What About Larger Than 60 X 750ml Bottle Collections
As noted above, large collections follow the same process as smaller ones, but may have to be approved by the Director.Alternatively, if you wish help with the moving of a collection, a professional Mobility Consultant or specialty goods shipping company can either provide the help or move the collection for you.
Tips For Safely Packing Wine Glasses And Bottles
Books? Check. Clothes? No problem. Packing the bulkier soft goods is no big feat, but what are you supposed to do when it comes time to move your wine collection and assortment of crystal and champagne flutes? Youre well aware that the crystal glasses from your wedding, or that bottle of wine youve been saving for a special occasion, could be easily damaged by undue bumping around. So unless youre having your movers pack everything, youll need to take special care to be sure your precious collection is moved properly to avoid breakage and to preserve the character of the wine. Here are our tips on how to prepare your collection for moving day.
If Youre Using Bubble Wrap Use It Over The Tissue Paper
Padding your glasses directly with bubble wrap creates a certain kind of grip between the plastic and crystal, which can mean broken stems or crushed glasses. Dont ask us about the science we just know what happens. Use a layer of tissue paper between the bubble wrap and glassware, and your goblets will be protected.
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Consider Third Party Storage
Before you get too far into the weeds of relocating your wine collection, take a look at qualified professional wine storage first, like the service offered at Vinfolio. A pending move is the perfect excuse to get your wines into a professional storage warehouse, saving you time and money on future moves. Rather than carting your bottles from one home to the next, a third-party storage facility keeps all of your bottles in one spot outside of your home. Should you move again, you never have to worry about taking your wine collection along for the ride. Professional storage is less risky than keeping your wine in a home wine cellar because the temperature, humidity and storage rack details are handled by the experts. If you move once every 10 years or more, professional storage is probably the best option for your collection, since youre putting unnecessary stress on your wine bottles every time you take them with you. A full-service storage company can ship your bottles to any location, including your new home, on-demand.
How Many Bottles Can You Import
Note: I am going to use BC as mostly here as this is the province where I get overwhelmingly the most interest for bringing in wine collections. Each province will be a bit different in terms of their process, so contact the Liquor Distribution Board in the province you are moving to in order to learn about their exact process. To “import” a wine collection, the Province of BC breaks down the volume into 3 categories. Other provinces have their own structures, but assume at this point that they are very similar. The first two categories are what are called “casual importation:”
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Place Protected Wine Glasses Inside The Box
Next, as you finish wrapping each wine glass in packing paper, place it inside the box so that it sits in a vertical position between the dividers in its own cell. Never put a wine glass on top of another. This divider kit should make it easy to keep stemware pieces separate. When you finish placing the wine glasses inside the dividers, surround any empty space or open gaps with more packing paper. Filling these gaps will prevent wine glasses from shifting around while being moved.
Know How Your Wines Like To Be Treated
If youve taken the care to curate a collection of fine wines, you know that each varietal likes to be handled in a specific way to preserve its character. That means your packing endeavors need to go beyond how to safely move wine bottles, and address some specifics. Some wines will need to be transported upside down, while some are ok being wedged into a cell box. Be sure you know which bottles need to be treated how, and label the boxes appropriately if they need to stay oriented in a specific way.
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Shipping Bottled/boxed Wine Internationally
For those that are working with a supplier/buyer that wants to purchase bulk quantities of bottled or boxed wine, different shipping containers need to be arranged. ISO tanks and flexitanks are reservoirs for loose liquids and cannot be used to transport pre-packaged liquid.
If you are shipping wine internationally, it will either be through ocean or air. Your only options with either are ocean shipping containers, or ULDs . Thus, your primary concern when shipping wine internationally should be how these spaces are effectively managed. Here are some tips:
Blocking and Bracing
We have written previous articles on the topic of blocking and bracing. The idea essentially involves securing the interior of a shipping container to minimize or completely mitigate shifting and moving of the containers cargo. This is especially important when it comes to wine bottles since the glass is so fragile.
After properly packaging and wrapping your wine, load them into crates with locking doors/tops that can be easily secured to the sides of the containers. There are plenty of helpful guides online that describe how the cargo can then blocked and braced using wooden beams, ratchet straps, and additional materials.
