Terms of service

Rue Pinard Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 24 August 2025

What happens if…	Here’s the deal
I buy wine but I’m underage?	No dice. You must be legal drinking age (18+ NL, 21+ US, higher elsewhere). We can check ID at delivery.
The wine isn’t available after I order?	We’ll cancel and refund you. Better a quick no than a messy fight.
I place an order — when’s it binding?	Your order is an offer. It’s binding once we confirm. Funds are reserved, then charged once bottles are secured.
I change my mind and file a chargeback?	If it’s real card fraud, we’ll help. If it’s not, that’s fraud against us. You’ll still owe the full amount and we’ll pursue it legally.
I want to know prices with tax?	While in bond, no VAT/duties. Ship to a normal address and local VAT/duties apply. Under the Margin Scheme, VAT is included but not deductible.
I buy bonded wine — what does that mean?	Your bottles sit in an authorized bonded warehouse. No upfront taxes. Storage = €1.50/month per case. In-bond trades are final.
I don’t pay my storage/fees?	We keep a lien. Your bottles stay put until balances are cleared. After notice, we can sell to recover costs.
I don't want to ship in summer heat?	We’ll hold the shipment until cooler months, or ship temp-controlled if you request. Always adult signature required.
Something happens during storage?	Fully paid bottles are insured at replacement market value (normal exclusions: aging, seepage, cosmetic wear).
I’m in the EU and want to return wine?	Duty-paid retail orders may have a 14-day withdrawal right. Bonded trades are final. Some exceptions apply (e.g. opened bottles, market-linked prices).
I saw a price on your site — is it guaranteed?	It’s our professional view of the market. Execution may shift slightly with supply/demand before confirmation.
There’s a war, cyberattack, or strike?	That’s force majeure. We’re not liable for delays. If it lasts 60+ days, either side can cancel unpaid orders and refunds are given.
What about my personal data?	We use it only to fulfill your orders, stay compliant, and keep things running. Full details: Privacy Policy.
Where’s my legal protection?	Dutch law governs. Disputes go to courts in Breda. EU/UK consumers may also use their local courts where law allows.

Who we are

We’re Rue Pinard BV, based in Prinsenbeek, The Netherlands. We’ve been connecting collectors with rare wines and spirits since 2012.

Address: Liesbosdreef 2C, 4841 JL Prinsenbeek
KVK: 89099176 | VAT: NL864878618B01 | EORI: 864878618
📧 office@ruepinard.com | ☎️ +31 65 386 1912

Age rules

If you’re buying wine, you need to be legally allowed to drink it. In the Netherlands that’s 18+. In the U.S. it’s 21+. Wherever you are, it’s your job to make sure you (and the person receiving the wine) are old enough. If we’re unsure, we’ll ask for ID at delivery.

Products & availability

Every bottle listed shows details like vintage, format, and packaging. Photos are examples — sometimes a label or capsule will differ slightly, but the wine itself is exactly what’s described.
If a bottle turns out to be unavailable, misdescribed, or restricted by law, we’ll cancel and refund you. Better a short disappointment than a long fight.

Prices, taxes & duties

The price you see at checkout is in the currency shown. If you’re paying across currencies, a fair FX spread may apply.
Bonded goods: While your wine stays in bond, no VAT or excise is due. Release it to a normal address and destination taxes kick in.
Margin Scheme: Sometimes VAT is already baked into the price. If so, you can’t claim it back.

Orders & payments

Here’s how it works:

You place an order — that’s your offer.
We send a confirmation — now it’s a binding contract.
We reserve the money on your card. Final charge happens once the wine is secured.

If we suspect fraud, sanctions, or see an obvious pricing error, we may cancel and refund before shipping.

Chargebacks: If your card was stolen, dispute it with your bank and we’ll support you. But if you file a chargeback to duck out of paying for wine you actually ordered, that’s fraud. We’ll still expect payment and will pursue recovery in court if needed.

Delivery & shipping

Our Shipping Policy has the details, but here’s the short story:

Standard terms are DAP (Incoterms 2020) — you’re responsible for local import formalities and duties unless we’ve agreed DDP in writing.
We hold shipments in hot weather and require adult signatures on delivery.
Some destinations are off-limits due to alcohol laws or sanctions.

Title & risk

Duty-paid orders: Once delivered to you or your recipient, title and risk transfer.
Bonded trades: Once paid, the wine is yours — but it stays under our bonded custody and insured at replacement market value until you call it out. Insurance excludes natural aging, cosmetic changes, ullage, or seepage.

