Excellent condition and very quickly, usually next day from when I get notice that it’s shipping. Of course, being only 60 miles from WCC may have something to do with that.
I am dismayed to see the return of the styrofoam, but I guess that’s necessary insulation for longer shipments in the summer heat. Maybe we could get the pressed paperboard stuff for nearby shipments?
Regarding styrofoam, hardest part is recycling. In general it’s not easily recyclable. In most communities, there are events scheduled every few months that will take styrofoam (aka polystyrene, block foam). Some were paused last year due to Covid but will hopefully return. Often they ask for a small donation or fee as well.
For PDX people, there is a great option which is amazing. It’s a local company that has a patented process, and has bins outside their facility where you can drop off styrofoam and some other plastics 24 hrs/day. In fact I just dropped a bunch of stuff there last Sunday, which was the 4th of July, and amazingly they were actually working that day so they must be busy! Look up Agilyx. It’s in the industrial area of Tigard and a bit hard to find (GPS leaves me at an intersection – the actual facility is down the street about 1/4 mi). Their process will hopefully catch on and spread to other regions of the country.
Since Mr. Brown usually arrives at our house around 7pm (I’ve had a recent non-wine delivery at 8:45pm, after it was in the truck all day the day before) and our temperatures are often in the 90s, I’ve had shipments held at a UPS Store (it’s about a 70 minute round trip).
My last one got to spend a 90 degree day on a truck until 8pm. I’m reluctant to pay to have them held at the UPS store as both UPS ($5) and the store ($10) will charge me, but if they can’t get them here at a more reasonable time I may have to resort to that again.
@xandersherry As an aside, wine or non-wine, when they offer me the option to watch the truck on its route throughout the day leading up to my delivery, it’s absolutely hilarious. I don’t know all the factors that go into UPS’s route planning, I grant, but I can certainly attest that “common sense” and “efficiency” are not in the list.
@xandersherry Regarding those fees, yes, that is what is really P$#@ing me off about the switch to UPS. I mean I like my drivers and they are nice guys (and women), but the corporate “upsell” thing as well as for-profit private stores that hold shipments, like you said, could be $15 to hold a box, and that’s assuming they don’t charge for storage per-day, as one store told me they do (but said they wouldn’t charge me the first time since I didn’t know!)
With FedEx, oh those were the good ol’ days, redirect to a store was free, the location I picked was a FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinkos), nice air-conditioned facility easy to get to and with friendly staff. There was no “upsell fee” anywhere along the way – just excellent service provided as one of the benefits of shipping with them. I never sent to other non-FedEx stores so I’m not sure if some of those charged extra. But the FedEx Office would hold for a full week and would even bring it out on a cart or hand-truck for me to bring to the parking lot.
For profit’s sake, I sure hope WCC got a screamin’ deal on switching to UPS because unfortunately I’m skipping more orders just because of the nightmares of UPS delivery. (had a shipment turned back to Sonoma, which didn’t please either me or WCC I’m sure).
EDIT sorry “ing” if there such a username. I didn’t know my random swearing symbols with an @ tossed in would make a link to a (hopefully non-existant) username.
I’am in south Texas so I always worry a bit. I try not to order wine in June-Aug if I can help it.
Did just order the pedroncelli though. We been below our normal hot temps here, so should be ok. I have been pretty lucky overall. My UPS comes in the afternoon here and wine does get here warm. Wines seem to be OK though.
@MarkDaSpark I have never had a shipment from anyone where upon arrival those little packets were cool, never mind cold or frozen. Now, the ones that come with Flannery or Morgan Ranch. . .
Peterson Zinfandels delivered today, after a trip up I-5 where the temps ranged from the high 90’s to the low 70’s. Looks good, bottles cool to the touch.
Excellent condition and very quickly, usually next day from when I get notice that it’s shipping. Of course, being only 60 miles from WCC may have something to do with that.
I am dismayed to see the return of the styrofoam, but I guess that’s necessary insulation for longer shipments in the summer heat. Maybe we could get the pressed paperboard stuff for nearby shipments?
Regarding styrofoam, hardest part is recycling. In general it’s not easily recyclable. In most communities, there are events scheduled every few months that will take styrofoam (aka polystyrene, block foam). Some were paused last year due to Covid but will hopefully return. Often they ask for a small donation or fee as well.
