Jessica T.
Yelp
We are all adults here and know how wine club memberships usually work. We sign-up and typically get a quarterly or bi-annual allotments. Before each allotment is shipped, we get an email to let us know that allotment is being prepared and let them know of any additional orders we would like to make and changes, including change of shipping address. Emails from the vineyards typically include when the changes need to be made by and when they are going to start shipping the allotments. Simple, right?
I signed up for the vineyard's Estate Club membership back in September 2020 while visiting the vineyard for the first time. This vineyard is one of the best properties... I will say Instagram-perfect. Their wines? I loved their Detained and Straight de Barrel 2018 (aka: Doug's Barrel Select).
So why the one star rating on a lovely vineyard that makes pretty darn good wines? It all started on July 7. I received my not-so-usual email that my membership allocation is being prepared and that the shipment is being processed. It states, "Please take time to read this email completely to ensure your shipment is correct."
I noticed that my shipping address needed to be updated. I emailed them my new address on the same day... Crickets. I reach out to their Instagram account via direct message later that evening... Crickets. Next day, I cancel my membership via email... Crickets. A day later, I receive a direct message via Instagram. No mention of my inquiry about changing my shipping address. Instead, it is for their upcoming concert event. A day later, I receive the same direct message about their upcoming concert event.
While the vineyard was crickets on my request to change shipping address on the order they already charged my credit card for, I cancelled the membership via my account on their website. I received an auto-response to let me know that there will be additional steps and that they will email me as soon as they can.
On July 15, I received an email with "We never cancel our members, that's far too permanent and you don't cancel family." Another part of the email reads, "We want to thank you again for being such an important part of the HammerSky family; we have appreciated all of your support. If there's ever anything we can do for you please don't hesitate to reach out, we're always more than happy to help out."
So, I responded to the email to try once again to inquire about changing my shipping address. And as of July 19 at 10:18PM PT, crickets from the vineyard. Ooooh! I did receive another direct message via Instagram on July 17 about an event at the vineyard.
My credit card was charged $238.29 on July 8. The vineyard made by my membership inactive so it will be easy for me to order shipments if I ever change my mind according to the vineyard. However, they have not responded to a shipping address change request made on July 7. 12 days later, I don't even know when the shipment will be shipped. The vineyards usually lets us know when the allotments will be shipped by, but their email didn't even include that. All I've gotten from the vineyard are a bunch of crickets and marketing on their events.
So, I guess the vineyard considers its members as a part of their family. The vineyard may not cancel family, but they apparently give their family silent treatments when they need service. Instead of being their family, can I be their customer so I can actually get some customer service?