Why Holding Your Wine Until Fall May Be the Safest Summer Shipping Option

Summer heat can make transporting fine wine challenging. While expedited and temperature-controlled services can reduce the time wine spends in unfavorable conditions, no shipping method can completely eliminate the risks created by extreme temperatures.

With unusually warm conditions currently affecting shipping routes across much of the country, waiting for cooler weather may be the best way to protect your wine. Benchmark Wine Group’s complimentary summer storage allows clients to leave eligible purchases in our temperature-controlled Napa warehouse until safer fall shipping conditions return.

How Can Summer Heat Affect Wine in Transit?

Wine is highly sensitive to its environment. Prolonged exposure to excessive heat may cause the liquid inside a bottle to expand, increasing pressure against the cork and potentially affecting the wine’s condition.

The temperature at the final destination is only one part of the journey. Packages may travel through several distribution centers, remain inside delivery vehicles, or cross regions experiencing considerably higher temperatures.

Even when the weather at home appears moderate, conditions elsewhere along the shipping route may make transporting fine wine inadvisable.

Is It Safe to Ship Wine During the Summer?

The answer depends on the complete transit route, expected temperatures, delivery speed, and available services. During periods of widespread extreme heat, however, there may be no completely risk-free shipping method.

Many destinations currently require overnight shipping and a signed weather release. Although overnight service shortens the journey, it cannot guarantee that bottles will remain protected from high temperatures at every stage of transit.

Our Client Relations team therefore recommends holding wine until cooler fall weather returns whenever possible.

“With current temperatures affecting nearly every shipping route, we strongly recommend holding your wine until cooler conditions return in the fall. Even overnight shipping currently requires a weather release in most areas and cannot eliminate every risk. Complimentary summer storage allows clients to consolidate their purchases into a case while their wines remain protected in our temperature-controlled warehouse.”
— Benchmark Wine Group Client Relations Team

What Is a Weather Release?

A weather release acknowledges that a client has chosen to ship an order despite temperatures or weather conditions that may place the wine at risk.

While express delivery can reduce the amount of time a shipment spends in transit, a weather release does not provide additional physical protection for the wine. It also does not change temperatures inside delivery vehicles, sorting facilities, or other points along the route.

For this reason, waiting for a more moderate shipping window is often preferable to releasing wine during extreme summer heat.

Why Hold Wine Until Fall?

Holding wine in a temperature-controlled warehouse keeps bottles in a stable environment while unfavorable shipping conditions pass. It can also allow multiple eligible purchases to be consolidated for a future shipment.

The principal benefits include:

• Protection from extreme temperatures during transit
• Stable storage in a temperature-controlled environment
• Time to wait for a safer seasonal shipping window
• The opportunity to consolidate eligible purchases
• Fewer individual shipments to coordinate

The safest shipping window will vary according to the destination and weather conditions. The Client Relations team can monitor conditions and help determine when a route becomes suitable again.

Why Consolidate Wine Before Shipping?

When wine remains securely stored during the summer, clients may have an opportunity to consolidate eligible purchases before arranging a future shipment.

Consolidation can make shipping more efficient and reduce the number of separate packages traveling to the same destination. Most importantly, the wine remains protected in our temperature-controlled warehouse while the collection awaits more favorable conditions.

How Will You Know When It Is Safe to Ship?

There is no single date on which fall shipping becomes safe everywhere. Temperatures can vary considerably by region, and some destinations cool down earlier than others.

Before releasing an existing order, the Client Relations team considers the destination, temperatures along the route, expected transit time, and available carrier services. This route-specific approach provides more useful guidance than relying on the season or destination forecast alone.

Protect Your Wine by Waiting for Cooler Weather

During periods of extreme summer heat, patience can be the most effective form of protection. Overnight delivery and other expedited services may shorten the journey, but they cannot remove every risk associated with high temperatures.

Holding eligible purchases in Benchmark Wine Group’s temperature-controlled warehouse allows bottles to remain protected while clients wait for safer fall shipping conditions. It also creates an opportunity to consolidate wine before arranging delivery later in the year.

Clients with wine currently awaiting shipment may contact the Client Relations team at orders@benchmarkwine.com or 707-255-3500 with questions about storage or seasonal shipping conditions.

Wine shipments require the signature of an adult age 21 or older. Shipping availability is subject to destination laws, weather conditions, carrier service, and other restrictions.

Cheers,
The BWG team