Chris B.
Yelp
Re-established my account, Joined their wine club, and put in an order for two (2) bottles of wine.
Three days after placing the order, there was no verification that the order had been received or fulfilled.
Contacting the winery, I was informed that I had to submit a copy of my drivers license to verify my date of birth.
WHAT...?
Where is this requirement posted in establishing an account, or, in the online order form...? Then I was told that I had to send the copy of my photo ID to an email address that does not appear anywhere on their website -- a red-flag that usually indicates online fraud.
The first tall tale began with their assertion that this is required by the State of California. FALSE. In speaking with the agency that regulates the establishment and operation of wineries in the state, I was sent a reference to the regulations and the full text of what the state requires of these companies: the customer is asked to verify they are at least 21 years of age, or, they must furnish their date of birth.
After confronting those concerned with this tidbit of truth, the State of Arizona was blamed. Contacting their Phoenix office, I was assured that the customer is required to either verify they are at least 21 years of age, or that they give their date of birth. In other words, there is no requirement to furnish them with a copy of my drivers license.
After this lie was disproved, Merryvale said that they have to verify that the wine is going to an individual and not a business that offers it for resale. What? How does a copy of my drivers license do this? This makes NO sense at all.
After this egregious claim -- totally lacking in common sense -- fell, I was told that more than likely, there are likely one of three reasons why Merryvale has done this: (1) my use of a VPN, which keeps hackers at bay; (2) my refusal to accept their cookies, which my company's security manager says are rich with online tracking software; and/or (3) having different billing and delivery addresses. Whistlestop's post office has a different ZIP code than that of my delivery address -- even though the post office is less than 1000 feet from my residence. One or a combination of factors is the likely cause of my account being red-flagged, if the truth be told.
Last of all, the Merryvale personnel I've spoken with over the past three days have blamed fraud for the need for this unusual and reckless requirement. In other words, they believe that some aspect of my order is fraudulent... and it is insulting to be treated first as a dolt incapable of fact-checking their egregious claims, and being told that they suspect me of fraud. Fraud? The charges for my order of two bottles of wine were deducted from my account within m8nutes of placing my online order.
What fraud that is, I don't know. After all, Merryvale withdrew the funds for my purchase from my credit union, one established for active duty or retired military personnel -- and veterans (which I am).
My late wife and I were introduced to Merryvale wines by one of their managers, the brother-in-law of my best friend, a Seattle restauranteur, who was Best Man at my 1984 wedding -- 41 years ago. We often featured their wines at the philanthropic events we hosted for years in California's Central Valley, either purchasing it at the winery by the case, or ordering by telephone for shipment.
In the past few weeks, I've ordered wines from six different California wineries after we built a wine cellar; we've ordered wines from these six companies and eleven others -- all of them California wineries -- to stock our wine cellar over the last year. NOT ONE OF THESE OTHER 17 WINERIES REQUIRED ME TO FURNISH THEM WITH A COPY OF MY DRIVERS LICENSE.
Sadly, as much as I like their wines, I don't appreciate being either lied to or treated as though I've done something fraudulent in my order. I don't respect a stranger who recklessly accuses me of fraud. I don't know what Merryvale is doing: neither do they.
As much as I like their Cabernet Sauvignon, there are better wines made by clearly better,wineries to order from -- and Merryvale's treatment of me as a customer just isn't worth it. I refuse to do business with a company that shamelessly lies to me... not a good way to restart a relationship.
Pass.
.