Terms and Conditions of Sale and Use

These terms (“Terms”) apply if you want to purchase products from us or use our website, brochures, or app (the “Sites”). These Terms should be read alongside, and are in addition to, our Privacy and Cookie Policies. Additional terms and conditions apply if you are a member of a subscription or if you purchase En Primeur wines.

Please read these Terms carefully before using the Sites or purchasing products from us and print and keep a copy of them for your reference. We may change the content of the Sites from time to time, including the terms of use. By using the Sites (by whatever means or device) you agree that you have read, understood and accept these Terms (as amended from time to time). If you do not agree to be bound by these Terms, you may not use or access these Sites or place an order with us.

About us

In these Terms, references to “we” or “us” are to The Sunday Times Wine Club operated by Direct Wines Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales (registered number 1095091) whose registered office is at 1600 Arlington Business Park, Theale, United Kingdom, RG7 4SA. Our registered VAT number is GB 823825133.

Terms of Sale

Contract creation

The placing of an order anywhere on our Sites does not constitute a contract. Order acceptance and the contract between you and us will only be formed on the despatch to you of the product(s) ordered unless we have notified you that we do not accept your order, or you have cancelled it in accordance with the instructions set out in the “Cancellations, Replacements and Refunds” section below. For the avoidance of doubt, a contract is not formed at the point in time that payment has been taken from you by The Sunday Times Wine Club nor at the point when you receive an email from The Sunday Times Wine Club acknowledging receipt of your order.

Non-acceptance of an order may be a result of one of the following:

• The product(s) you ordered being unavailable from stock
• Our inability to obtain authorisation for your payment
• Our inability to verify that you are aged over 18
• The identification of a pricing or product description error
• The repeated or fraudulent use of vouchers.

Prices

All prices are quoted in pounds sterling, and may be per bottle or per case, as marked. The prices include UK duty and VAT, unless otherwise specified. Any delivery charges are additional, unless otherwise specified.

Although we endeavour to ensure that all pricing information on our Sites is accurate occasionally an error may occur and products may be incorrectly priced. In the event that a product you have ordered is listed at an incorrect price we will contact you by telephone or email before despatching your products asking you to confirm if you still wish to proceed with your order at the correct price or cancel your order. If you do not confirm that you wish to proceed with the order within seven days of the date of our email, we will consider this is a withdrawal of your order.

Where a particular wine is part of a pre-mix case with a general discount applied, the discounted price for the case is relative to the non-discounted prices for the constituent wines.

We reserve the right to alter prices without notice in the event of major currency fluctuations, changes in the rate of duty, VAT or other taxes or import tariffs (including but not limited to the imposition of any new or replacement duty or tariff by the WTO or any other competent authority domestic or international) or other market conditions. We also reserve the right to terminate any special offer at any time, without notice.

Availability

All products and services are subject to availability. Wine is an agricultural product and runs out from time to time. Occasionally we have to substitute wines for another vintage or an alternative wine of equal or greater value. If you are unhappy with any substitutions you receive we will arrange collection at our cost.

Delivery

We deliver throughout the UK except for the Channel Islands and BFPO addresses. Various delivery times are available for you to select when you place an order. For further details of these delivery options and prices for delivery please go to the Delivery Information section of our Site. Details of options available will also be provided at the time of placing your order. We reserve the right to restrict deliveries or to withdraw services to individual customers' addresses if you are repeatedly unavailable to take delivery of your order or in other exceptional circumstances.

Our deliveries are made by third party carriers. Some standard deliveries do not require a signature; however, we require that any order of £500 or more must be signed for (even if you select alternative delivery instructions when placing the order). If you are out, the delivery driver may be able to leave your order for you in accordance with the instructions that you gave us when you placed your order, for example, in a safe place (except any order of £500 or more) or to a neighbouring address and if this is not possible, a card will be posted through your letterbox with instructions on how to arrange re-delivery. You should keep your delivery note and all packaging and should notify us immediately if any of the order is missing or damaged. Should you request the wine to be delivered on a signature required service or if you order is £500 or more, please ensure that you are available to sign for delivery.

If you have a Wine Club Unlimited membership, please see the Wine Club Unlimited Terms and Conditions.

Free delivery applies within the UK when your purchase includes any 12 bottles, magnums or half bottles in a single order and is for our standard delivery service to a single UK address only. Please note that: (i) free bottles count toward the bottle threshold; however (ii) sundries (e.g. tea, bottle openers, glasses or other merchandise), bottle gift sets including sundries and an advent calendar of itself do/does not count towards the bottle threshold, but will be delivered free if the relevant order includes 12 bottles. Offer of free delivery does not apply to subscription or En Primeur orders. Regardless of the number of bottles ordered, if you request our named day or timed delivery services, you will be charged the rate displayed in the Delivery Information section of our Site.

Cancellations, Replacements and Refunds

If you buy any of our wines and it is faulty or you don't like a bottle, please see our Quality Guarantee section below.

If you change your mind about some or all of your order, you may also cancel your order up to and including 14 calendar days after the day on which you receive your order and we will arrange to collect (free of charge) the unwanted products and reimburse the appropriate sum paid including delivery costs (up to the amount charged for the least expensive kind of delivery service we offer) within 14 calendar days after the day on which you tell us that you wish to cancel. However, if you handle the goods whilst they are in your possession in a way which would not be permitted in a shop (for example, by opening a bottle of wine or removing a seal), we will reduce your refund to reflect the reduction in the value of the goods.

Please let us know if you wish to cancel an order by contacting our Customer Services team using one of the methods in the “Contact Us” section below. If you are e-mailing us or writing to us please include details of your order to help us identify it. Alternatively please complete the cancellation form on our Site.

All refunds given will be made by the same payment method you originally used to make payment.

Quality Guarantee

As we're so confident about all of our wines we are happy to replace or refund any bottles of wines which are faulty or that you don't enjoy, subject to the following conditions:

If a bottle of wine is faulty

If a bottle of wine is corked, oxidised or appears otherwise out of condition, provided it is still within the recommended drink date and has been stored in suitable conditions, we will arrange to replace the faulty bottle with a bottle of the same type of wine (or if not available, a bottle of another type of wine which is of equivalent value). Alternatively if you prefer we will refund you an amount equal to the value of the bottle. We reserve the right to ask you to provide evidence of the fault and/or to collect the faulty bottle for inspection (at our cost).

If a bottle of wine is not faulty but you did not enjoy it

If, having opened a bottle, the wine was not to your taste, provided it is still within the recommended drink date and has been stored in suitable conditions, we will arrange to replace the bottle with a bottle of another type of wine which is of equivalent value. Alternatively, if you prefer we will refund you an amount equal to the value of the bottle. If you have any more unopened bottles of the same wine which you no longer want, we will arrange to collect them from you (free of charge) and replace them with bottles of another type of wine which are of equivalent value or if you prefer, give you a refund for an amount equivalent to their value.

If you don't enjoy any of the wines or suspect that they may be faulty please contact our Customer Services team using one of the methods in the “Contact Us” section below and one of our wine advisers will be more than happy to assist.

This Quality Guarantee is in addition to, and does not affect, your legal rights in respect of any of our products or services (for example, if any of our products are not of satisfactory quality). In particular, we are under a legal duty to supply goods that are in conformity with this contract. You have certain legal remedies if we breach these rights. For more information about your legal rights, please contact your local Citizens Advice Service or Trading Standards Service. To exercise your legal rights, please contact our Customer Services team using one of the methods in the “Contact Us” section below.

Security

All information (including credit card details) is sent and received using up-to-date secure e-commerce software. We continuously monitor and implement new security protocols and software as they become available.

If you have any questions about any aspect of site security please contact us at: customerservice@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk.

Voucher Codes

Unless otherwise stated, voucher codes are only to be used once by new customers who are 18 years or over on their first purchase. You are not entitled to any further introductory vouchers or other introductory offers from The Sunday Times Wine Club or any affiliates. Vouchers are non-transferable, may not be sold at auction and have no cash alternative. Where a voucher is used in breach of the above conditions we reserve the right to refuse to supply wines to you or to make a charge equivalent to the value of the voucher against the payment card used on the contravening order or take steps to redeem the products as we deem appropriate. A charge may be made to cover the cost of recovery of the products.

