What’s the best way to send wine as a gift?
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,
What’s the best way to send wine as a gift? I just found out that I can’t ship a bottle through the post office.
—John, Portland, Ore.
Dear John,
Wine is a wonderful gift! But sending it across state lines gets tricky quickly. After Prohibition, each state decided on its own alcohol regulations, so it’s not unfair to say that there are 50 different sets of laws regulating 50 different states. Tricky!
The good news is that more states than ever allow wine to be shipped directly to wine lovers. The bad news is that these laws do not typically include shipping from consumer to consumer. Rather, they’re more about giving wineries the right to ship directly to their consumers, without having to go through distributors and retailers. To get the latest on your own state’s laws, check out our guide to shipping laws and this nifty map.
You’re correct that USPS does not allow alcohol shipments. FedEx and other couriers will probably require you to fill out a shipping agreement, and if you do not have a license to sell alcohol, you aren’t going to get very far. After all, wine is a controlled substance. Also keep in mind that properly packaging wine to protect it—from both breakage and extreme temperatures—takes no small amount of know-how.
So my advice is to avoid trying to send the wine yourself and leave it to the experts: wine professionals who know the ins and outs and are properly licensed. That could mean shipping wine directly from a winery. I love this approach because it can lead to a strong relationship between a winery and a new customer.
You should also consider local wine shops, from near where you are located or where your recipient is located. They often ship a lot of wine, both to locals and to wine lovers in other states. (They’ll also likely be happy to gift wrap your bottles!) Of course, many online wine shops are awesome too, and they will be familiar with the legal landscape and have the proper packaging to protect the wines.
—Dr. Vinny
