Privacy, personal data, security. GDPR

Privacy Policy (and other policies)

The Wine Alchemy Privacy Policy

1) Privacy and your Personal Information

Wine Alchemy is committed to protecting its users’ privacy and personal data.  This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is defined, obtained, and used and outlines your rights.

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

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 August 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. You can contact him via this website.

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

3) Your Consent

Wine Alchemy has determined that obtaining your consent is the legal basis for processing your Personal Data under GDPR. This process is explained in more detail below.

 

4) Personal Information Collection

When you visit the Wine Alchemy website, you supply personal information. This information is the minimum needed 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;
  • You send an email to the Wine Alchemy email address. Wine Alchemy may retain your email messages, your email address and any responses given;

Wine Alchemy does not hold mailing lists and 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.

 

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 match content to your preferred interests more quickly. Wine Alchemy does not track users across other websites either. In addition, the use of cookies complies with legislation.

Consequently, you agree to cookie use by using the Wine Alchemy website. If you do not accept this, you can alter your own 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;
  • To provide anonymised website statistics via Google Analytics;
  • To provide anonymous website performance data via WordPress.

7) Personal Information and Third Parties

Google Analytics is a third-party service based in the USA. It collects internet log information and details of website 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. Automattic Inc. operates this in the USA. It collects anonymous information about user activity and reports on effectiveness to help improve the website. You can see Automattic’s Privacy Policy if you want more information about how WordPress processes data.

Maratopia Digital Marketing hosts the website in the UK and does not hold any Personal Data collected by Wine Alchemy.  Maratopia’s privacy policy is here.

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

8) Your Rights

You may request access to your Personal Data that Wine Alchemy collects and maintains at any time. 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 to the request is within one calendar month of the request.

You have the right to ask Wine Alchemy not to process information for marketing purposes. Currently, no Personal Data is held to support marketing activities.

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.

9) 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 the website. Once data is received, security features authorise access.
  • You may also use a VPN on your device to access the website if you prefer.

 

 

Other Wine Alchemy Policies

On principle, Wine Alchemy opposes using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Surveillance Capitalism and supports the Center for Humane Technology. This stance informs 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”.

Wine Alchemy never carries advertising, affiliate programs or sponsored links. It does not participate in “Clickbait”. Instead, website users can explore, read and enjoy the merits of published content without distraction. Therefore, Wine Alchemy is not a portal to junk, fake journalism or paid advertisements.

Any external links within articles are meant only for general information or to help explore topics further. They are not endorsements. Wine Alchemy has no control over such links but periodically checks that they are unbroken to maintain a quality reader experience.

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:

  • Doesn’t 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, without 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.
  • In principle, it supports the European Artificial Intelligence Act that came into force in the European Union on 01 August 2024. While the UK is no longer part of the EU and not governed by this law, its citizens access and read the Wine Alchemy website, where EU wines are predominant.
  • As a member of The Society of Authors, I support their stance and actions on AI.

C) No Social Media Use

  • Wine Alchemy does NOT use ANY social media platforms.
  • Social Media examples include X – formerly known as Twitter, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger), TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon.

D) Other Policies

  • Wine Alchemy supports Responsible Drinking.
  • Wine Alchemy does not accept payment for published articles on the website.
  • Wine Alchemy does not publish user comments on the website.
  • Any recommendations made are based on personal opinion and without guarantee.
  • External Links to wine stockists and wines, their prices, and availability are illustrative and made at the time of initial publication. They are not subsequently updated.
  • Wine Alchemy does not sell wine, provide investment advice, or offer wine valuation services.
  • Any profits made by this website are donated to sustainability charities.

The most recent update was on 11 April 2025; the URL links were last reviewed on 10 March 2025.