Privacy Policy

Last updated: 10 May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how The Wine Guide ("I", "me", or "this site") collects, uses, and protects information when you visit wineguide.co. This is a personal blog, not a company.

By using this site you agree to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please stop using the site.

1. Who runs this site

The Wine Guide is a personal blog run by Claire Bennett, based in Sydney, Australia. Contact: [email protected].

2. What data is collected and why

Analytics (Google Analytics)

This site uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site — which pages are popular, how long people stay, and where traffic comes from. Google Analytics collects:

  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • Referring website or search engine
  • Approximate geographic location (country or region, not street address)
  • Device type, browser, and operating system
  • A randomly assigned client ID (not linked to your name or email)

This data is aggregated. I cannot identify you personally from it. IP addresses are anonymised before storage. The legal basis for this processing under GDPR is legitimate interest — understanding site performance helps me improve the content.

Google Analytics data is processed by Google LLC. For details on how Google handles this data, see Google's Privacy Policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console provides aggregated data about how the site appears in Google Search — search queries, click-through rates, and indexing status. This tool does not collect any personal data about individual visitors.

Contact form

If you contact me via email, I will receive your email address and the contents of your message. I use this only to respond to your enquiry. I do not add you to any mailing list or share your details with third parties.

3. Cookies

This site uses cookies set by Google Analytics to distinguish between visitors and sessions. These are analytics cookies, not advertising cookies. No cookies are used for ad targeting, retargeting, or tracking across other websites.

Affiliate links to wine.com and Amazon may set their own cookies when you click through to those sites. I have no control over third-party cookie practices. Please review wine.com's and Amazon's privacy policies for details.

You can block or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Blocking analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use this site.

4. Affiliate links and third-party sites

Some links on this site are affiliate links to wine.com and Amazon. When you click these links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See the Affiliate Disclaimer for full details.

Once you leave this site by clicking a link, I am not responsible for the privacy practices of the destination site. I encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

5. Your rights under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of access — you can request a copy of any personal data I hold about you.
  • Right to rectification — you can ask me to correct inaccurate data.
  • Right to erasure — you can ask me to delete your personal data.
  • Right to restrict processing — you can ask me to limit how I use your data.
  • Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interest.
  • Right to data portability — you can request your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. I will respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority. In Australia, that is the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

6. Data retention

Google Analytics data is retained for 14 months, after which it is automatically deleted by Google. Contact emails are retained only as long as needed to resolve your enquiry.

7. Children's privacy

This site is intended for adults of legal drinking age in their jurisdiction. I do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.

8. Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by a new "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after any change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

9. Contact

For any privacy-related questions or requests, contact: [email protected].