For PDX people, there is a great option which is amazing. It’s a local company that has a patented process, and has bins outside their facility where you can drop off styrofoam and some other plastics 24 hrs/day. In fact I just dropped a bunch of stuff there last Sunday, which was the 4th of July, and amazingly they were actually working that day so they must be busy! Look up Agilyx. It’s in the industrial area of Tigard and a bit hard to find (GPS leaves me at an intersection – the actual facility is down the street about 1/4 mi). Their process will hopefully catch on and spread to other regions of the country.
Since Mr. Brown usually arrives at our house around 7pm (I’ve had a recent non-wine delivery at 8:45pm, after it was in the truck all day the day before) and our temperatures are often in the 90s, I’ve had shipments held at a UPS Store (it’s about a 70 minute round trip).
I’ve been paying the extra 5 dollars to have them hold it. They get dropped off early and I don’t have to stress about missing an attempt
For me, shipments from everywhere have been running about a day later than initially promised. Wine has been late, but in fine condition.
My last one got to spend a 90 degree day on a truck until 8pm. I’m reluctant to pay to have them held at the UPS store as both UPS ($5) and the store ($10) will charge me, but if they can’t get them here at a more reasonable time I may have to resort to that again.
@xandersherry As an aside, wine or non-wine, when they offer me the option to watch the truck on its route throughout the day leading up to my delivery, it’s absolutely hilarious. I don’t know all the factors that go into UPS’s route planning, I grant, but I can certainly attest that “common sense” and “efficiency” are not in the list.
@xandersherry Regarding those fees, yes, that is what is really P$#@ing me off about the switch to UPS. I mean I like my drivers and they are nice guys (and women), but the corporate “upsell” thing as well as for-profit private stores that hold shipments, like you said, could be $15 to hold a box, and that’s assuming they don’t charge for storage per-day, as one store told me they do (but said they wouldn’t charge me the first time since I didn’t know!)
With FedEx, oh those were the good ol’ days, redirect to a store was free, the location I picked was a FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinkos), nice air-conditioned facility easy to get to and with friendly staff. There was no “upsell fee” anywhere along the way – just excellent service provided as one of the benefits of shipping with them. I never sent to other non-FedEx stores so I’m not sure if some of those charged extra. But the FedEx Office would hold for a full week and would even bring it out on a cart or hand-truck for me to bring to the parking lot.
For profit’s sake, I sure hope WCC got a screamin’ deal on switching to UPS because unfortunately I’m skipping more orders just because of the nightmares of UPS delivery. (had a shipment turned back to Sonoma, which didn’t please either me or WCC I’m sure).
EDIT sorry “ing” if there such a username. I didn’t know my random swearing symbols with an @ tossed in would make a link to a (hopefully non-existant) username.
Only one order so far, but was as good as it could be.
@CroutonOllie thanks for the feedback!
@Winedavid49
No need for thanks, you do a great job here, and all is fine on this end.
Has to be hard, though, from the choosing product, to delivery end, making sure all is OK.
You guys will do fine.
Orders have arrived fine. And more to the point, I’ve placed orders (Harvey, TO) that I would not have placed without the 2 day shipping in place.
I’ll let you know when the TO shows up.
I’am in south Texas so I always worry a bit. I try not to order wine in June-Aug if I can help it.
Did just order the pedroncelli though. We been below our normal hot temps here, so should be ok. I have been pretty lucky overall. My UPS comes in the afternoon here and wine does get here warm. Wines seem to be OK though.
Question: Whatever happened to our frozen “ketchup” packets? Those were nice to have when re-transporting wine.
I used to have a Ziploc bag full to reuse them.
@MarkDaSpark honestly minimal value when upgrading to two day. I think we still throw some in the AZ area. I’ll double
Check.
@MarkDaSpark @Winedavid49
The thermal mass of those, vs. a 750ml bottle, is so disproportionate they, imo, are worthless.
@MarkDaSpark I have never had a shipment from anyone where upon arrival those little packets were cool, never mind cold or frozen. Now, the ones that come with Flannery or Morgan Ranch. . .
Fossil point rose showed up warm this week. It was mid 90s here and got dropped off around 3:30 Wednesday.
Peterson Zinfandels delivered today, after a trip up I-5 where the temps ranged from the high 90’s to the low 70’s. Looks good, bottles cool to the touch.