Privacy, personal data, security. GDPR

Privacy Policy (and other policies)

The Wine Alchemy Privacy Policy

1) Privacy and your Personal Information.

Wine Alchemy commits to protecting the privacy and personal data of its users. Furthermore, it opposes Surveillance Capitalism and supports the Center for Humane Technology. Hence, this Privacy Policy tells you how personal information is defined, obtained, and used. It also tells you about your rights.

The privacy policy applies to your personal information. Its collection is via this website or other ways such as by telephone or email. When personal information is collected, it’s made clear that you give positive consent to this first. It also explains what is done with it.

Your information retention and use comply with the Data Protection Act, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the Age Appropriate Design Code for Online Services.

2) GDPR.

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. Its introduction strengthened, harmonised, and modernised EU data protection law and enhanced individual rights and freedoms. It is consistent with the European understanding that privacy is a fundamental human right. GDPR regulates how individuals and organisations obtain, use, store, and destroy personal data. It came into force on 25/08/2018.

GDPR covers all EU institutions and all systems outside the EU that process the personal data of EU citizens. It remains in force in the UK after it left the European Union. The penalties for non-compliance are stringent.

Wine Alchemy, established in the UK,  is the Data Controller. Paul Howard is the Data Protection Officer. Contact him via the website.

The ICO is the UK regulator responsible for monitoring and investigating data breaches and complaints. The Wine Alchemy annual Tier 1 registration with the ICO (Information Commissioners’ Office) is ZA317200.

3) The Wine Alchemy website

Google Analytics is a third-party US service. It collects internet log information and details of visitor behaviour, such as the number of website visitors. All information is processed anonymously, which does not identify anyone. Neither Wine Alchemy nor Google Analytics tries to find the identities of those browsing the website. Google Analytics operates Standard Contractual Clauses, as shown here.

WordPress publishes the website run by Automattic Inc. in the US. WordPress collects anonymous information about user activity. They report on effectiveness to help improve the website. For more information about how WordPress processes data, see Automattic’s notice. The website is hosted and maintained at Maratopia Digital Marketing in the UK. Maratopia’s privacy policy is here.

Wine Alchemy does not use social media platforms. (Examples: Twitter, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger), TikTok, Snapchat).

4) Personal Information collection

When you visit the Wine Alchemy website, you supply personal information. This information is the minimum to operate the services and requires your positive consent. It may include your name and email address. Collection happens when:

  • Your access device connects to the website via your browser. It sends digital data about the device, location, and IP address.
  • Subscribing to a Newsletter/Update to receive news, events, and information;
  • You send an email, where we may retain your email messages, your email address and our responses;

Wine Alchemy never collects sensitive personal data. Examples include health or financial information or information that reveals a person’s racial or ethnic origin. Wine Alchemy does not conduct personal data profiling either. Furthermore, Wine Alchemy data collection conforms to the Age Appropriate Design Code, which came into force on 02/09/20.

5) Cookies

The Wine Alchemy website gathers information about site usage using cookies. A cookie is a small data file a web page server adds to your hard drive. Cookies cannot identify you. Instead, they enable more straightforward navigation and help us match content to your preferred interests more quickly. Wine Alchemy does not track users across other websites either. In addition, our use of cookies complies with legislation.

Hence, you agree to cookie use by using the Wine Alchemy website. If you do not accept this, you can alter your browser settings. For example, you can turn off cookies or block unacceptable ones. You can also delete existing cookies. All modern browsers allow you to do this, and your browser has the instructions for this. In addition, your device may provide you with additional tools and information to safeguard your online privacy, and you may also use a VPN. You can use an online cookie checker tool to see cookie use.

6) How is your information used?

Your information is used as follows:

  • To present website content effectively;
  • Notify you of any changes;
  • Provide subscribers with Newsletter/Update using MailChimp;
  • Update records;
  • Provide anonymised website statistics via Google Analytics.

