Terms & Conditions

All our regular offers, both for wines to lay down and wines to drink now, are offered subject to stock remaining available.

Prices will be explained on each offer and may be quoted in bond (excluding duty & VAT) or duty paid including VAT. Prices are subject to market and currency fluctuations, and changes in duty levels.

» Back to top

2. Payment

Payment terms are strictly within 30 days from date of invoice. All transactions will be invoiced and paid for in UK sterling.

Clients are welcome to submit payments by either contributing a monthly subscription, or by remitting lump sums. We are able to accept payment by credit (Visa & Mastercard) or debit cards, UK sterling cheques (made payable to Bowes Wine Limited) or UK sterling bank transfers.

» Back to top

3. Bank Accounts

Please email Victoria if you would like our bank details in order to make a payment.

All unallocated client monies are held in the HSBC account entitled Bowes Wine Ltd Client Account. These funds are ring-fenced as not making up any part of the assets of the company.

Money is transferred from the Client Account into the company account by clients’ agreement and only against a specific invoice.

» Back to top

4. Delivery

Delivery charges from Octavian to addresses in mainland UK:

For wines purchased from our list of drinking wines, including all Daily Drinker wines –

minimum delivery charge £16.45 inc vat but free delivery for orders of 3 cases (a case being 12 bottles) or more.

For wines purchased from our others offers (i.e. wines to lay down) and for any wines from customers’ private reserves (not purchased from Bowes Wine) – Octavian’s delivery charges will simply be passed on to the client at cost. We are, of course, happy to quote delivery charges in advance.

Regrettably, all deliveries to the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Scilly Isles, Isle of Wight and Isle of Man, Northern Island and the Channel Islands will incur the relevant surcharge. Please contact us for more information. There is no charge for collections from Octavian.

Deliveries are normally made between the hours of 8am & 6pm.

For deliveries within the M25, orders received by 11.30am will be delivered the next working day.

For deliveries outside the M25 but within England & Wales, orders received by 11.30am (on day 0) will be delivered by day 3.

For deliveries to the main belt of Scotland, orders received by 11.30am (on day 0) will be delivered by day 5.

We will do our utmost to ensure that the published delivery times are adhered to but we are unable to accept responsibility for missed deliveries.

» Back to top

5. Cancellations & Refunds

Clients may cancel an order within 7 working days of placing the order and will receive a full refund within 30 days.

Where the order involves wines which have been delivered (as opposed to remaining in our storage at Octavian), the client will be responsible for packing, delivery and return costs.

Where a wine is found to be faulty or corked, we will offer a refund or replacement of equal value.

Should a wine be damaged in delivery, or the wrong wine delivered, we will offer a refund or replacement. Notification must be given to us within 3 working days of delivery.

» Back to top

6. Title

Title to the goods does not pass to the Buyer until the relevant invoice has been settled in full.

Although the goods remain the Seller’s property until paid for, they shall be at the Buyer’s risk from time of delivery and the Buyer shall insure them against loss or damage accordingly, and in the event of such loss or damage shall hold the proceeds of such insurance on behalf of the Seller as trustee for the Seller.

» Back to top

7. Storage

All clients’ wine is held, either duty paid or under bond, at Octavian, Corsham, Wiltshire. See our Storage page for further information. Storage charges are invoiced quarterly in arrears.

We offer two kinds of storage accounts at Octavian:

BOWES WINE LTD CLIENT TRUST ACCOUNT

All stock in this account belongs to Bowes Wine clients and as such, is identified as not being part of the company’s assets. Bowes Wine Ltd maintains all records relating to the individual ownership of the wine within this account.

Storage charges, from 1^st May 2008, are £8.50 per case (12x75cl or 9 litre equivalent) / £6.00 per half-case (up to 6x75cl or 4.5 litre equivalent) per annum including VAT and insurance at full replacement value.

BOWES WINE MULTI-OWNER ACCOUNT

All stock in this account belongs to Bowes Wine clients, as above, but the individual ownership of the wine within this account is recognised by Octavian: individual cases are marked with the owner’s name, which is also recorded on Octavian’s system.

However, Octavian recognises Bowes Wine Ltd as responsible for the account and for payment of all invoices, and as such, will only take instructions from Bowes Wine Ltd with regards to withdrawals and transfers.

It is therefore a requirement of this account that the client signs a contract with Bowes Wine Ltd; this confirms that Bowes Wine recognises individual ownership of wines which are identified in bond, and authorises Bowes Wine Ltd to manage the client’s stock.

Storage charges are £10.00 per case (12x75cl or 9 litre equivalent) / £6.50 per half-case (up to 6x75cl or 4.5 litre equivalent) per annum including VAT and insurance at full replacement value.

(For both accounts, wine in magnums and larger formats will be charged at the 9 litre case rate.)

In the event of non-payment of storage charges, Bowes Wine Ltd reserves the right to sell some or all of the customers’ reserves and to deduct from the proceeds of this sale any outstanding storage charges.

» Back to top

8. Mixed Cases

Octavian does accept “mixed cases” for storage at case rates.

For duty paid “mixed cases”, Octavian will not open the cases to verify the contents unless instructed to do so. If the customer requires Octavian to open a duty paid case and check that the contents correspond with the accompanying paperwork, a charge will be levied.

For all under bond “mixed cases”, Octavian will automatically open them to check that the contents correspond with the accompanying paperwork, at a cost per bottle. These charges will be passed on to the Bowes Wine client.

Where the contents of a “mixed case” have been checked, the case will be recorded on the system as a “mixed case” (individual products will not be recorded on the system). However, insurance cover at full replacement value will not apply to these “mixed cases”. Should a claim arise due to breakage or loss, Octavian will use the UKWA (UK Warehousing Association) rate which is currently £10.50 per kg.

The client can request insurance cover at full replacement value where the contents of the “mixed case” have been checked and, if agreed, Octavian will record individual products within a “mixed case” on the system separately. However, please note that each individual product will be charged storage at a case rental rate.

» Back to top

9. Export of wines

We are pleased to assist, wherever possible, with the shipping of a client’s wines overseas. Please contact Caspar or Victoria for further information.

However, please note that when Octavian prepare wines for export, i.e. release them for collection by a shipping agent, Octavian are required to prepare the export documentation. There is a charge levied for this service which we will pass on to our client at £35.00 inc vat.

NB. This does not include any wines sent via Crown Cellars’ shipments to Hong Kong.

» Back to top

10. RH&D

We are happy to offer storage of clients’ wines not purchased from Bowes Wine. The standard storage charges, as above, will be applied. However, all wines not purchased from Bowes Wine and receipted into one of the two above-mentioned accounts will incur a Receipt, Handling & Documentation charge (RH&D) on arrival. These charges are passed on to the client at cost.

» Back to top

11. Law

All our contracts are made under English Law, and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

» Back to top

12. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure to meet our obligations caused by circumstances beyond our control.

» Back to top

13. E & OE

14. Duty Rates

Duty is always charged at the prevailing rate. Current rate for a case of 12 bottles (9 litres):

Still wine £19.32

Sparkling wine £24.72

Fortified wine £25.68

» Back to top