Wine Direct are a wine merchant specialising in premium wines from across the world. Wine Direct was established back in 1994 and is based in East Sussex, it serves both the UK and international markets. The main focus of the company is finding wines that have been internationally critiqued by top wine critics and independently rated. This means its customers can diversify their tastes, confidently trying new wines, being assured they are of the highest quality.
Minimum Orders
The minimum order at Wine Direct is six bottles of wine.You can either buy six of the same bottle, or mix the bottles. However, the site encourages you to buy in cases of 12 as the delivery cost is similar, and discounts are more generous. Gift bottles are the only exception to the minimum order policy, if you are purchasing a gift you can buy two or three bottles of wine packs on their own.
Delivery Times and Costs
Delivery charges are reasonable. It costs £7.00 for one case of six and £7.95 for a case of twelve bottles. Every case after this costs £6.95 provided the wine is in stock. Wine Direct does deliver to The Isle of Wight, The Isle of Man, The Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Channel Islands and Northern Ireland, however this is at an additional cost.
The delivery time is much quicker than many other sites. If you place your order by 1pm, your order will be despatched the very same day. Wine Direct ensures that every effort is made to ensure all wines are in stock. However, if a particular wine is ordered many times in a short space of time, you may have to wait until the next delivery from the supplier. However, Wine Direct keeps you in the picture, informing you of anticipated delivery times. If you are willing to pay more you can also get guaranteed next day delivery, and Saturday delivery, which is perfect for a last minute event.
Range of Products
Wine Direct offers a good range of products. The site offers many different types of wine including Port, Dessert wine, Champagne, Sparkling wine, White, Red and Rose. A good selection of both old world and new world wines can also be found on the site. Wine Direct stocks an interesting range of grape varietals, meaning there is something for every taste. Wine Direct is a good place to purchase wine if you wish to diversify your taste in wine. You will not find bland, supermarket styles here. High quality, eclectic and individual wine is the focus.
Types of Products and Price Range
The types and price range of the wines Wine Direct offers are varied. The company focuses on premium wines meaning there are a fair few top notch bottles and a selection of high quality bottles. However, they have found a selection of relatively cheap wines of good quality, from New World producers. There are a fair few bottles around the £100 mark, you can also find bottles available for as little as £5.95.
Style and Usability of Site
The site itself is fairly basic. This means it is extremely easy to navigate around, and excellent for the internet dunce! Despite the basic nature of the site, the features you require for an online wine merchant are present. The site has a menu where you can search according to wine type, country and even region, grape variety, price and according to recommendation from named experts. This makes it much easier to find a wine you desire. You can also search very quickly for specific products. One of the best features of the site is its inclusion of factual information about wines. It provides details of wine books, art and expert views that an individual with a great interest in wine would appreciate. The site also has a section for those who know very little about wine, filling them in on information in sections such as the ‘Wine Glass guide‘ and ‘Glossary of wine terms’.
Purchasing
In order to purchase wine from this merchant you are required to register your details with the site. However, registration is simple and takes next to no time. After your first purchase you can simply sign in using your email address and a password. Details of your purchases and any wines you have earmarked for purchase at a later date can be viewed from your “my account section” of the site.