7) Personal information and third parties

Your personal information is never sold. The transfer of personal data for data processing is to Google Analytics and WordPress, as described above, or MailChimp, as described below. These third-party data processors are outside the EU. Notwithstanding this, Wine Alchemy must disclose or share your information to comply with any legal obligations.

8) Your Consent

Consent is the legal basis for processing your Personal Data under GDPR.

The Wine Alchemy Newsletter/Update subscription is an optional website feature. However, using it first requires your positive consent to collect and use your Personal Data.  You may then sign up for the Newsletter/Update.  Positive consent to this optional facility is at your discretion by reading the privacy statement and then ticking the blank consent box. You may unsubscribe from this service at any time. All Newsletters/Updates contain clear “unsubscribe” links. Wine Alchemy deletes subscribers if they have not opened a Newsletter/Update for two years. After Unsubscribing, all personal data is removed, destroyed, and not archived.

The Newsletter/Update uses MailChimp, a data processor in the USA, which gathers statistics on email opening, location and usage. Intuit owns Mailchimp and processes personal information following the Intuit Global Privacy Statement.

9) Your rights

You may request access to your Personal Data that Wine Alchemy collects and maintains by contacting us anytime. Such access is without charge. Exceptionally, a fee may be charged based on administrative costs when an application is unfounded, excessive, or repetitive. The response is within one calendar month of the request.

You have the right to ask Wine Alchemy not to process information for marketing purposes. Any marketing will cease immediately upon receipt.

You have the right to have any of your personal data held securely erased, restricted or rectified. Wine Alchemy will respond without undue delay and, in any case, within one calendar month.

10) Security and Trust

The Wine Alchemy website uses a renewable SSL EV Certificate for enhanced safety and privacy using HTTPS. Consequently, in your browser, you may see this as:

  • The Wine Alchemy name, as it owns the EV certificate;
  • A distinctive colour, usually green, is shown in the address bar, indicating a valid EV certificate;
  • An address bar lock symbol. It varies in colour depending on the website’s security status. You can obtain more information about the EV certificate by clicking on the lock symbol.
  • Some browsers now display HTTP sites as Not Secure. HTTPS is more secure than HTTP. However, Wine Alchemy cannot guarantee the security of your data during transit to our website. Once data is received, security features are used to authorise access. You may also use a VPN on your device to access the website.

Other Wine Alchemy Policies

A) No Advertising Policy

Wine Alchemy never accepts advertisements for third-party goods and services and does not publish “guest posts”. Comments on individual posts are disabled.

Wine Alchemy never carries advertising, affiliate programs or sponsored links (“Clickbait”). We believe website users wish to explore and enjoy the merits of published content without distraction. Therefore, Wine Alchemy is not a portal to junk, fake journalism or paid advertisements. External links contained within articles are intended only for general information or further exploration, and Wine Alchemy has no control over such links.

B) The Use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is expressly forbidden

It is in everyone’s interest to be transparent and protect human creators’ authenticity and creativity. It therefore follows that the Wine Alchemy website:

  • Does not use AI-generative systems for research, editing, writing or artwork. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted content will be removed and replaced if inadvertently used and subsequently discovered. All writing and content is by Paul Howard, species Homo sapiens, with no reliance on AI tools.
  • Forbids the use (for any purpose) of any written or graphic content published on this website by third parties, developers and AI generative systems without prior written consent. Examples include (but are not restricted to) proofreading, editing, indexing, legal vetting, design and layout, translation, design and machine training/learning.
  • Has barred the web crawlers GPTBot (from OpenAI, makers of ChatGPT) and CCBot from harvesting data for AI systems.

C) Other

  • Wine Alchemy may accept payment for published articles and journalism. However, any recommendations are based on personal opinions and are not guaranteed.
  • External Links to wine stockists and wines and their prices and availability are purely for illustrative purposes, sourced at first publication, and not kept updated.
  • To avoid disappointment, please note that Wine Alchemy does not sell wine, provide investment advice, or offer wine valuation services.

Last update 13 September 2023, URL Links reviewed 23 November 2023