Terms
Our signature experience is a Blending Escape.
The Vines Blending Escapes are 3-4 day events spent in the company of fellow wine lovers getting to know the region and wines on an intimate basis, experiencing epic meals with renowned chefs, remarkable wines, tailored cultural activities and the extraordinary blending sessions with our master winemakers.
Membership is required.
You must be a member of The Vines or the guest of a member to participate in our Experiences. Please contact us at veritas@the-vines.com for more information.
The RSVP process.
When trips are published, our Explorer/Winemaker members have first priority, and may invite 2 guest couples. This priority window lasts for two weeks after which time we open up RSVPs to our Adventurer Level members, who may invite 1 guest couple.
Securing your spot and paying for your trip.
In order to secure your spot we require a non-refundable deposit of $500 per person. After paying your deposit, you will be invoiced for the balance. Should your plans change, this balance payment is refundable based on the schedule below.
We will publish the full cost of the trip and detail what is included in those costs on our events page and in other announcements for each trip. The Vines accepts all major credit cards, ACH and wire transfers, and checks.
Any payments made to The Vines constitute your acceptance of these terms, and those included in and in any pre-travel correspondence.
If you ever need to cancel.
We understand that sometimes life requires changes or cancellations. We have created cancellation policies that take this into account while also accounting for the realities of our non-refundable event costs and prepayments.
The Vines standard cancellation policy is as follows:
Our cancellation charges may vary from event to event so you may want to confirm the amount of any cancellation charge prior to sending us notice of cancellation. We also encourage you to check to see if any travel insurance you may have will apply to cover these fees.
Any reservations for hotel rooms, activities or other services that are not included in our itinerary may be subject to different cancellation policies, even if we facilitate the booking. In this case, the specific cancellation policies for these other items will apply.
If you booked a double occupancy room but one of you has to cancel.
If a guest cancels or leaves a journey and a roommate remains, an additional supplement may apply to the cost for the remaining guest.
COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Members and guests must comply with all country entry requirements, which may include providing proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Traveling with children.
Most of our trips and experiences are currently designed for the interests and schedules of adults 21 and older, but if you have a specific request please contact members@the-vines.com.
What is included in the trip cost.
Our trip costs generally include all hotels, meals, wine tastings, blending sessions, local transportation and group activities (including entrance fees) as noted in the itinerary. Each trip itinerary notes the date of arrival (trip start) and the date of departure (trip end) and all guests are responsible for their own flights (arrival and departure), transfers to the hotel and back to the airport, any additional hotel nights before or after the trip start and trip end and for any other activities or incidentals incurred on the trip.
What is NOT included.
Unless otherwise noted on the itinerary, our trip costs generally exclude airfares; costs associated with obtaining passports or entry visas; reciprocity and other border fees; airport departure taxes; meals other than those specified in the itinerary; room service; beverages other than those associated with activities noted in the itinerary; sightseeing not included in the itinerary; medical tests such as COVID-19, and personal expenses such as laundry; communications charges; and optional activities.
The Vines Pricing Structure.
Quoted trip costs are per person, double occupancy, except where indicated. While we will always work to accommodate our members, if you are not able to join us for a particular activity on the itinerary, the trip cost will not change. Although cost changes are not expected, published costs may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecasted at the time of printing. Additionally, modification of program content to accommodate a smaller group size will not affect the published trip cost.
What happens if an Experience gets canceled after I paid the trip fee.
While we hope we will never have to cancel a trip, this is very occasionally necessary and we reserve the right to do so. We will let you know at least 90 days before the Experience is scheduled to start and we will do our best to offer alternative dates. If we cannot offer an alternative, or the new dates do not work for you, we will give you a full refund of the price of the trip.
If, however, the reason for our cancellation is certain unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we may not be able to offer a refund, but will credit your account with the price of the trip minus any non-refundable fees or deposits we made during the preparation of the Experience.
Accommodating accessibility needs and dietary restrictions.
We strive to accommodate all accessibility needs and dietary restrictions. If you have additional questions, concerns or requests with regard to a specific Experience please contact us at members@the-vines.com.
Checking in, room upgrades and special requests.
Most of our host hotels allow check-in to take place around 3pm. Should you wish to have a guaranteed room ready upon early arrival, an additional room night may be required to be reserved. Please ask us for details and costs and we will check with the hotel. Requests for early check-in cannot be guaranteed and are at the sole discretion of the hotel.
Most of our trips have a variety of rooms available at different costs and are on a first come, first served basis. Specific requests such as adjacent or connecting rooms, bedding requests, special dietary needs or special amenities should be advised at time of reserving a trip, but cannot be guaranteed.
Guaranteeing the activities listed in our itineraries.
We reserve the right to modify program itineraries, including arranged sightseeing and featured experts, and substitute accommodations at any time due to unforeseen circumstances.
Levels of physical activity during our Experiences.
Some active elements have been incorporated into our itineraries. To enjoy the Experience as intended, a minimum level of fitness is required. Please notify us in advance if you have any physical or other condition or disability that might prevent you from participating in active elements of any Experience. The Vines in its sole discretion may refuse to allow participation of any guest if we believe the activity could create a hazard to the guest or to other members of the group. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate a disability-related request for accommodation.
Travel Insurance.
Travel insurance is not included in the trip costs and we highly recommend purchasing it. Different policies can cover items including trip cancellation, medical expenses and emergencies, or loss of luggage and personal effects.
Passports and Visas.
It is the traveler’s sole responsibility to obtain and have available when necessary the appropriate valid travel documents. All guests are advised to check with the appropriate government authority to determine the necessary documents required for their travel.
Passports must be valid for six (6) months after completion of your journey and should also have sufficient blank visa pages for entry and exit stamps. If a visa is required this will be indicated in your Pre-Travel Documentation. Citizens of other countries should contact the appropriate consular office for entry requirements pertaining to their journey. You may be refused boarding without liability for refund, payment, compensation, or credit of any kind if you do not have proper documentation, and you will be subject to any fine or other costs incurred by The Vines which result from improper documentation or noncompliance with applicable regulations. The Vines will not be responsible should any guest be denied entry to a country due to noncompliance with these requirements.
I still have more questions. Who can I contact?
Please send us an email to members@the-vines.com. We’d love to hear from you!