Re-Sale

Wines purchased from us are for the customer's own use only (which may include their use as gifts for third parties). Wines may not be re-sold or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

Age Restrictions

It is against the law for any person under the age of 18 to buy, or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor or for any person over the age of 18 to buy or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor for any person under the age of 18. The Sunday Times Wine Club is committed to upholding its legal and social obligations as a retailer of intoxicating liquor. By placing an order you confirm that you and the recipient of the wine are at least 18 years old. If our couriers are in doubt of the age of the recipient of an order they will request some form of ID. In the event that this is not satisfied they are not permitted to leave the wine.

We will validate name, address, age and other personal information supplied by you during the order process against appropriate third party databases. By accepting these terms and conditions you consent to such checks being made. Personal information that you provide may be disclosed to a credit reference or fraud prevention agency which may keep a record of that information. This is done only to confirm your identity. A credit card check is not performed and your credit rating will be unaffected. If we cannot verify your age using this method we will contact you to ask for a driving licence number (or other evidence) in order to proceed with the order.

Fraud and Crime Prevention

For the purposes of the prevention or detection of offences, and/or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, we may share any information that we collect with the police, other public or private sector agencies or representative bodies in accordance with the relevant legislation. Information shared in this way will not be used for marketing purposes.

Liability

Please note that the images of the products on our website are for illustrative purposes only. Although we use our best efforts to display the colours accurately, we cannot guarantee that your device's display of the colours accurately reflect the colour of the products. The products you purchase may vary slightly from those images.

You have certain legal rights in respect of any products or services you purchase from us, including that such products are of satisfactory quality and that services are provided with reasonable care and skill. You have certain legal remedies if we breach these rights. Nothing in these Terms of Sale is intended to affect or limit these legal rights or other rights to which you may also be entitled, for example to damages. For more information about your legal rights please contact your local Citizens Advice Service or Trading Standards Service.

Our liability for any losses, damage or costs you suffer as a result of us failing to comply with these Terms of Sale is strictly limited to any losses, damage or costs which are a foreseeable consequence of such failure. Loss, damage or a cost is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen, or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen.

We are not responsible for any delay in, or failure of, performance of our obligations under these Terms of Sale arising from any event which is outside of our control (for example, an act of God, governmental act, war, fire, adverse weather conditions including snow, flood or storm, explosion or civil commotion, failure of a third party (other than our sub-contractors) or in information technology or telecommunications services, or industrial action). In the event of a significant delay or failure, we will contact you and take reasonable steps to minimise the effect of the delay or failure. If you are unhappy with a delay which affects your order, you may cancel the order and receive a refund for any products you have paid for but not received by contacting us. If you subsequently receive your order after cancelling it and getting a refund, you must let us know and allow us to collect the products you have received.

We will not be liable to you or to any third party for any loss, damage or costs which arise as a result of:

• Your failure to lift, transport, store or otherwise handle any product in an appropriate and safe manner; or
• Your failure to comply with the recommendations set out in the “Risks, warnings and storage conditions” section below; or
• Any spillages or breakages involving one or more of our products, unless such loss, damage or cost arises as a result of our negligence or one of our products being faulty or defective.

Nothing in these Terms of Sale shall affect our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, for fraud, or any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Risks, warnings and storage conditions

You should be aware of the following inherent risks and warnings in respect of our products:

Alcohol should be consumed in moderation. A case of wine is heavy so extra care should be taken when lifting it. If you are concerned about the weight we advise that you transfer the bottles 1 or 2 at a time. Red wine in particular may cause staining if spilt so extra care should be taken. Sparkling wines and champagnes can be volatile due to the build up of gasses. Extra care should be taken when opening these. The correct storage of wine is of vital importance. Where possible, you should store bottles horizontally, at a stable, cool temperature, out of direct light and in an atmosphere which has some moisture in order to avoid the drying out of corks. The wine should be subject to as little movement as possible.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding orders or any general enquiries please do let us know by:

• Entering the relevant details on the Contact Us page
• Emailing customerservice@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk
• Calling our Customer Support Line on 03330 142 776
• Writing to us at: Direct Wines Ltd, 1600 Arlington Business Park Theale United Kingdom RG7 4SA

Use of the Sites

To comply with licensing and other legislation, the Sites are only available to those aged 18 years and over. By using the Sites, you agree that you are aged 18 or over. If you are not, you must not use the Sites. We will ask you to enter your date of birth before making any purchases.

You agree to use the Sites only for lawful purposes and in a way which does not infringe the rights of anyone else or restrict or inhibit anyone else's use and enjoyment of the Sites.

Access to the Sites is permitted on a temporary basis and we reserve the right to withdraw or amend the service we provide on the Sites without notice.

You are responsible for making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to the Sites. You are also responsible for ensuring that all persons who access the Sites through your Internet connection are aware of these Terms and that they comply with them.

Your account

Some areas of the Sites may require you to register an account with us in order to use the services or purchase products. By registering you agree that:

The personal information that you are required to provide when you register as a customer is true, accurate, current and complete in all respects. You will notify us immediately of any changes to the personal information by updating your details within the “My Details” section within your online account or by contacting us using the contact details below. You shall not impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or entity, including using another person's username, password or other account information. If any information provided by you is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete or if we suspect that any information provided by you is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, we reserve the right to terminate your use of the Sites or your account.

Intellectual Property Rights

All present and future copyright, design rights, unregistered designs, database rights, registered and unregistered trade marks (including The Sunday Times Wine Club trade mark) and any other present and future intellectual property rights and rights in the nature of intellectual property rights existing in and to the Sites including content published on them such as text, graphics, logos, banners, images, buttons, underlying source code and software, are owned by us or the applicable licensor. Nothing in these Terms shall be construed as an assignment to you of any such intellectual property rights.

Any use (including copying, reproduction, duplication, transmission, or display of the content of this website, without our express written permission) for purposes other than the viewing of information or for ordering purposes, is strictly prohibited.

Permission is granted to electronically copy, and to print in hard copy, portions of the Sites for the sole purpose of placing an order with us or using the Sites as a shopping resource.

User comments and content

You may post reviews, ratings, messages, comments and other content which may be disclosed, submitted or offered to us on or through the Sites or otherwise (“Submissions”).

This right is extended on condition that the Submissions are not illegal, obscene, abusive, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, infringing of intellectual property rights, or otherwise injurious to third parties, or objectionable. Specifically, Submissions should not include software viruses, political campaigning, commercial solicitation, chain letters or mass mailings. You are solely responsible for your Submissions. We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to remove or edit any Submissions.

If you disclose, submit or offer any Submissions, unless indicated otherwise, you:

• Grant us a non-exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free and fully sub-licensable right to use, reproduce, publish, modify, adapt, translate, distribute, create derivative works from, and display such Submissions throughout the world in any media.
• Grant us and all sub-licensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with such Submissions, if we so choose.
• Agree to waive your right to be identified as the author of such Submissions and your right to object to derogatory treatment of such Submissions.
• Represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the Submissions; that, as at the date the Submission is disclosed, submitted or offered to us, such Submission is true, accurate and not misleading; use of the Submission will not cause injury to any person or entity (including that it is not defamatory), does not include the trade secret or confidential information of others and does not infringe any other person's or entity's rights. You agree to indemnify us for all claims brought by a third party against us arising out of or in connection with a breach of any of these warranties.

These terms also govern any Submissions you make on any of our related third party websites or pages such as our Facebook page, Twitter, YouTube or other social networking sites. All comments, images, videos and any other type of material posted on any third party social networking site do not necessarily reflect the opinions or ideas of us or our employees and we are not responsible for any such content. In any event, all material posted on any third party social networking site must comply with these Terms and the third party social networking sites' terms of use, as applicable.

Privacy and data protection

We process information about you in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By using the Sites you consent to such processing and you warrant that all data provided by you is accurate.