Gensets and Refrigerated Containers
Determine The Best Shipping Method For Your Collection
First, lets answer a few questions:
- How far are you moving to? A local move makes transporting your wine collection much easier. A long-distance move, particularly across state lines, will require more logistical planning that is best handled by a moving company. If your move will take multiple days, your wine could be exposed to more temperature fluctuations. In that case, definitely look into having your collection transported in a refrigerated truck.
- How valuable is your collection? High-value collections should be carefully transported by specialized wine shippers.
- What will the weather be like on moving day? As you know, wine is extremely sensitive to big shifts in temperature. If you are moving in the heat of summer or in the winter, it is best to transport your wine in a climate-controlled truck or in your personal vehicle to avoid spoiling the flavors.
- Are you crossing state or international borders? Some states require individuals to pay taxes on wine transported into the state, while other states have varying laws about the transportation of alcohol. Your professional movers will be able to inform you about what they can and cannot transport for you.
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How To Pack Wine Bottles When Moving
Moving wine is a delicate process. Wine has unique properties unlike any other item you might move. First, wine is perishable and can lose the subtleties of its intended flavors if you do not transport it properly under the right climate conditions. Second, wine is contained in a bottle, so breakage is also a concern. Whether you are moving a case of wine or you have a wine cellar of spirits with considerable value, you must take precautions to ensure the integrity of your precious elixir on its journey to your new home.
The Cost of Moving Your Wine Collection in San Francisco
Finding a cost-effective way to ship a significant wine collection during your move is nearly impossible. A 12-bottle case of wine weighs around 35 pounds, so shipping the collection is expensive. In addition, UPS and FedEx only allow licensed shippers to send wine.
There are professional wine shippers with refrigerated trucks for large collections, but the prices are through the roof, and those specialized wine movers do not move your couch and mattress. Using a separate moving company to transport a large wine collection begins at a cost of about $10 a case for a local move, which usually requires a 20-case minimum, to $3,000-$5,000 for a climate-controlled move across the country. A cross-country trip usually takes a week. Airfreight will cost even more, about $20,000 for 50 cases.
Appraising and Insuring Your Wine Collection before Transporting It
Consider the Temperature before Moving Your Wine
Prepare The Proper Packing Supplies
Before youcan learn how to protect each wine bottle individually, youll need to acquirethe necessary packing materials to complete the task quickly and safely. Ofcourse, its all about getting your hands on the proper wine shipping boxes.
In additionto the wine shipping boxes, youre also going to need plenty of soft packingpaper and regular packing tape.
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Build Your New Wine Cellar
Its easy to forget the basics when you have to deal with everything from insurance companies to packing your wine glasses safely. Thats why having a moving binder for your wine collection is an essential tool. Put all of your appraisal documents, bottle photographs, moving contracts, insurance documents and cellar contractor information in your binder to keep everything in one place. Include a calendar in your binder that details the exact date your cellar contractor anticipates finishing your new home wine cellar before you pack a single bottle of wine in a box. Wine bottles are sensitive to changes in the weather, so any delay on your wine cellar construction could spell disaster for your collection. If youre moving to a home that already has a cellar, make sure the cellar is ready and at the proper temperature before moving in your bottles.
Moving Wine Collections: A Step
Moving wine is no easy task. Preserve the integrity of your investment and learn how to transport wine the right way.
Chances are if youre reading this, you know a thing or two about wine. It could be that you have an entire cellar dedicated to your wine collection, or maybe a portion of your kitchen is home to your small but growing array of wine.
One thing is for certain, moving wine, especially fine wine, is not as simple as loading it into a cardboard box and calling it a day.
In fact, professional wine shipping offers the most seamless way to transport large and expensive wine collections to their new homes. Learn how moving wine the right way varies depending on the size of your collection. However, if youre just interested in finding out how to move a few bottles of wine, scroll to the bottom for more information.
