Last Updated: July 08, 2025
Winery-Search.com (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website winery-search.com (the “Service”), a search directory for wineries, wines, and related services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal data when you use our Service, in compliance with applicable laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), and other relevant data protection regulations.
By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information to provide and improve our Service, process transactions, and comply with legal obligations. The types of information we collect include:
a. Personal Information You Provide
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, or mailing address when you register, contact us, or use our Service (e.g., to list a winery, post reviews, or make inquiries).
- Account Information: Username, password, and other details when you create an account.
- Transaction Information: Billing and shipping details, such as credit card number, expiration date, billing address, and phone number, when you make purchases (e.g., winery listings or premium services).
- User Content: Reviews, comments, or other content you submit to the Service.
b. Information Collected Automatically
- Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our Service, including pages visited, search queries, time spent, and referring/exit pages.
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and other technical data.
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to track user activity, personalize content, and serve ads. See our Cookies Policy for details.
c. Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from third-party partners, such as:
- Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics) for usage statistics.
- Payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) for transaction details.
- Advertising networks for targeted ads.
- Social media platforms if you interact with us through them.
We ensure third parties we work with have appropriate data protection measures in place.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes, based on legal grounds such as consent, contractual necessity, legitimate interests, or legal obligations:
- To Provide and Improve the Service:
- Operate and maintain the winery-search.com directory.
- Process winery listings, user accounts, and transactions.
- Personalize your experience (e.g., recommend wineries based on your searches).
- Analyze usage to improve functionality and user experience.
- To Communicate with You:
- Respond to inquiries, comments, or customer service requests.
- Send transactional emails (e.g., order confirmations, account updates).
- Send marketing communications (e.g., newsletters, promotions) with your consent, where required.
- To Comply with Legal Obligations:
- Verify user age to ensure compliance with legal drinking age requirements (21 in the U.S.).
- Meet requirements under GDPR, CCPA, CalOPPA, and other laws.
- To Protect Our Service and Users:
- Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security threats.
- Enforce our Terms of Use and other policies.
- For Marketing and Advertising:
- Deliver targeted ads based on your interests, with your consent or as permitted by law.
- Share aggregated, non-identifiable data with partners for marketing insights.
3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
For users in the European Union, we process personal data under the following legal bases per GDPR:
- Consent: For marketing communications, targeted advertising, and certain cookies (you may withdraw consent at any time).
- Contract: To fulfill our obligations when you register, purchase services, or list a winery.
- Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws, such as age verification or data retention requirements.
- Legitimate Interests: For improving our Service, preventing fraud, and ensuring security, provided these interests do not override your rights.
If you have questions about the legal basis for processing your data, contact us at privacy@winery-search.com.
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties, except as described below:
- Service Providers: We share data with trusted third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as:
- Payment processors to handle transactions.
- Analytics providers to track usage.
- Hosting and cloud storage providers to maintain the Service.
- Marketing platforms to send communications. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.
- Business Partners: We may share aggregated or anonymized data with winery partners or advertisers to provide insights (e.g., popular wine regions).
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose data to comply with legal obligations, such as responding to court orders, subpoenas, or government requests, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
- Business Transfers: If winery-search.com is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale, your data may be transferred to the new entity, with notice provided.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and deliver ads. Types of cookies include:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the Service to function (e.g., maintaining your session).
- Analytics Cookies: Track usage to improve the Service.
- Advertising Cookies: Enable targeted ads.
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool. Note that disabling cookies may affect the Service’s functionality. For more details, see our Cookies Policy.
6. Data Security
We implement commercially reasonable measures to protect your data, including:
- Encryption for data in transit and at rest.
- Firewalls and access controls to prevent unauthorized access.
- Regular security audits and updates.
However, no system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:
- Account and transaction data are kept for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.
- Usage data is retained for analytics purposes, typically for up to 2 years.
- Data required for legal compliance (e.g., tax records) is kept as required by law.
When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it, except where legally required to retain it.
8. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- GDPR (EU Residents):
- Access, correct, or delete your data.
- Restrict or object to processing.
- Data portability (receive your data in a structured format).
- Withdraw consent for processing based on consent.
- CCPA (California Residents):
- Know what personal data we collect, use, or share.
- Request deletion of your data.
- Opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell your data).
- Non-discrimination for exercising your rights.
- Other Jurisdictions: Similar rights may apply under laws like PIPEDA (Canada) or state-specific U.S. laws.
To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@winery-search.com or call [insert phone number]. We will respond within the timeframes required by law (e.g., 30 days for GDPR, 45 days for CCPA). You may need to verify your identity.
9. Age Restrictions
Our Service is not intended for individuals under the legal drinking age of 21. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 21. If we learn we have collected such data, we will promptly delete it. Contact us if you believe we have collected data from a minor.
10. International Data Transfers
Your data may be processed or stored in countries outside your residence, including the United States, where our servers or service providers are located. We ensure appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for GDPR compliance, to protect your data during international transfers.
11. Third-Party Links
Our Service may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., winery websites). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and, where required, by email or prominent notice. The “Last Updated” date at the top indicates the latest version. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email: info@winery-search.com
For GDPR purposes, our Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be reached at the above email. For complaints unresolved directly with us, you may contact your local data protection authority (e.g., Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK).
14. Cookies Policy
a. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device to help us operate the Service, analyze usage, and provide personalized content or ads.
b. Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Enable core functionality, such as logging in or maintaining your session.
- Performance Cookies: Collect anonymized data to improve the Service.
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g., language settings).
- Advertising Cookies: Deliver relevant ads based on your interests.
c. Managing Cookies
You can control cookies via:
- Our cookie consent tool (available on your first visit).
- Your browser settings to block or delete cookies.
- Opting out of targeted ads via Digital Advertising Alliance or similar services.
Note: Disabling cookies may limit some features of the Service.
d. Do Not Track
We do not alter our data practices based on Do Not Track signals, as there is no universal standard for such signals. However, you can opt out of targeted advertising as described above.
15. Additional Information for California Residents (CCPA)
- Categories of Personal Information Collected: Identifiers (name, email, IP address), commercial information (transaction details), internet activity (browsing history), and geolocation data.
- Sources: Directly from you, automatically via cookies, and from third parties.
- Business Purposes: Service operation, customer support, marketing, analytics, and legal compliance.
- Sharing: We share with service providers and, in limited cases, business partners for analytics or advertising (not a “sale” under CCPA).
- Your Rights: Request disclosure, deletion, or opt-out of data sharing by contacting privacy@winery-search.com. You may make two free requests per year. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
16. Accessibility
We strive to make this Privacy Policy accessible to all users. If you have difficulty accessing it or need assistance, contact us at info@winery-search.com.
This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with applicable privacy laws and build trust with our users. Thank you for choosing winery-search.com.