Liability

We have taken all reasonable care in the preparation of the content of the Sites. However, to the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not make any representations, warranties or terms of any kind in respect of the Sites or their contents (including, without limitation, its accuracy or any views or comments made). Access to and use of the Sites and content on the Sites is entirely at your own risk. We accept no liability for viruses or other device contaminants. You are recommended to take all appropriate safeguards (such as installing appropriate anti-virus software) and firewalls before downloading content from the Sites.

We expressly exclude, to the fullest extent permitted by law, all liability of Direct Wines, its directors, employees and other representatives, howsoever arising, for any loss or damage suffered as a result of your (i) use of, or inability to use, the Sites; or (ii) use of or reliance on any content displayed on the Sites.

All content, text and graphics on the Sites, unless specified, are directed solely at those who access the Sites from the United Kingdom (excluding the Channel Islands). We make no representation and will not be held liable for any use of the Sites by individuals who access the Sites from other locations.

Information transmitted via the Sites will pass over public telecommunication networks. We make no representation or warranty that the operation of the Sites will be uninterrupted or error free and we will not be liable to you if for any reason the Sites are unavailable at any time or for any period or if there are any errors.

The Sites may include links to websites and/or services owned and/or operated by third parties. These are provided for your convenience only. We are not responsible for and do not give any warranties or make any representations regarding any such websites and/or services, their content or your use of them.

Nothing in this section shall affect our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, our liability for fraud, or any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

This section does not:

• Apply to our obligations under the Terms of Sale - please see the "Liability" section in the Terms of Sale for details of our liability to you in respect of the Terms of Sale; or
• Affect your legal rights as a consumer in respect of any of our products or services (for example, if any of our products do not match the description given to them on the Sites). For more information about your legal rights, please contact your local Citizens Advice Service or Trading Standards Service.

Termination

We reserve the right to suspend your use of the Sites at any time for operational, regulatory, legal or other reasons. We may terminate your use of the Sites and/or your account with us with immediate effect if you breach any of these Terms.

General

Amendments to these Terms

We may update or amend these Terms from time to time to comply with law or to meet our changing business requirements by amending this page without notice to you. You are expected to check this page from time to time to take notice of any changes made. Such changes will be effective as soon as they are posted on the Sites. By continuing to use the Sites or purchasing products or services from us, you agree to be bound by the terms of these updates and amendments.

Other important terms

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and the English courts shall have jurisdiction over any disputes arising under or in relation to them and any contract made under them.

If any of these Terms are found to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the rest of the Terms remain in full force and effect.

Only you and we are entitled to enforce these Terms. No third party is entitled to enforce any of these Terms, whether by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.

We may freely transfer or assign any portion of our rights or delegate our obligations under these Terms. You are not entitled to transfer or assign, by operation of law or otherwise, any portion of your rights or delegate you obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent.

These Terms, the Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy set out the entire agreement between you and us and replace any and all prior terms, conditions, warranties and/or representations to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any delay or failure by us to exercise any right we may have under these Terms does not constitute a waiver by us of that right.

Last updated: December 2015

We understand that losing a loved one is an emotional and difficult time. Our team is here to help and will always handle your request with care, sensitivity, and respect.

At the same time, we have a responsibility to make sure that any wine or funds held in a customer's account are passed on in line with the wishes of the deceased and the law. This means we need to confirm who is legally allowed to give us instructions before we can make any changes.

How We Help

We aim to make things as straightforward as possible. Our process depends on the value and complexity of the estate:

1. Low Value, Low Risk Cases

If the value of wine and/or funds held on account is below our set threshold (currently £5,000) and there are no disputes or complications, we can usually help without a grant of probate. We will ask for:

• A copy of the death certificate
• A copy of the will (if there is one), or other evidence showing who is entitled to act
• Proof of identity and address for the person dealing with the estate
• Confirmation that all those entitled to act agree with the request

This allows us to carry out simple instructions, such as transferring, delivering, or selling the wine.

We need to pause any account activity until we have these documents and are sure everything is in order.

2. High Value, High Risk Cases

This is the more common route that we will follow for bereavements. If the value is higher, or if there are any disputes or complex instructions, we will need:

• A copy of the death certificate
• The official grant of probate or letters of administration
• Proof of identity and address for all personal representatives (executors or administrators)
• Written instructions from all representatives (unless one is authorised to act alone)

We need to pause any account activity until we have these documents and are sure everything is in order.

Other Important Information

If there are any disagreements or uncertainty, we may need to wait until things are resolved or a court order is provided.

We cannot take instructions from family members or beneficiaries unless they are the official representatives of the estate.

We are happy to provide statements or valuations for the estate if needed, but we cannot give tax advice.

If you need support, please let us know. We are here to help guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

StorageAndFineWineEnquiries@directwines.com

1. Purpose

This Fake Review Policy explains how we ensure that customer reviews and review information relating to our products and our business are genuine, transparent and compliant with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) and the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) guidance on fake reviews.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Customer reviews of our products and our business, in any format (including written reviews, star ratings and other aggregated review information).
• Reviews published on our own websites and through third-party review platforms and providers engaged by us.
• All teams involved in requesting, managing, publishing or relying on customer reviews.

3. Our Principles

We are committed to ensuring that:

• Reviews reflect customers’ genuine experiences.
• Customers are free to leave positive, neutral or negative reviews.
• Reviews and review information are not misleading.
• Incentives are used, if at all, transparently and fairly.

4. Prohibition of Fake Reviews

We do not submit, commission, procure or publish fake reviews. A fake review is one that purports to be based on a genuine experience but is not. This includes both positive and negative fake reviews. We will not:

• Ask anyone to write a review that does not reflect their genuine experience.
• Allow our employees, agents or connected parties to post reviews of our products or business.
• Procure or accept reviews generated by bots, software or other automated means.

5. Incentivised Reviews

5.1 Our approach

We may occasionally encourage customers to leave reviews by offering entry into a prize draw for responding to a review request. This type of incentive is used to encourage participation, not to influence the content or sentiment of reviews. We do not:

• Incentivise customers to leave only positive reviews.
• Offer incentives in exchange for changing or removing negative reviews. Offering entry into a prize draw without guaranteeing a reward is unlikely to amount to commissioning for the purposes of the banned fake review practice.

5.2 Transparency

Where reviews are incentivised, we ensure this is made clear and transparent to consumers in an appropriate and prominent manner, so that readers understand the context in which the review was written.

6. No Suppression or Cherry-Picking of Reviews

We do not suppress genuine negative reviews or selectively publish positive reviews. Reviews will be removed or withheld where they:

• Are fake or misleading.
• Contain defamatory, abusive or threatening content.
• Contain personal data.
• Refer to competitors.
• Are not verifiably genuine.

We do not remove genuine reviews simply because they are critical or unfavourable.

7. Use of Third-Party Review Providers

We use reputable third-party review providers to collect, verify and publish customer reviews. Before engaging or continuing to use a review provider, we ensure that:

• The provider has appropriate systems to verify reviews.
• The provider does not permit or encourage fake reviews or concealed incentivised reviews.
• Any automated filtering or suppression tools are consistent with this policy and applied fairly.

8. Staff Reviews

To ensure independence of reviews:

• Reviews submitted from IP addresses associated with our offices are suppressed.
• Employees and contractors must not review our own products or business.

9. Cross-Vintage and Product Variant Reviews

As a wine merchant, we may sell the same wine across different vintages, which can lead to minor variations in customer experience. Where appropriate and not misleading:

• We may display reviews across multiple recent vintages to give customers a broader and more representative view, up to a maximum of 5 vintages.
• Reviews will only be grouped where differences between vintages are unlikely to result in a materially different consumer experience.
• The approach to cross-vintage reviews will be applied consistently across the business. We will not merge or apply reviews across products or vintages where doing so would risk misleading customers.

10. Detection, Investigation and Removal

We take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and identify fake or misleading reviews, including:

• Using verification and moderation tools provided by our review partners.
• Monitoring reviews for suspicious patterns, including abnormal volumes, timing or sources (such as repeated submissions from the same IP address).
• Investigating reviews reported as suspicious. Where a review is identified as fake or misleading, we will:
  • Remove it promptly where appropriate.
  • Ensure associated ratings or aggregated review information are updated accordingly.

