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Sites that sell rare and older wines should be clear about the source and condition of the bottles and offer some guarantee about condition. Vinfolio, for instance, will issue a credit or replace a flawed bottle within 90 days.
Auction and consignment sites often charge the winning bidder fees of up to 18 percent. Be sure to check before bidding. Handling charges may be added too, even for wines picked up in person.
While shipping wine is easier than ever, it can add to the final cost—up to $15 or more per bottle. A good retailer will also warn you of shipping hazards, notably hot or cold weather; but according to NapaCabs.com’s Tom De Grezia, "people will still order when there’s a major heat wave going on."
Not every store can mail wine interstate. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, for instance, have a ban.
Many Web inventories aren’t updated immediately. If you find a must-have bottle, phone the merchant right away. "If you put a really highly rated Pinot online nowadays," says Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants’ Bob Golbahar, "you’ll be sold out of the wine in 10 minutes."
Wineries often sell their own wine online, but not always at the best price. Comparison shop. The best tool is Wine-searcher.com. Serious buyers should splurge on its Pro service ($30 per year).
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