or twelve unique bottles are shipped monthly, quarterly or every other month in your Sip Better shipment, depending on your account settings. Your credit card will be charged the third week of each shipping month and your wines will ship within the following 7-10 day period of your credit card charge.
What months do you ship: Every other Month, Every Month + Quarterly memberships?
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Every month occurs every month on the third week of that month
Every other month occurs only on odd months (Jan/Mar/May/July/Sept/Nov) on the third week of that month
Every quarter occurs only March, June, Sept + Nov on the third week of that month (we do this with quarterlies as to avoid super hot months and super cold months)
What if the week you are supposed to ship, the weather is not ideal (IE: super hot or super cold)?
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Yep, Leslee plays Ms. Meteorologist and watches the weather like a hawk. We will notify you of a delayed weather shipment and we will ship when it is safe.
Do I have to be at home to receive my wine club shipment?
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Yes, an adult signature is required in order to receive your wine shipment—it is federal law. Adult recipients must be at least 21 years of age. For this reason, it may be easier to ship to your place of work, as anyone at least 21 years of age can receive the shipment. If you do not plan to be home at the time of your shipment, please change your personal file to a work address for delivery, choose in-store pickup, or have your wine delivered to a FedEx or Walgreens location near you. All of those options are available, once you log in to your account.
What are my options for receiving my wine club shipments or wine purchases?
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Once you click the ‘join the club’ tab, our system will walk you through how you’d like to receive your wines. Either an in store pick up is available (head to our ‘shop in person’ tab) for store location and hours or FedEx/Speedee delivery or selecting a Walgreen’s/FedEx location near you via our system to make receiving your wine a breeze.
What if I do not plan to be home the week my shipment is supposed to arrive? (IE: vacation, etc)
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Simply email leslee@sipbetter.com and she will delay your shipment. However, she cannot change an address, therefore, do make sure that the address you want to ship to is set to DEFAULT for the upcoming shipment inside of your wallet and personal tab (log in to your account to change those items).
Uh oh, my credit card was declined for a shipment (you received our email stating so) because I forgot that I cancelled that card, it was lost/stolen or the exp. date has changed, now what?
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Remember, we cannot do this for you. Our firewalls are so protective, we cannot access any changes to your payment method. You must log in to your account. Once logged in, click the top right corner tab that reads: ‘welcome (your name)’. Inside of that tab, you will see your wallet. Please DELETE all of your old cards, put in your new card and set the new one to DEFAULT.
How do I update my billing info, email address, name, shipping address or frequency/quantity options?
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Simply log in to sipbetter.com. At the top right corner, click the tab that reads: welcome, (your name). Once inside that tab, you can change any of these pieces. Do make sure that the address that you would like is set to DEFAULT. Also make sure that the credit card that you would like used for your upcoming shipment is also set to DEFAULT. Please make sure that if a credit card of yours is obsolete (due to no longer used, exp date, etc.) – delete them from your account, and again make sure that they new card is set to DEFAULT.
Learn how to do this by watching this simple video.
Omg, your boxes are SO dope! I feel bad throwing them away! Can I return them to your shop, Sip Better in Minneapolis?
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Ah, yep. We know! Leslee hand designed the Sip Better boxes and inserts. She owns a patent on the design, including utility patents on her boxes. They are made of recycled cardboard, so please recycle if you wish. Or yes, we will take them back at our store if they did not go through transit via a courier like Speedee or FedEx.
Bring them on in!
What if I have a friend (or hey, it’s you!) that is not a member yet – can I still order wine?
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You bet! Head on over to our ‘shop all wines’ tab. Inside, you’ll see the wines we have available to either ship or purchase for in store pick up. You will not have access to all of the wine’s info or videos until you join the club. And, you won’t receive our spiffy member discounts! Remember there is NO cost to joining the club. Just the cost of the wine and shipping/handling. Once you join, you’ll be able to access all of the videos that Leslee has personally made for each wine, plus all of the wine’s details: winery story, winemaker info, pairing info, wine details, glass to enjoy it in, serving/temperature recommendations and storage timeframe (best enjoyment window).
If you’re not a member, you will check out as a guest.
Can I order wine outside of my club shipment dates?
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Of course! We encourage it! Remember, you’ll receive your discount all year long on any wine purchase. Simply click ‘purchase now’ on your cart if you’ve run out of wine or are ordering wine for a party or more!
How do I add more wines to my club shipment?
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Maybe you’ve been adding wines to your cart in between shipments, yeah? If you'd like the wines sitting in your cart, please be sure to 'merge them with your club shipment' or 'purchase now' so that you get those wines with your shipment next week.
If you miss this deadline knowing that we charge your cards and ship at the beginning of the third week of your shipping month, please click 'purchase now' and we can still get them slipped in to that week's packaging rotation.
I would like to send a one-time gift shipment to a friend, how do I do that?
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Oh awesome, thank you!
One, if you want to send different wines from the shop section to a friend make sure that you click ‘this order is a gift’ when you are checking out. (Don’t forget to log in so that you get your member discount, P.S.)
Instead of sending it to yourself, you’ll click the ‘this order is a gift’ – when you click this, it will prompt the recipient’s address and offer you a space for a gift message.
Or, you may gift your person a one time tasting experience – which would include one of the discovery kits.
Click ‘gift to a friend’ under the Shop All Wines or the Curated Collections area. You’ll select an experience that best suits how they are as a wine drinker. This also offers an area to include a gift message. Remember, someone 21 yrs of age does have to be on site to sign for this fancy gift, so make sure you are sending to an address that will have that, or better yet – to their work address!
I would like to gift more than a one-time shipment to a friend, can you do that?
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Oh heck yes! Go ahead and email Leslee at leslee@sipbetter.com and she will help you get your person all squared away with multiple shipments.
How do I earn free wine with Sip Better?
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Oh yeah, it’s true!! Free wine is the best, isn’t it?
Start by watching this rad video we made.
Know that there is NO limit to the amount of free wine you can earn! As long as your friend signs up for the club, we will send you a free bottle for every friend that joins and they’ll receive a free bottle as well in their first shipment. High five!
What are wine flaws? How do I determine if my wine is flawed? How do I distinguish wine flaws from wines I don't like?
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This is a great question! One, we can't guarantee you are going to love, love, love every single bottle of wine that comes to you. But this is why we ship you different selections with your shipments. We want you to start to look deeper into your likes and dislikes when it comes to wine, so you may find that you love some wines more than others. (Or, if we're lucky-you just love them all!) But we can guarantee you that we're sending you quality wines from quality producers. So no, unfortunately, if you just ‘don't like’ a wine, you are not able to send it back. But hey, knowing what you like is part of the adventure, right?
Note: we may not take back any wine once it is sold to you. It is a state and store policy.
Secondly, yes wine can certainly be affected by technical flaws. Here are a couple of reasons why you would be able to email us to for a replacement or credit.
Technical Flaws:
TCA (Smells like: corkiness, wet molded cardboard or a very dank basement –not be confused with dirty + earthy, which is good. Look primarily for the wet cardboard smell).
Where can TCA can come from? Corks, Barrels, Winery
Oxidation + Heat Damage (Smells like: dull fruit, cooked fruit, flat notes, sometimes nutty. What to look for: cork pushed through top foil, or wine is leaking).
Where these impacts can come from: Improper storage, wine treatment.
Of course if your package comes with broken bottles or leaking bottles, email leslee@sipbetter.com – Leslee will make it right immediately. Please include pictures of your package, bottles, etc. with your email.