RETURNS: Under California law, it is illegal to return wines once sold, except for defective wines, which may be returned for credit or replacement within thirty days of purchase. All returned wines must be accompanied with a receipt. OLDER WINES: We do our best to ensure proper temperature-controlled storage and provenance. However, we cannot be responsible for wines older than five years from the latest vintage. This is a wine industry standard. HEAT AND ULLAGE: Heat is the worst enemy of wine. Even on mild days the temperature inside an automobile can exceed 90 degrees F, some 35 degrees (or more) hotter than our wine cellar. This wide temperature differential can quickly "push" corks and/or create seepage and messy labels. Moreover, certain "fragile" wines can be completely ruined in a matter of hours by excessive heat. Therefore, out of fairness to our clientele, we cannot accept any returns of wines showing evidence of heat damage. Regarding the shipment of wine, our shipping department keeps an eye on the weather and if, for example, you select ground shipping to a very hot climate, we will contact you to suggest faster shipping or request that you fill out a waiver assuming liability in the event the wine is damaged. We strive to make sure that you receive the wines in the condition they're in while sitting in our 55 degree F cellar. Similar measures are taken in cold weather as well.