General Shipping Information

Shipping costs are not included in the price of the grapes.

Shipping costs can change at anytime. Truck companies and Airlines all have fuel surcharges and other surcharges (security charges, insurance charges.) All these factors contribute to the shipping cost.

Brehm Vineyard's maintains accounts with all of our shipping outlets. These accounts provide us (usually) with shipping rates lower than that of the casual or off-the-street shipper. These lower costs we pass on to our customers.

The cost to ship a grape order to a customer is based on the the total weight of the grape order and the distance from our freezer facility to the customer

Before shipping a grape order, Brehm Vineyard's will contact a customer regarding shipping arrangements.

Each grape shipment will incur a $35 handling charge when Brehm Vineyards make shipping arrangements and pre-pays for the grape order to be shipped to the customer.

There is no handling charge for grape orders in which the customer picks up the order at our freezer facility or makes shipping arrangements and pays for the shipment themselves. 

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Truck Shipping Information

The trucks contracted by Brehm Vineyards to pick up and deliver grape orders have a 40 to 53 foot trailer capable of refrigeration to sub-zero temperatures. A fully loaded truck weighs about 25 tons.

By shipping grape orders at freezing temperature ensures the quality of the product upon delivery

Delivery locations must be pre-arranged by the customer. A delivery location is one that has a truck high dock. It is recommended that a fork lift also be available for the delivery.

Because of the special nature of our product and the unique shipping situations of each customer, Brehm Vineyards will coordinate shipping arrangments with each customer.

Cost of Truck Shipments

The cost of truck shipments are based on the weight of the shipment and the distance between the pick up location and drop off location. There are other charges such as gas, and special pick up or delivery instructions that will add to the total shipping cost.

Brehm Vineyards is located on the west coast of the United States and most shipments will originate from Richmond, California.

In order to provide a customer with a specific rate for their order, this delivery location must first be secured. When we talk with to the truck companies, we must provide them with the pick up location, delivery location, as well as how much weight and or pallet spaces are to be shipped.

Less than Truck Load (LTL) carriers all will have a minimum charge for a shipment. This minimum charge is usually for 1 pallet space of product shipped from between 1 and 1500 pounds. After this minimum weight, which will vary by truck company, charges are usually incurred at a per pound rate.

Example 1 : Shipping 1000 pounds to location A will be charged the minimum rate.

Example 2 : Shipping between 2000 and 5000 pounds to location A will be charged at a per pound rate.

Example 3: Shipping between 5000 and 10000 pounds to location A will be charged at a per pound rate less than that in Example 2.

Bascially, the more you ship at one time, the less it costs. For this reason, Brehm Vineyards tries to arrange shipping points for multiple customer orders. That way, we can ship to many customers at once, and save everyone a little bit on the shipping costs.

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Air Cargo Shipping Information

A very efficient method for shipping small grape orders is to use the air freight/cargo services offered by many airlines. Unfortunately, not all airports are serviced with air cargo. Most metropolitan airports are available for air cargo shipping.

This method of shipping requires that customers pick up their pails from the airport shipped to.

Currently, Brehm Vineyards ships pails of grapes/juice as air cargo with America West Airlines, Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines. All pails are shipped as general freight. For shipments with America West Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the grape pails are shipped as General Freight. Since they are shipped as General Freight, they are not guaranteed to be flown out immediately. It may take up to 2 days for the pails to arrive at their destination airport.

For shipments with Delta Airlines, the grape pails are shipped as priorty freight. Since November 1st 2001, Delta only offers priorty freight service. The costs for this service is slightly more than corresponding General Freight service with America West and Alaska Airlines. However, with Delta's priority service, shipments are delivered to the destination airport within 24 hours of shipment.

America West charges a 6.25% tax on all shipments as well as a $0.15 per pound fuel/security surcharge.

Delta charges a 6.25% tax on all shipments as well as a $0.22 per pound fuel/security surcharge.

Southwest Airlines charges a 6.25% tax on all shipments and also charges a $0.12 per pound fuel/security surcharge.

Alaska Airlines charges a 6.25% tax on all shipments and also charges a $0.05 per pound fuel/security surcharge.

Grape orders can be rushed or shipped as Guaranteed Freight (so they are sent on the next flight guaranteed). Airlines charge rush deliveries will be charged 200-400% (or more) higher than the General Freight/Priority Freight.

Cost of Air Cargo Shipments

All air cargo shipments will originate from Oakland International Airport, Oakland, California. Like truck shipments, air cargo shipping costs increase the farther east the pails are shipped. Thus, a shipment to Denver, CO will be considerably less than to Tampa, FL.

In an effort to make this method of shipping work to lower the costs to our customers, Brehm Vineyards pre-pays for each shipment. Tariffs, inspection fees and other charges normally incurred to someone shipping by air freight are thereby avoided.

Brehm Vineyards also insures each pail for damage incurred by the shipment. This does not apply to the grapes thawing during transit. By shipping through air cargo, the customer must be aware that the grape pails do thaw en route. The speed of the shipment, though, means you will usualy have a day or so more of thawing upon picking up your pails.

Brehm Vineyards will then bill you, the customer, with the cost of the shipment.

Brehm Vineyards $35 handling charge applies to all air freight shipments.

Currently, for shipments within the United States, the average minimum air freight shipping cost for a one or two pail shipment would be approximately $80. This is based on a minimum air freight charge of $45 for the air freight shipment plus the $35 Brehm Vineyards handling charge.

When shipping 3 or more pails by this method, the cost per pail actually goes down because the airlines begin to charge at a per pound rate. Thus, the average cost per pail will be between $20-45 (in addition to the $35 handling charge.) Of course the distance between Oakland International Airport to the destination airport is also a factor in the cost of the shipment.

All air cargo/freight shipping charges are subject to change without notice.

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International Shipping Information

All shipments outside of the United States are subject to customs fees and other international tariffs and taxes. Customs brokers in the country to be shipped to must be hired in advance of the shipment.

Shipments to Canada

Brehm Vineyards is able to export our premium wine grapes to Canadian winemakers via established distributors in British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, the Niagara Peninsula, Toronto, Eastern Ontario and Quebec.

Areas without an established distributor should contact us directly.

Grape shipments to Canada and other international destinations are required to clear customs. For this reason, we find it necessary to refer Canadian winemakers to an authorized Brehm Vineyard's grape distributor or reseller.

Please Contact Us for information about your nearest distributor.

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