Returns & cancellations

Check our Refund Policy for the mechanics. In plain English:

Bonded trades: Final. No returns.
EU/EEA duty-paid retail orders: You may have a 14-day withdrawal right. Exceptions:
- Alcohol sold on agreed price but delivered after 30 days (since the market can move).
- Goods that deteriorate quickly.
- Sealed bottles you’ve opened.

If the right applies, notify us within the period and return the goods in proper condition. Refunds follow our policy.

Returns & Refunds (U.S. Customers)
To request a return or refund, you must contact us within 14 days of delivery. All returns require prior authorization. Unauthorized returns or chargebacks initiated without following this process may be considered misuse of the dispute process. Refunds will only be issued once returned items are received in original condition. Shipping costs are non-refundable unless the return is due to our error.

A. Eligibility

Item must be returned in its original condition, unopened/untampered (unless defective or damaged on arrival).
Secondary market bottles are non-refundable

B. Timelines

Customer must notify us of a return/refund request within 14 days of delivery
Return shipment must be sent within 7days after receiving authorization.

C. Process

Contact us first via email or form with order number, reason, and any photos if damaged.
Wait for an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number or confirmation.
Ship the item back using a trackable and insured carrier; include the RMA inside the package.
Once received and inspected, a refund (minus any $50 restocking/admin fees) will be issued to the original payment method.

D. Refund Conditions

Shipping costs are non-refundable unless the error was ours.
Restocking fee of $50 applies.
Refunds are processed within 14 after inspection .

E. Chargebacks

Filing a chargeback without following the above steps violates our terms.
If you skip the process and go straight to your bank, we will present our evidence (proof of delivery, communication, terms) to contest the claim and you might be in breach of the Fair Credit BIlling Act

Valuations & market data

Any prices or valuations shown online are our professional view of market levels. They’re not binding promises — final execution may differ depending on supply, demand, and logistics.

Bonded addendum

If you buy, hold, or trade in bond:

Your bottles live in authorized bonded warehouses.
Storage and handling are billed per our current Price List.
Trades in bond are final.
We hold a lien: if fees are unpaid, we can withhold release or sell bottles after notice.
Transfers between bonded accounts are possible, fees apply.

If there’s ever a clash between these Terms and our Master Customer Agreement (Bonded Operations), the latter rules for bonded transactions.

Compliance

We don’t sell to sanctioned persons or let deals break AML/trade rules. If something smells off, we can refuse, suspend, or cancel. Don’t buy for resale where local law forbids it.

Liability

We’re not liable for indirect losses (missed opportunities, lost profits, etc.).
For duty-paid orders: liability = what you paid.
For custody events: liability = what insurance actually pays out.
Fraud and gross negligence? We’re fully liable.

Indemnity

If you break these terms or give unlawful instructions, you cover our costs — unless we were grossly negligent or fraudulent.

Force majeure

Stuff happens: strikes, cyberattacks, extreme weather, war, sanctions. If events outside our control delay things, we’re not liable. If it drags on more than 60 days, either side can cancel unpaid orders and we’ll refund.

Personal data

We use your data as explained in our Privacy Policy. We share only with warehouses, shippers, insurers, and advisers to fulfill orders and stay compliant.

Updates

We may update these Terms. If required by law, we’ll notify you. Keep using the site after changes = acceptance.

Governing law

Dutch law applies. Disputes go to the courts of Breda, NL. EU/UK consumers may also sue in their local courts if mandatory law allows.

Key fees (Annex)

Storage: €1.50/month/case (London/Bordeaux/Belgium) | €18.59/week/case (Hong Kong)
Intake: €3.38 per case
Goods out: €23.40 per case
Transfers/deliveries: €4.23–€41.67 per case
Optional services: Photos €24.44, Repack €27.30, Export docs €89.70, Certificate of origin €117.00, etc.
👉 Full list: Vault Custody

About Rue Pinard

We’re building the next-gen fine wine and rare spirits marketplace. Since 2012, we’ve linked serious collectors, private clients, investors, and trade accounts with the world’s rarest bottles.

We operate from the Netherlands with hubs in Miami, New York, Bordeaux, London, Brussels, and Hong Kong.

🔒 Safe & secure | 🚚 Global shipping | 🥂 Exclusive access