Frequently asked questions

You buy a share of one lot by the vine — a five-vine minimum — for a single vintage at one vineyard. It covers a live data feed, four sample kits through the year (verijuice, post-ferment, barrel, finished wine), a vote on the winemaking calls, and finished wine allocated to your vines. You follow every stage from bud break to bottle.

Anyone 21 or older who can receive alcohol shipments in their state. No winemaking background is needed — the winemaker explains every decision as it comes.

Create a free account, browse Crews by region and style, and join the one that calls to you — buying as few as five vines. Each Crew is small and capped, so join early.

Every vineyard partner is personally vetted by our team. We visit properties, meet winemakers, review farming practices, and taste previous vintages. Only estates with proven quality, transparency, and sustainable practices make it onto our platform.

Three years minimum, with discounted five-year terms. Single-vintage engagements are Crews.

A refundable $500 deposit holds any block while the winery confirms its yearly price. Demi-Block tiers (under $5,000 a year) then check out online; Single Barrel and above start with a scheduled consultation.

Every Block Commission is a contract with the host vineyard — exit terms are part of your agreement, and the consultation walks through them before you sign.

The same crop protections that cover Crews apply to your block — your agreement spells out replacement fruit, rollover, or credit for the affected vintage.

A share of one lot for one vintage, by the vine. It covers the live vineyard data feed, four sample kits through the year (verijuice, post-ferment, barrel, and the finished wine), a vote on each winemaking call, a shared space with your Crew and winemaker, and your finished bottles, allocated by vine count.

Your finished bottles are allocated pro-rata to your vines — buy more vines, get more bottles. Five vines is the minimum; larger shares scale from there. The exact count depends on the lot's yield, confirmed at bottling, plus the sample shipments through the year. (Block Commission lessees, by contrast, receive every bottle their block produces — roughly 100–130 a year for a Demi-Block, ~300 for a Single Barrel, more for Multi-Barrel and Estate.)

Farming carries real risk. If a harvest is lost to frost, fire or similar, we work with the estate on what can be offered; our Terms of Service set out how crop loss is handled. Partial losses are managed by the winemaker, who protects quality first.

Each winery sets its own price per vine — from $36 to $240 a vine across current listings, so a five-vine Crew share runs roughly $180 to $1,200. Every listing shows its exact per-vine price, yield, and the wine it's making. Block Commissions are quoted per year, with a three-year minimum.

Each Crew is deliberately small and capped, so the group can taste, discuss, and vote on the calls together — where your participation genuinely matters. The exact cap is set by the vineyard. When a Crew is full, it's full.

The estate's winemaking team does all the production. At each real fork — when to pick, how much new oak, where the blend lands — the winemaker lays out options that will all make good wine and explains the trade-offs. The Crew votes and majority rules; if you don't vote, your vines go with the winemaker's recommendation.

Very. You'll get a live data feed from the vineyard (brix readings, weather, irrigation), physical samples to taste at every stage, decision polls on real winemaking choices, and a shared space with your Crew and winemaker. It's 10–20 minutes of engagement per task, with real deadlines and real stakes.

We offer everything from classic Bordeaux blends (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) to Burgundian varietals (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay), Italian grapes (Sangiovese, Nebbiolo), and more. Availability varies by region and season.

On a Crew, you can suggest a name for the back label (like "The Friday Crew"), subject to winery approval. On a Block Commission the label carries your name, and you work with the winery on the design.

Before a vineyard is listed we visit it, meet the winemaker, review the farming and taste past vintages. Every listing publishes the record — climate, soil, farming, vessel, yield — and shows third-party scores when they exist. The winemaker only puts options on a ballot that will make good wine.

Yes. When your estate hosts a harvest day, your Crew is invited. You'll meet the winemaking team, walk the vineyard, and participate in harvest activities. Some estates also offer private tours throughout the season.

You'll receive weekly video or photo updates during key growing stages (budbreak, flowering, veraison, harvest). During quieter periods, updates are monthly. All updates include commentary from the vineyard manager or winemaker.

Estates host harvest days, barrel tastings and blending sessions; what's offered varies by vineyard and is listed on each estate page. Some are free for members, others are ticketed.

Yes, most events allow you to bring 1-2 guests. Some ticketed events may have per-person fees. The details come with each invitation.

You can join from anywhere — the data, livestreams, conversations, and decisions are global. Wine and sample shipments currently deliver within the US (most states). Outside the US, you can hold your bottles in storage, pick up at the vineyard, or ship to a US address while we roll out international delivery.

Sample kits follow the wine: verijuice at véraison, a post-ferment sample after harvest, a barrel sample while it ages, and then the finished wine at release. Your Crew page tracks every shipment with expected dates. Wine ships within the US to most states; outside the US you can store it, pick it up at the estate, or send it to a US address.

Yes. We offer climate-controlled storage for $2/bottle/month. This is ideal if you want to age your wine longer or lack proper storage at home. You can request shipment of any quantity at any time.

Yes. You can ship bottles from your allocation to anyone 21 or older in a state we can ship to, with a gift note. Age is verified on delivery.

Your wine is for personal consumption only under most state regulations. If you're interested in commercial winemaking, please explore our Business Solutions page for legal options.

Yes. All members must be 21+ and able to receive alcohol shipments in their state. You confirm your age when you join, and an adult 21 or over signs for every delivery.

No — you never own the land. A Crew is a single-vintage membership. A Block Commission is a multi-year lease of a specific block: every bottle it produces is yours, your name on the label, but the winery owns and farms the vines. Either way: they own the land, you own the wine.

You don't need a license. The host winery holds the winemaking and shipping permits and makes and ships the wine; your allocation is for personal consumption. See our Terms for how allocations work and where we can ship.

Yes. We'll enter the wine you made — a Crew lot or your Block Commission barrel — in established international competitions like the International Wine Challenge and the Decanter World Wine Awards. Judging is blind, so ten vines' worth of wine is scored on the same terms as the famous estates'. You choose the competitions and pay their entry fees; we handle the forms, shipping and deadlines.

Entry fees range from $100-$200 per competition, paid directly to the competition organizers. We don't mark up these fees. Our service for handling all logistics (forms, shipping, tracking, results) is included in your membership at no additional cost.

Many do, but the rules differ: some require the producer to enter, or a minimum number of bottles. We check each competition's rules before you pay an entry fee, and if your wine qualifies it's judged blind alongside commercial wineries. You choose what to enter; we handle the entry. We're not affiliated with any competition.

Our Business program is for restaurants, retailers and entrepreneurs who want a private-label wine. We'll talk through sourcing, production and the licensing path for your project. Visit our Business page to learn more.

Potentially. We're selective about vineyard partnerships and look for estates with proven quality, sustainable practices, and a winemaker ready to bring a Crew into the conversation. Contact us to discuss partnership opportunities.

We're starting with individual Crews and Block Commissions. For a group or company inquiry, email support@splitvineyards.com and tell us what you have in mind.