Are you moving within the U.S. and need advice on how to transport your treasured wine collection? Reliable Van & Storage has years of experience, so follow our guidance and you will can manage moving your wine without any harm to your collection.

 

If your wine collection is small enough, not overly expensive, and you are not moving within the country, your best option is to pack the wine carefully and transport it yourself using your personal vehicle. This way, you can easily control the temperature.

Fluctuations in temperature as well as sustained high temperature, sustained low temperature, and exposure to sunlight cause wine to spoil Experts recommend a consistent temperature of 55° Fahrenheit when storing and transporting wine, especially red wines.  The temperature should not fluctuate more than 5 degrees because wine bottles that have undergone repeated temperature cycling tend to lose their quality.


 Make sure to use the right packing material. You may want to go to your local liquor store and purchase wine boxes; these are made of Styrofoam or corrugated cardboard and protect the bottles. You can also purchase them online.


If you are on a tight budget, you can pack your wine bottles in paper or bubble wrap and place them in regular boxes. Be sure to fill in any gaps with extra paper. If you are worried that the boxes you’ve chosen are not sturdy enough, add in 2-3 layers of extra cardboard at the bottom before you start packing. Then, secure the boxes with extra tape.

You should pack the bottles on their side, but most wine can be shipped upright. It takes months before the threat of a cork drying out and most transportation is complete in a week or two.  Also, today’s synthetic corks are resistant to drying out, but if you have old, vintage wine, there is a chance that the cork will dry out and spoil the wine.


To be safe, you may want to purchase synthetic corks and replace the old corks with these.

Be aware that states differ in alcoholic beverage regulation. Check with state alcohol control authorities at your destination prior to your move to see if they have restrictions on the amount or type of alcohol that you are allowed to bring in for personal use. Most of the time, though, states make allowances for private wine collections being moved with household goods.

Even if extreme care has been used in packing and transporting, bottle shock may occur. The wine will shake within the bottle as it is moved, and if opened too soon, a loss of flavor may result. To minimize this risk, allow the bottle to rest for 7 days prior to opening.

If you are still apprehensive, contact Reliable Van & Storage– our experienced packers and movers are happy to assist you in ensuring the safety and protection of your precious wine collection.