11. Ongoing Monitoring and Review

We periodically assess the effectiveness of our review processes and this policy, including:

• Reviewing risks relating to fake or misleading reviews.
• Updating processes and guidance where necessary.
• Providing relevant training to teams involved with customer reviews.

12. Access to This Policy

This policy is publicly available and written in plain English so customers and other stakeholders can understand how we manage and protect the integrity of customer reviews.

If you order a The Sunday Times Wine Club membership, these terms and conditions and our Standard Terms apply.

If you are a member of Times+ and you live in the UK (excluding the Channel Islands or BFPO), are 18 years or older you are entitled to claim one free membership of Wine Club Unlimited for as long as i) the offer is available and ii) make any purchase from the Sunday Times Wine Club. Your membership will last 12 months for the date your Wine Club Unlimited membership is activated. You may sign up again for a further complimentary 12-months’ membership after your initial membership has ended provided you are still a member of Times+. These terms and conditions and our Standard Terms shall apply to such free membership unless indicated otherwise. We reserve the right to withdraw the membership at any time.

The benefits of the memberships we offer

If you are a Times+ member you will be eligible for a free membership of Wine Club Unlimited only and will enjoy the benefits as set out under the first bullet point below.

The Sunday Times Wine Club’s offers two types of membership to all its customers. By paying the relevant annual fee, you will receive the following benefits for 12 months:

Wine Club Unlimited: (currently £29.99 annually) for any order, including subscription cases and gift items, there is no delivery charge, and you can upgrade to our next day or named day delivery service (please see here for additional information on exclusions and cut off times), for no additional charge. You can send different orders to up to 20 different delivery addresses. Free delivery does not apply to withdrawals of wines you have stored with us.

Wine Club Charter Plus: (currently £99 annually) with every order of 12 (75cl) bottles or more, you will receive two bottles of wine, together normally retailing for at least £19.98, at no additional charge, with detailed and illustrated background notes available online in our Beyond the Label area or via our online bottle scanner. This gives you the opportunity to try interesting wines that you might not normally buy, and often be the first to try exciting new bottles we launch. Please note that if you are a Premiere member and:

1. wish to rely on our Quality Guarantee (as set out in our Standard Terms) in respect of any free-of-charge bottle, you will only be entitled to receive a replacement bottle but not a refund;
2. join a subscription, you will not receive your free-of-charge bottles of the type referred to above with your introductory subscription case but will receive such bottles with all subsequent subscription 12-bottle cases; or
3. order 12 or more bottles of En Primeur wine, we will send you your free-of-charge bottles of the type referred to above shortly after accepting your En Primeur order.

Membership eligibility

Membership is only available to customers aged 18 years or older and is not available for corporate customers. You must also have an account with The Sunday Times Wine Club to sign up for and use any of our memberships.

Free membership of Wine Club Unlimited is available to Times+ members for 12 months, provided you are a member of Times+ when signing up and provided you live in the UK (excluding the Channel Islands and BFPO) and are 18 years or older and make a purchase from the Sunday Times Wine Club. You may sign up again for a further complimentary 12-months’ membership after your initial membership has ended provided you are still a member of Times+.

Delivery restrictions

These memberships only apply to deliveries in the UK (excluding Channel Islands and BFPO addresses). Please refer to the Delivery section of our website for details of the delivery options we offer.

Automatic annual renewal of membership

At the end of each year of your membership, we will automatically renew your membership for another year. We will remind you of this by email (please make sure we hold a correct email address for you) only before the expiry of your membership year and you can notify us at any time that you do not want such renewal to happen by calling us on 03330 142 771 or emailing us at customerservice@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk. You can also see when your membership is due for renewal online in your The Sunday Times Wine Club My Account section.

Unless you provide such notification, you authorise us to collect the annual membership fee (as notified to you in our renewal reminder) from the credit or debit card registered with your account on expiry of each membership year.

For Times+ members your membership will automatically end after 12 months. You may sign-up again for a further complimentary 12-months’ membership after your initial membership has ended provided you are still member of Times + and resident in the UK (excluding Channel Islands and BFPO).

Your rights to cancel your membership

If you ordered your membership via the website, the app or by email or telephone, you can cancel your membership under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 as follows:

• the general rule is that you must notify us of cancellation within 14 days after the day on which you receive the first of the products ordered using your membership;
• however, if you purchased an Unlimited membership but did not place an order for products at the same time, you must notify us of cancellation within 14 days of us confirming your membership.

If you cancel your membership as set out above, we will refund the price you paid for your membership within 14 days of your notification. However, if you have benefitted from your membership before cancelling it, we will deduct from your refund an amount equivalent to the value of such benefit, as follows:

• the standard delivery charge for each delivery – as set out on the Delivery section of our website – for which you have not been charged as part of an Unlimited membership (excluding any delivery where you have cancelled your order for the relevant goods in accordance with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 as described above); and
• where you cancel Charter Plus membership, an amount equal to the value of:
  1. the retail value of any free bottles provided prior to cancellation which you wish to keep (if you do not wish to keep your free bottles you must allow us to collect – free of charge – all such bottles); and
  2. any reduction in the value of any free bottles provided prior to cancellation that you have handled in a way which would not be permitted in a shop (for example, by opening them, consuming them or removing a seal).

You can also cancel your membership at any time and receive a full refund for the membership fee paid for the current membership year (if applicable), provided you have not used or benefitted from your membership (i.e. received any of the membership benefits, such as free delivery and/or free bottles of wine) in the current membership year. Please note that this cancellation right is separate to the cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

You can cancel by calling us on 03330 142 771, emailing us at customerservice@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk, by using the contact us page on the website (available here) or by completing the Cancellation form on our website.

Our rights to terminate or not automatically renew your membership

We may terminate your membership or decide not to automatically renew it, with immediate effect and without notice to you if:

• we do not receive payment from you in respect of your membership;
• you are not eligible for membership;
• you do anything which is in breach of these terms and conditions or our Standard Terms; or
• you do anything which is illegal or harmful to our interests.
• You or Times+ end your Times+ membership with Times+

If we terminate your membership for any of the above reasons, we will where applicable retain the price paid for your membership as compensation.

If we cease offering any type of membership (including free Wine Club Unlimited membership to Times+ members) and do not replace it with a different type of membership in accordance the paragraph below, we will write to you at least 1 month prior to the end of your current membership year to inform you that we will not be renewing your membership.

If we replace any type of membership with a different type of membership which offers benefits of equivalent or greater value, we will write to inform you that we will be changing your membership type. We will give you at least 1 month’s notice before such change comes into effect. If you do not wish to accept such change, please tell us and we will cancel your membership. If you cancel (except in the case free membership of Wine Club Unlimited for Times+ members) and the change comes into effect part of the way through your membership year, we will give you a pro rata refund of the membership fee you paid.

Amendments to these Membership Terms

If we amend these terms and conditions (including to make changes to the membership benefits or to increase membership fees or to withdraw free membership from Times+ members) further to the general section of our Standard Terms, the changes will come into effect when your membership automatically renews and not before. We will notify you by email a few weeks prior to the changes and your continued membership after the renewal date constitutes acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to such changes, please tell us that you do not want your membership to automatically renew. We reserve the right not to provide any enhanced membership benefits to the Wine Club Unlimited membership of Times+ members.

Direct Wines Limited and Times Newspapers Limited may share your information with each other for campaign reconciliation, evaluation, audit purposes and in accordance with their respective privacy policies.

Last updated: 25 April 2022

If you join a Subscription, these terms and conditions and our Standard Terms apply.

