Should you ship wine in the heat of summer?
What you should know about the risk of damaging your bottles
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
We’re going to a family gathering in Wisconsin and would like to ship a case of wine in advance, but the winery says it’s too warm. Temperatures seem to be in the 80°–90° F range now, and transit time is 4 or 5 days. All wine would be used during the gathering. Would it be unwise to override the winery and ship anyway?
—David, San Francisco
Dear David,
We know that heat, temperature fluctuations and perhaps even vibrations can negatively affect wine. There’s also a chance that wine might experience “travel shock” or “bottle shock,” which is when a wine seems awkward for a while after a trip. I wouldn’t ship a wine to consume immediately if you can avoid it, especially in the heat of summer. Keep in mind, too, that if the wine becomes “cooked” during transit, it won’t matter how quickly you drink it once it arrives. Once a wine is cooked, there’s no bringing it back to life.
The problem is that there are so many variables here. You know the outside temperature, but you don’t know the conditions in the truck—to say nothing of if the wine will have to sit in a warehouse for any period of time, if there will be delays, how bumpy the roads are, and many other factors.
I think the winery is wise to try to protect your investment in their wine by making sure it is going to show its very best, so I would follow their advice. Hopefully you can find some local alternatives that are just as tasty to enjoy at your family gathering. You could also consider checking a few bottles in your luggage—they should stay nice and cool in the cargo hold.
—Dr. Vinny
