Why You Can Trust CNET Amazon uncorks wine service, delivers to your door
Customers in certain states -- sorry, East Coasters, Southerners and people in a lot of other regions -- can now pay $9.99 to ship up to six bottles from wineries around the U.S.
The e-commerce titan today launched Amazon Wine, a marketplace for more than a thousand wines from around the U.S.
Customers order directly from a winery, via Amazon, of course, and are able to ship up to six bottles for $9.99. Looks like Amazon Prime's free, fast shipping doesn't work for this service, and the site notes each winery operates under its own permits and determines which states it can ship to.
So far, the list of eligible states is pretty limited. It includes California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and Washington, D.C. However, Amazon said more will be coming soon.
All those young'uns hoping to order alcohol through the Web will have a tough time. Both the purchaser and recipient of wine must be at least 21 years old, Amazon said, and all shipments require an adult signature at delivery. In addition, purchases can't be sent to P.O. boxes or Amazon Lockers.
Along with the ability to purchase wine, the new store also includes details from winemakers, like tasting notes and recommended food pairings.
"People love to explore wine, but it is rare to have detailed information and opinions located all in one place," Tom Hedges of Hedges Family Estate in Red Mountain, Wash., said in Amazon's press release. "What Amazon has done with their new wine store is take the experience of hundreds of tasting rooms and put them online."