If you have shipped wine before, you may have come to find that it’s not as simple as mailing a letter. If you don’t want your shipment to arrive as a puddle with pieces of glass, it takes planning and preparation. Shipping any alcoholic beverages, whether wine, beer or spirits, is subject to further regulations and restrictions than those that already govern the mail. Without following these regulations, a wine shipment could be subject to seizure, be damaged in transit and even jeopardize the seller’s current license.

One of the main restrictions is that a shipping store is required to have a license in order to ship wine. Shipping with a practiced shipping store that is licensed specifically for wine ensures your shipments make it to your customers safely, legally and in a timely manner. When legality and safety are concerned, it’s worth taking your shipment to a shipping store with experience transporting wine.

Box ‘n Ship in San Diego is a licensed shipping store with expertise in the restrictions and regulations that govern shipments of wine. We can help you from packaging the wine itself to selecting the ideal shipping speed. We know the ins and outs of wine shipments and can make sure your customers receive their wine in perfect condition.

Ship Wine Legally

As a controlled substance, there are extra restrictions around the sale of wine and shipment of wine. These restrictions are subject to change. For example, as of October 2021, Alabama now allows winery shipments directly to the consumer. As a business owner, staying apprised of the developments in legally shipping wine can be a lot of information. At Box ’n Ship, because shipping is our specialty, we will help you navigate these tricky and changing restrictions so you know your delivery will make it to your customer without complication.

Ship Wine Safely

Any shipment runs the risk of being damaged in transit, but with wine bottles there is the extra risk that the contents are flammable and actually considered a hazardous product. That’s a large reason it is subject to such stringent regulations. If you ship wine through an unlicensed store, you may be liable for any damage that occurs due to breakage. To prevent damage, the wine must be adequately protected in its packaging. At Box ‘n Ship, we recommend either Styrofoam or “egg shell” shippers which have provided excellent protection in the years we have been shipping wine.

Ship Wine Quickly

With shipments of wine, time is also a factor because wine does not like temperature fluctuations. Wine could become corked if it undergoes frequent temperature changes. At Box ‘n Ship, we have several options for shipping methods so you can choose the speed based on the customer’s needs and the product you are shipping.

For customers shipping small quantities of standard or average wines, ground shipping should be adequate, even to relatively distant locations in the U.S. For expensive wines, we recommend express shipping (no longer than three days transport). Since FedEx and UPS express services do not offer temperature control, any longer transport times could have an effect on the wine’s quality upon arrival.

Don’t let shipping restrictions cause undue stress for you and your customers. When you trust your wine shipments to Box ‘n Ship, we’ll make sure your customers receive their wine in exactly the condition as you sent it.

Reach out to our team or come into one of our San Diego locations today to receive a quote.