How our subscriptions work

Once we have accepted your request to join a Subscription (in accordance with the Our contract with you section of our Standard Terms) and we have received payment from you for the introductory case of wine, you will receive:

• The introductory case for the Subscription that you have selected, plus any items which are advertised as being included with such introductory case, within 3-5 days of our acceptance; and
• (unless you cancel your Subscription or delay/skip your case) a case at regular intervals. Except for annual Subscriptions we may also send you an extra case at Christmas, if you become eligible – we will let you know beforehand if so. We will charge you for each case you receive after the introductory case at the subscription price plus our standard delivery fee, as set out on the Delivery Information page. By requesting to join a Subscription, you authorise us to deduct such subsequent amounts from the credit or debit card that you used to pay for the introductory case.
• Tasting notes are available for all your wines in your online account online in Beyond the Label.
• We will email you the details of the next case, including the price, before delivery is due. You will also be able to review at any time the forthcoming case online in the “My Account” section on our website
• .A £7.99 charge for standard delivery will be added to every Subscription delivery if applicable (Unlimited/Wine Fund members pay no delivery charges).

Subscription Pricing

• Subscription case prices are variable. You will be notified of the case content and price 6-7 days before delivery by email or you can view it online in the “My Account” section on our website.
• Case discounts are usually at least 10% off the regular bottle price.

Subscription Frequency

• For most subscriptions you will join on an 8-week frequency. You can change the frequency of your deliveries online. Vineyard Partner cases are delivered once a year on arrival of the new vintage.
• For mixed cases the selection usually changes every 8 weeks (Seasons and The Wine Club change every 4 weeks).

Restrictions

Please note the following restrictions which apply to Subscriptions, in addition to those set out in the voucher codes, promotions and special offers section in Standard Terms:

• Only one introductory, discounted case is permitted per household. We reserve the right to reject repeated orders for introductory cases; and
• If you are a Charter Plus customer when you join a Subscription, you will not receive your free Charter Plus bottles with your introductory case but will receive such bottles with every subsequent 12 bottle case that you receive as part of the Subscription.

Changing or cancelling a Subscription

If you wish to, you can:

• Change the frequency of your Subscription;
• Change your selected Subscription to a different one;
• Swap individual wines for your favourites or a wine you'd particularly like to try (a small number of subscriptions including Vineyard Partners do not allow swapping wines);
• Bring the delivery date forward if you need a case sooner;
• Push the delivery date back if you are not ready for another case (the contents of the case may change). The delivery date can only be pushed back so far but you can come back nearer the time to delay delivery again; or
• Cancel your Subscription.

To change or cancel a Subscription, you must let us know:

• At least 5 days prior to the scheduled delivery date of your next case; and
• By accessing your Subscription online in your Sunday Times Wine Club My Account or by calling us on 03330 148 149.
• If (whether before or after cancelling a Subscription) you have received a case that you wish to cancel, you may cancel that case in accordance with the Cancellation section of our Standard Terms.
• From time to time, we may make changes to these terms and conditions, including the case price, or we may cease offering a Subscription and transition you onto a new type of Subscription if appropriate; or cancel your Subscription if no alternative exists. We will let you know by email at least 6 days before your next case is due to be delivered. We will only communicate these changes by email. Please ensure that we hold a correct email address for you. You can also see any changes online in your Laithwaites My Account on the same 6-day time frame. If you are unhappy with such changes, you can cancel your Subscription in accordance with these terms and conditions. If you do not cancel your Subscription, the changes will come into effect starting with the next case of wine which you receive. See returns policy.

Gift Subscriptions

Close-ended gift subscriptions are notified of the individual case prices, the number of cases and the number of bottles in each, at the time of purchase. Delivery is free. As the purchaser, you will be notified 6-7 days before each case is despatched. The case will be automatically sent to the recipient of the gift subscription unless you request otherwise. You can alter the delivery date or delivery address online under Subscriptions. The recipient cannot make any changes themselves. By purchasing this gift subscription, you authorise us to deduct the subsequent amounts from the credit or debit card that you used to pay for the first subscription case. The subscription will end after the last case has been delivered. Standard Terms and Conditions Apply.

What is En Primeur?

En Primeur is the term for buying wines as “futures”. That is, buying wines before they are bottled and released onto the market. Depending on the wine region, wines can be delivered at any time from one month to 2 - 3 years after the wines are offered. In the event that a wine is unavailable for reasons beyond our control, our liability will be limited to payments made in respect of the order affected.

Prices and payment instalments

A description of the wines and prices are set out in the brochure and are correct at the time of publication. Errors and omissions are excepted.

Our En Primeur prices are the 'in bond' cost (i.e. exclusive of UK duty and VAT). No discount or vouchers shall apply to En Primeur wines.

Customers may order Charter Plus wines by calling our Fine Wine Team on 03330 148 202 or by emailing finewine@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk.

Customers pay for the wines in two payments. The first payment covers the cost of the wine itself. When the wine arrives with us in the UK, we will send you another invoice for the second and final instalment. Should you choose to take delivery of your wine, this invoice will set out the cost of delivery to a UK address, duty at the prevailing rate, plus the VAT applicable on the day of the final invoice (currently 20%). Alternatively, you can choose from one of the following options:

(i) to keep the wine in bond; or

(ii) to pay the UK duty and VAT and store it Duty Paid.

Once we have received payment of the appropriate amount in cleared funds, we will action your instructions.

Interest Charges

If payment is not made by the due dates by you then we may without prejudice to any other rights we may have, charge interest at an annual rate of 5% above the current base rate of Barclays Bank PLC to be calculated on a day to day basis on the balance outstanding until payment is made in full.

Contract Creation

When we receive your order we will send you a Reservation Certificate to the address provided by you. You will not receive any wine at this time. However, should you be a member and order 12 or more bottles, we will send you your usual complimentary bottle(s).

Your En Primeur order is an offer to buy from us. A contract is not formed until we accept your order which takes place when we invoice you for the wines at the En Primeur price. We reserve the right to cancel orders if we have not received payment within 14 days of the due date.

Ownership and Insurance

All wines or other goods remain the property of The Sunday Times Wine Club (Direct Wines Ltd) or its associates until payment is received in full (in cash or cleared funds). You may resell the Wine but will account for the sale if so required by The Sunday Times Wine Club and if title to the Wine has not passed to you then prior to such sale you must notify the purchaser of these Terms relating to the title to the Wine. Should you resell the Wine prior to its arrival in the UK, you must ensure that you pass on any notifications you receive from us to the purchaser. However, you will remain liable for any outstanding payments.

All wines are insured by us at the original invoice value until your delivery and or storage instructions have been completed.

Cancellation

Wines ordered through our En Primeur service can only be cancelled within 14 days of placing the initial order but not at any time thereafter and are not subject to our standard 100% quality and taste guarantee. A full refund of any payment made up to this point will be given on receipt of written notification of the cancellation of the order. Due to the nature of the En Primeur sales we regret that orders cannot be cancelled after this time.

Delivery and Storage

En Primeur wines will be delivered to the UK delivery location nominated by the customer. Should you request the wine to be delivered on a signature required service, please ensure that you are available to sign for delivery. Wines will not be delivered until all monies due to us have been received and cleared in full. Our standard delivery charges apply. Please see our Delivery Information section for further details.

We can store your wine (both ‘duty paid' or ‘in bond') in ideal, long-term cellar conditions. Our storage charge is currently £12.60 per case per year. Please contact us for further details.

If you do not contact us with instructions within 6 weeks of your wines being ready, we will place the wines into bonded storage on your behalf and at your cost. The credit or debit card that you used to make the first payment for the wines will be charged the applicable storage fee.

When we arrange the transfer of your bonded wines to another bonded warehouse, your wines will travel under our movement guarantee. A movement guarantee is a form of financial security that we are required by law to have in place before transferring your wines under bond.

If your wines go missing during the transfer, or if the warehouse which receives your wines fails to notify HMRC when it receives them (whether at all or within the required time frames), we may become liable – under our movement guarantee – to pay VAT and duty on your wines, as well any fines and interest due.

In those circumstances, you agree that you will indemnify us against all VAT, duty, fines and interest that HMRC (or any other relevant body) may charge us and any associated legal and professional costs and expenses we may incur or suffer.

Acceptance

You or anyone acting on your behalf undertakes to inspect all goods when collecting or immediately on delivery and to notify us or the carrier immediately of any shortage, damage or other deficiency. You or anyone acting on your behalf will be deemed to have accepted the goods as satisfying your order three days after collection/delivery, and thereafter will not be entitled to reject wines for any reason, and no returns, refunds or credits will be permitted thereafter.