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Bspcs Tips For Moving Wine To Your New House Include:
- Dont pack wine bottles that have been opened
- Avoid wrapping bottles in newspaper, using small foam micro beads or bio-degradable packing made from cornstarch as if theres condensation the latter two will break down and do little to protect your bottles and may even cause staining on the labels
- Instead use acid and chemical free tissue paper if you need to wrap any bottles
- Use specialised wine packaging equipment like the inflatable airbags explained in the above section on shipping wine, alongside this, the Styrofoam or corrugated cardboard wine packaging boxes protect bottles well
- Make sure the bottles dont rattle around in whatever they are packaged in, do the gentle shake test and if you can hear movement, add some extra padding material
- If the bottles will be in transit for some time, make sure bottles with corks in are packed either sideways or upside down to ensure the cork stays moist
- Avoid moving during hot weather, to keep wine in the best condition its important to keep then at a constant temperature for wine storage that matches your cellar conditions
- If you are using removalists make sure you clearly label any wine boxes with FRAGILE and THIS WAY UP to avoid any issues
- If you are a serious collector and have invested a lot into your wine collection, we would highly recommend seeking professionals to help make sure your wines are packed correctly and transported in climate controlled vehicles
Expert tip:
Inform Your Moving Company
Though you trust your moving company to work quickly, it may not be ideal for them to move your wine, especially across the country. Talk to your moving company about your wine collection and whether they ship alcohol for clients. Ask about custom crates or cell-divided boxes for your bottles. And if needed, request storage space with temperature control.
Your moving company may also recommend and coordinate a company that specializes in only moving wine.
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Pack Your Wine Collection The Right Way
If youve decided to trust professional wine shipping specialists, then you should not worry about how your wine bottled will be protected during the move. Thanks to sophisticated packing materials and refrigerated trucks, professional wine collection movers just know how to approach the entire process so that your prized wine collection arrives in the cellar of your new home in no less than perfect condition.
Yes, professional packers have the required expertise to pack correctly each bottle and ensure its safety. But what about if you plan to move your wine collection on your own? Then you need special care to protect your wine collection. If youre packing by yourself, get specialized wine packing boxes which are also used to transport wine on commercial airlines. You can purchase them from stores that sell wine or from a local moving company that is licensed to ship wine.
Those special boxes for wine bottles are specifically designed to provide the maximum protection for your precious wine collection they have dividers made of Styrofoam and are pretty sturdy. Wooden boxes are more expensive, of course, but provide much better protection. Either way, remember to pack corked wine on its side as if you were still keeping it on the familiar racks in your cellar. Also, keep a temperature of around 55-75 degrees F inside your vehicle.
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How To Ship Alcohol Internationally
Importing and exporting alcohol across country borders presents even more challenges. Youll now need to meet state, city, and country laws, as well as be familiar with exporting and importing laws.
Youll need to ensure that the distributor sending the shipment has the correct permits or the US government can seize your shipment. Youll also need to be aware of taxes and duties for international beer, spirit, and wine imports.
We recommend not managing international alcohol shipping yourself instead, work with reliable third-party retailers and compliance companies to ship beer, liquor, and wine orders.
Stay on top of the latest alcohol trends and regulations
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Getting The Perfect Box
Most of the boxes you see in a wine store are flimsy. After all, the box is an extra cost to the winery. Higher priced wine usually comes in a better box, so look for a box from one of the more expensive brands.
Another thing to remember is that most boxes rely on the bottles to provide strength. Brian said, Yes, there are boxes that make it from all over the world to a retail shop. But many seem to disintegrate on unboxing. A box thats strong enough for moving should not bend or break when moved. It should also be able to support boxes stacked on top of it.
While you might want to use a standard cardboard box, you should reconsider. Most of those boxes dont do well with heavy bottles. And without inserts or dividers, youll have to wrap the bottles separately. If packing wine yourself, Joe recommends using boxes and inserts specifically for wine. This can make a big difference in protecting your wine from danger during transit.
Another choice would be to use wine shipping boxes. These are expensive and bulky, but they definitely do a great job of protecting your wine. If your collection is less than two cases, this might be a great option.
Can I Ship Wine
If youre a wine retailer, youve certainly thought about how to send your wine to different places. In many cases, you will be able to send your wine across the world quite easily. But, the key is knowing all the restrictions and regulations so you understand how to navigate them. Here are a few things to know:
- Since all countries have different rules about shipping wine, its helpful to brush up on the wine export and import rules of the areas you ship to most frequently.
- In the US, you cant mail wine as a gift through the post office – you have to use commercial carriers like UPS or FedEx.
- Youll need to make sure your carrier is fully aware that your shipment contains wine
- Youll need to fill out paperwork like customs declarations, whether you intend the wine as a gift or as a commercial consignment.
- Check whether there are any additional taxes or duties that youll need to pay on the wine shipment – and if the answer is yes, find out how much itll cost and how you can make the payment.
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