Default

If any payment is overdue for 14 days or the goods have not been collected within three months of being available, or there is an earlier indication from you that payment will not be made or the goods will not be collected, we shall be entitled to send written notice to the invoice address of our intention to deal with, sell or otherwise dispose of the goods and 7 days thereafter we shall be at liberty to do so unless payment in full is received or the goods are collected before the close of business on the seventh day. Any method of resale is entirely at our discretion.

Upon resale you will receive a credit of 80% of the lower of the net proceeds of the resale and the price of our original sale to you. Any balance after the credit shall remain payable by you and shall continue to carry interest. The existence of this right does not affect any other remedies we would have.

Availability

All goods are offered subject to availability. If the wines you have selected are unavailable we will contact you to advise you of this. If the producer fails to supply us with the wine we will contact you with available alternatives or offer a refund of monies paid.

Update us

It is your responsibility to keep us informed of any changes of address and other contract details in order to maintain any reservations you may have with us.

Liability

Our liability for losses you suffer as a result of us breaching these Terms is strictly limited to any losses which are a foreseeable consequence of us breaching these Terms. Losses are foreseeable where they could be contemplated by you and us at the time your order is accepted by us. Nothing in these Terms shall affect our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, nor our liability for fraud, nor any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Except as expressly provided in these Terms, we are not responsible for any delay in, or failure of, performance of our obligations under these Terms arising from any cause beyond our reasonable control including but not limited to any of the following: a failure by you to provide correct delivery details, act of God, governmental act, war, fire, flood, storm, adverse weather conditions including but not limited to snow, explosion or civil commotion, failure in information technology or telecommunications services, failure of a third party (including failure to supply data) and industrial action.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and the English courts shall have jurisdiction over any disputes arising under or in relation to them and any contract made under them.

Contact us

If you have any questions please do let us know by:

• Emailing finewine@thesundaytimeswineclub.co.uk
• Calling our Fine Wine Team on 03330 148 202

Terms and Conditions 2026 / 2027

These terms apply to the storage of wines purchased from The Sunday Times Wine Club ("STWC"), a company registered in England and Wales (Registered Company No. 01095091), VAT No. GB 823825133. References to "we" or "us" mean Direct Wines Limited (trading as The Sunday Times Wine Club). By choosing to store wine with us, you agree to these terms.

Storage conditions

Wines purchased from us can be stored in our climate-controlled facility, which maintains consistent temperature and humidity. The site is monitored 24/7 with CCTV and on-site security. Each case is clearly labelled with your name and address. We may relocate your wines to a third-party warehouse which meets equivalent environmental and security standards.

Updating your contact details

If your contact details change, update them in your online account or call us on 03330 148 208.

Which wines can be stored?

Only wines purchased from The Sunday Times Wine Club can be stored with us. Storage must be requested at the time of purchase or, for En Primeur wines, when the second instalment is paid. We do not offer collection from customer addresses. You can only store unmixed cases with us (whether 12-bottle or part cases).

Please note: part cases are charged at the full case rate.

Insurance

Your wine is insured while in storage and during transit for loss and damage. Claims will be settled at the then current market value as determined by us in our sole discretion.

Withdrawal and delivery of wines from storage

You can view your stored wines and their estimated drink-by dates in the storage section of your online account.

Stored wines can only be withdrawn as complete cases. We do not deliver split cases or individual bottles.

If you choose to have wine cleared from bond (i.e. moving from 'in-bond' to 'duty-paid', excise duty is payable and VAT is then charged at the prevailing rates on the purchase price of the wine and the duty.

For current rates and for help in withdrawing your wines from storage, please contact our Fine Wine team on 03330 148 208.

Standard delivery to mainland UK addresses is charged at £7.99 per withdrawal (i.e. one charge for any number of cases withdrawn together). Delivery typically takes up to 7 working days.

For more remote areas — including offshore islands, Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, and some other parts of Scotland — and during busy trading periods, please allow up to 14 working days. We are no longer able to deliver to the Republic of Ireland. However, for customers with wine currently in storage, we will honour existing delivery commitments. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery.

Delivery Timing and Surcharges

Standard delivery applies Monday to Friday during office hours (9am–5pm). If you request delivery outside these hours, a surcharge may apply, subject to prior arrangement.

Delivery Conditions

All wines withdrawn from storage for delivery will be despatched on a signature required service. Please ensure that you are available to sign for delivery. Wines will not be withdrawn or delivered from storage until all monies due to us have been received and cleared in full.

Bonded Transfers and Movement Guarantee

We can arrange the transfer of bonded wines to another bonded warehouse at a flat rate of £55, regardless of the number of cases.

Transfers are made under our movement guarantee, a legal requirement that provides financial security during bonded wine transfers. If your wines go missing in transit, or if the receiving warehouse fails to notify HMRC correctly or on time, we may become liable for VAT, duty, fines, and interest.

In such cases, you agree to indemnify us against all resulting charges, including:

• VAT and duty,
• Fines and interest,
• Any associated legal or professional costs.

Acceptance of Delivery

You (or anyone acting on your behalf) must inspect all goods upon collection or delivery and notify us immediately of any shortage, damage, or other issue. Unless we are notified within three days of collection or delivery, the goods will be deemed accepted as satisfying your order. After this period, wines cannot be rejected, and no returns, refunds, or credits will be issued.

Risk in the wine transfers to you when the goods are delivered to you (or to any location you instruct us to deliver to) or collected by you or your agent.

Charges

The rental year runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027. Storage and insurance are charged at £12.60 per case per year (inclusive of VAT), payable annually in advance. We reserve the right to adjust this rate, with prior notice. For wines stored partway through the year, a monthly rate of £1.05 per case applies for each full month remaining of the rental year.

Storage invoices are issued once a year, 21 days before the end of the rental year (around 10 May 2026 for the next rental year). Please ensure your email address is up to date so you receive your invoice. If you do not request withdrawal of your wine before the rental period ends, your storage will automatically renew and the original debit or credit card used will be charged. To update your payment details, please contact us.

Anything coming into or out of storage between the date we issue your invoice and the start of the rental year will affect your storage charges.

En Primeur Wines and Charges

Wines purchased En Primeur become subject to storage charges only once they arrive in the UK. At that point, you can choose to:

• Take delivery,
• Store the wine under bond, or
• Store it duty paid.

We'll send you an invoice outlining the costs. Once payment is received, we'll carry out your instructions. If we don't hear from you within 14 days of the invoice date, the wine will be placed into bonded storage at your cost.

Payment obligations, process for non-payment and disposal of wine

Payment Obligations

Storage charges must be paid within 30 days of the invoice date.

If we hold a valid payment card on file, we will automatically charge that card when the invoice is raised. If we do not hold a card, we will debit your account and request payment.

Process if payment is not received

If we do not receive payment, we will send you:

• a first reminder: 14 days after the renewal date;
• a second reminder: a further 14 days later; and
• we will then seek to contact you again by contacting you in writing and by telephone, and finally we will send a final notice by registered post.

Disposal of wine

By using our storage services, you grant us a contractual lien over all wines we hold for you as security for all amounts you owe to us (whether under these terms or otherwise). If you have still not paid your outstanding charges after we have followed the process we describe above, we may sell some or all of the wines and apply the proceeds to amounts owed and our reasonable costs. Any balance will be remitted to you upon request.

Our reasonable costs are any VAT or duty that may be incurred, any commission and fees charged by a third party broker or auction house in selling the wine, any delivery charges we may incur and an administration fee for our time in handling the sale of any wine (which shall be capped at a maximum of £25 per full case of wine).

Limitation of liability

Please read this section carefully.

We insure your wine for loss and damage while in storage or in transit. However, we do not accept any liability to you for:

• any loss of condition or decline in market value of your wine due to natural ageing, ullage or prolonged cellaring;
• loss of any kind for wines outside of the drinking window we publish for them;
• loss of any kind for wines which have been removed from our storage more than 3 months prior to the date you drink the wine. This is because we cannot be responsible for wines held outside of our control; and
• any indirect or consequential loss you may claim.

Termination of Storage

We may terminate your storage arrangement by giving at least two months' notice. If this happens, you must either collect your wines or provide delivery instructions no later than seven working days before the end of the notice period.

If you fail to do so, we reserve the right to dispose of your wines — by sale or otherwise — and apply any proceeds to your outstanding balance. Any surplus will be refunded upon receipt of your written instructions. If we are unable to sell your wines, you authorise us to treat them as abandoned. We may then destroy or otherwise dispose of them at our sole discretion, with no liability to you.

Third-Party Ownership

Regardless of whether your wines are owned or intended for a third party — and whether or not we've been informed — you remain our sole client and are fully responsible for all payments and instructions.

You agree to indemnify us against any claims, losses, costs, or liabilities arising from:

• Third-party ownership disputes,
• Our exercise of rights to sell or dispose of the wines, or
• Our refusal to act on instructions from third parties.

Valuation and Advice Disclaimer

Any valuations or maturity guidance we provide are for information only. We do not provide financial advice and accept no liability for changes in market value of your wine.

Variation of Terms

We may update these terms and conditions from time to time. We will notify you in advance of any changes.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. Data Protection We process your personal data to provide our storage service to you in accordance with our privacy policy.

Contact Us

You can contact us by post at our registered address or by calling our Customer Services team on 03330 148 208.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 If you purchase a ticket for an event we have organised (including any wine training course), these terms and conditions and our Standard Terms apply.

2. CONDITIONS OF EVENT ATTENDANCE

2.1 We encourage responsible drinking at our events and would strongly encourage that you eat before and during an event. We would encourage you to drink water in between samples. Free drinking water and spittoons are available at all events. By attending an event, you accept and agree that:

• 2.1.1 there is strictly no admittance to anyone under 18 years old, including babies in arms and pushchairs. We reserve the right to ask for photographic identification with proof of age and not permit entry to anyone who cannot provide such identification;
• 2.1.2 there is strictly no admittance to animals other than guide dogs; and
• 2.1.3 you will not remove any containers holding wine, beer or spirits from the event premises.

2.2 In addition, you accept and agree that:

• 2.2.1 there is no smoking allowed within event venues;
• 2.2.2 fancy dress is not permitted at events;
• 2.2.3 you may be photographed, filmed and/or sound recorded and we may use such recordings for our promotional, marketing and other business purposes;
• 2.2.4 you will take care of, and be responsible for, your personal possessions when you attend events. Cloakrooms may be provided for your convenience but should not be used to store valuable items;
• 2.2.5 you will be responsible for the full cost of replacing or repairing any wines, equipment and/or other items which are stolen, lost and/or damaged as a result of your actions whilst at an event; and
• 2.2.6 you will not be permitted entry to an event if you are not able to present a valid ticket on request.

2.3 We reserve the right to:

• 2.3.1 prohibit your use of any form of audio or visual or sound recording equipment at our events;
• 2.3.2 conduct security searches to ensure the safety of event attendees;
• 2.3.3 refuse admission or expel any person whose conduct renders such a course reasonably necessary; and/or
• 2.3.4 take any other actions which are notified to you when you attend an event.

2.4 By attending an event, you agree to co-operate with any actions which we take further to section 2.3.

2.5 We may at our absolute discretion permit attendees to bring a carer. Should you wish to bring a carer or believe you require a carer at the event, please get in touch with our team to discuss at least 14 days in advance of the event on 03330 142 776 or by emailing customerservice@sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk.

We may ask for documentation to verify your request for a complimentary carer ticket. You acknowledge that not all events will have room or be suitable for attendance with a carer and if not, we reserve the right to cancel your ticket and refund you. We reserve the right to charge you for an additional ticket if we have approved for your carer to attend. All carers shall comply with the event terms as an attendee of the event.

3. EVENT CHANGES

3.1 We reserve the right to make minor changes to the composition of each event (including wine producers, any talks or demonstrations) without being obliged to refund or exchange your ticket(s).

3.2 If we cancel, postpone or make major changes to an event (such as change the venue or date / time), we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable. Your ticket(s) will remain valid for the revised event unless otherwise advised or unless the event has been cancelled.

3.3 If you are unable to attend an event which we have rescheduled, or if the event is cancelled or we make major changes to it, we will offer you the option to attend an alternative event (if available) or receive a credit of the price you paid for the ticket(s).

4. TICKET CANCELLATIONS AND CHANGES

4.1 Each ticket is valid only for the date and time booked.

4.2 Please note that the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 do not give you the right to change your mind and get a refund in respect of an event ticket.

4.3 However, as a matter of goodwill, if you wish to change the date / time of your ticket(s), or cancel your ticket(s) and move the value of the ticket value to another event we will allow you to do so provided that:

• 4.3.1 you contact us as soon as possible and in any event at least 28 days before the date of a Wine and Dinner Evening (or other wine event where a meal or catering is provided);
• 4.3.2 for all other events, you contact us as soon as possible and in any event at least 14 days before the date of the event;
• 4.3.3 if you have received physical tickets, you return the ticket(s) to us by post, at your expense or in person to one of our shops; and
• 4.3.4 in the case of a request to change the date / time of your tickets, that the requested date / time is available.

4.4 If you wish to cancel your ticket(s) or change the date / time of your ticket(s) in accordance with section 4.3, please contact us by calling 03330 142 776 or emailing customerservice@sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk.

4.5 Please note that we do not give credits or allow changes to the date / time of tickets other than as stated in section 4.3. In particular, if you fail to attend an event without cancelling in advance as required by section 4.3, we will not give you a refund or credit and you will not be able to rebook for a different date.

4.6 Tickets purchased as part of a promotional offer or discounted rate are subject to the terms of that offer. Bookings cannot be cancelled, amended, or rebooked for the purpose of obtaining a different or improved price under any subsequent or alternative promotion.

5. PURCHASING PRODUCTS AT EVENTS

5.1 Wine and other products may be available for purchase at our events. Our Standard Terms apply to any purchase you make at our events.

5.2 In addition, please note that unless otherwise stated:

• 5.2.1 prices and special offers which are advertised during or in connection with an event are valid only for the duration of that event unless otherwise specified; and
• 5.2.2 all special offers which are advertised during or in connection with an event, including free delivery offers:
  • 5.2.2.1 are limited to one offer per household;
  • 5.2.2.2 cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion, including wine plans;
  • 5.2.2.3 cannot be used to purchase En Primeur wines; and
  • 5.2.2.4 may be subject to additional terms. Please refer to the order form and programme at each event for details of any such terms.

6. LIABILITY

6.1 Please refer to the Liability section of the Standard Terms for details of our liability to you in connection with events.

6.2 In addition, we do not accept responsibility or liability:

• 6.2.1 in connection with any arrangements you have made in relation to an event, including travel, accommodation or hospitality, which you make at your own risk and expense; or
• 6.2.2 for any loss of enjoyment experienced by you in connection with an event; or
• 6.2.3 for any wasted expenditure incurred by you in connection with an event; or
• 6.2.4 for any loss, theft, injury or damage which occurs within the event premises, except where death or personal injury is due to our negligence.

7. VIRTUAL EVENTS

7.1 Where the event is delivered online, no physical ticket will be provided. Subject to specific event procedures, an email confirmation will be sent to the address supplied by you once you have made a successful purchase of the event wine (or ticket, as the case may be). We will email joining instructions to the event, as well as a link to the recording for those wishing to attend at a different time. Note not all virtual events may be recorded, please confirm with the events team in advance if this is something you require. No further registration is required, and anyone can access the event by using the emailed link (unless we have communicated to the contrary). If for any reason you have not received the email, please contact Events.Feedback@sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk

7.2 Virtual events are delivered over the Internet and accordingly, subject to limitations, delays, and other problems inherent in the use of the internet and electronic communications. We shall not be responsible for any delays, delivery failures, viruses, hacker intrusions or other damage resulting from the same or similar issues. We make no representation, warranty or guarantee as to the reliability, timeliness, quality, suitability, accuracy or completeness of the event presenters. All conditions, representations and warranties, whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise, including, without limitation, any fitness for a particular purpose, are hereby disclaimed by us to the maximum extent permitted by law.

7.3 If the event is cancelled, postponed or other material changes are made (such as a change in subject matter), we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable. The original wine purchased for the virtual event will remain valid for the revised event (except for in the case of cancellation) unless otherwise advised. However, should you be unable to attend the revised event or in case the event is cancelled, we will offer a refund of the face value of the virtual event wine to customers who have not opened the event wine and wish to return it. Customers with unopened event wine may elect i) for us to collect (free of charge) the unopened event wine, and we will reimburse you for the same; ii) to keep the event wine (no refund or reimbursement will be provided in this instance).

7.4 No shows to virtual events are non-refundable. Returns of unopened event wine shall be in accordance with our standard terms & conditions.

The promoter of the promotion is Direct Wines Ltd trading as The Sunday Times Wine Club, 1600 Arlington Business Park, Theale, United Kingdom, RG7 4SA (”we”, “us” or “our”).

By participating in the promotion, you accept these terms and agree to be bound by them.

Eligibility

The promotion is open to UK residents in England, Scotland and Wales (not Northern Ireland) who are aged 18 or over at the time of entry. The promotion is not open to our directors, officers, agents, contractors or employees of LW, or their close family members, or any person professionally connected with the promotion.

Only one entry per person is permitted.

Entry

Instructions on how you may enter the promotion are stated in the promotional materials.

Duration

The start and closing dates for the promotion are stated in the promotional materials.

Prize

Unless the promotional materials state otherwise, there will be one prize winner.

We will not offer any alternative prize or cash equivalent.

Selecting and contacting the prize winner

The winner will be selected at random no later than 7 days after the promotion closing date.

We will contact the winner no later than 14 days after the promotion closing date. If the promotion is published on social media, we will contact the winner by direct message on social media. If we collected email addresses as part of the promotion, we will contact the winner by email.

We will make three attempts to contact the winner. If the winner does not accept the prize within 5 days of our last message, we will select an alternative winner.

Age verification

Where the prize includes alcohol, we are required by law to ensure the winner is aged 18 or over. As a consequence, we will use the services of a third party to complete an age verification check on the winner.

We will withhold the prize if we are not able to verify that the winner is aged 18 or over, without liability to the winner.

Delivery

We will arrange to send the prize to the winner via our courier.

Promotions on social media

Where we run a promotion on social media: (a) the promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with that social media platform; and (b) the social media platform is not responsible or liable for the promotion.

Your personal data

Please read our privacy notice for the promotion.

If you win, we will ask you for your postal address to deliver your prize, and we may ask for extra information to verify your age. We collect this information directly from you.

We use your personal data to run the promotion fairly and properly and, if you win, to notify you and deliver your prize. We may share your details for age verification (to make sure we only supply alcohol to those aged 18 or over) and with our carrier to deliver your prize. If we are running a co-branded promotion, part of the prize may be delivered by another company. We will let you know if we need to share your name and postal address.

Publishing details about the winner

Under the CAP Code, we may need to publish or make available certain information about prize winners. You can object by contacting us at dpo@laithwaites.co.uk. Even if you object, we may still need to provide your information and the winning entry to the ASA.

General

Wine may contain sulphites.

We may withdraw or change the promotion (including the prize) if unforeseen circumstances arise or if circumstances outside our control make this necessary.

We are not responsible or liable for:

(a) any entry where the social media post or comment is lost, deleted, or treated as abusive by the social media platform;

(b) any accounts the social media platform (or we) consider fraudulent or not authentic;

(c) unforeseen changes to the social media platform’s legal terms or commenting rules and regulations;

(d) external factors that prevent a participant from accepting their prize; and

(e) any entries we cannot find, view, open or access.

Nothing in these terms shall exclude or limit our liability for:

(a) death or personal injury resulting from its negligence;

(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or

(c) any other liability which cannot be excluded by law.

Save as described immediately above, we shall not be liable for:

(i) any costs or expenses incurred by the winner in connection with taking up the prize which are not expressly stated as being included;

(ii) any loss, damage or injury suffered by any participant arising from participation in the promotion, except where such loss, damage or injury is caused by our negligence; or

(iii) any acts or omissions of third parties involved in the provision of the prize. We accept no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by entrants as a result of entering the promotion or accepting the prize, except as stated here.

If there is a dispute about the promotion or these terms, you may bring legal proceedings against us, and we may bring legal proceedings against you, in either the English courts or the local courts in the part of the UK where you live. The law that applies will be the law of the court hearing the dispute.

If you subscribe to Wine Fund, these terms and conditions and our Standard Terms apply.

1. What is Wine Fund?

Wine Fund lets you spread the cost of wine through monthly payments. You choose how much to pay each month—starting at £10 (in £5 increments, up to £250).

2. Who can join?

You must be 18 or older, not a business customer, and have a Wine Guide.

3. Making Payments

Payments are taken monthly from the card you used to join. You can pause payments up to 2 times per year.

4. Using Your Wine Fund

Use your Wine Fund balance to buy wine and services through your Wine Guide. If your balance isn’t enough, you can pay the rest with a card, PayPal, Apple/Google Pay, or vouchers. You can use Wine Fund for subscription orders. If your balance is short, we’ll charge your saved card for the rest.

5. What You Can’t Use It For

Some products like En Primeur, or wine storage, may not be fully payable with Wine Fund.

6. Membership Benefits

As long as you keep paying into Wine Fund, you get:

• Free unlimited delivery
• Free named/next-day delivery
• Delivery to up to 20 UK addresses

These apply even if you don’t use your Wine Fund balance for your order.

7. Cancelling

Cancel anytime by calling or using our website. You can choose to keep or withdraw your balance. If you withdraw your balance, we’ll refund it to the original card.

8. Our rights to terminate your membership

We may terminate your membership with immediate effect and without notice to you if:

• we do not receive payment from you in respect of your membership;
• you are not eligible for membership;
• you do anything which is in breach of these terms and conditions or our Standard Terms; or
• you do anything which is illegal or harmful to our interests.We’ll return any remaining balance to your card.

9. Changes or Ending the Wine Fund

If we cease offering Wine Fund and do not replace it with a different type of membership in accordance with the paragraph below, we will write to you at least 1 month prior to the cessation date and will return any balance in your Wine Fund account to your card shortly after the cessation date.

If we replace Wine Fund with a different type of membership which offers benefits of equivalent or greater value, we will write to inform you that we will be changing your membership type. We will give you at least 1 month’s notice before such change comes into effect. If you do not wish to accept such change, please tell us and we will cancel your membership.

10. Inactive Balances

If you have not spent your funds in 2 years and you are no longer an active subscriber, we will write to you to notify you of the unspent balance. We will make follow-up contact by telephone (where you have given us your telephone number) and again in writing. We will send a final letter by recorded delivery.

If you have not spent the outstanding balance within 3 months of the date of the letter sent to you by recorded delivery, you authorise us to treat such funds as abandoned and you agree that we shall have no further liability to you.

Amendments to these Membership Terms

If we amend these terms and conditions (including to make changes to the membership benefits) further to the general section of our Standard Terms, we will notify you when the changes come into effect. Your continued payments after that date constitutes acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to such changes, please tell us that you want to terminate your payments.

30OFF

Valid for new customers, 18+ only, one use per household. The voucher code 30OFF can be used only once and cannot be used with any other offers. 30% off when you spend £95 or more. Maximum discount of £100. Excludes Presell, Spirits and branded Champagne (Bollinger, Laurent-Perrier, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Moët & Chandon, Piper-Heidsieck, Pol Roger, Dom Pérignon, Ayala, Louis Roederer, Charles de Cazanove). Free standard delivery, usually £7.99. Valid until midnight 31/07/2026. See full terms and conditions, and our privacy policy.

The Sunday Times Wine Club is operated by Direct Wines Ltd. Registered in England and Wales (No 1095091). Unless otherwise stated, all wines contain sulphites. Savings based on individual bottle price. Delivery takes 2-3 days (delivery to offshore islands, NI, Scottish Highlands and some other areas of Scotland may take a few days longer). We reserve the right to reject any order for the repeated or fraudulent use of the voucher code.