Wine on the Move
For years, I have been a faithful reader of Wine Spectator and much of my wine knowledge has been derived from your wonderful and informative publication. However, I have never read an article on the proper method for moving a wine cellar across the country.
I plan to move to a different part of the country in the near future and would like to know the following: What is the safest method for moving my 1,000-
bottle collection of wine to preserve its integrity?
Elbert Glover
Morgantown, W.V.
Meltzer responds: I spoke with Jamie Ritchie, head of Sotheby’s North American wine department, and Jeff Zacharia, head of Zachys’ wine auction division—both have considerable experience shipping wine across the country. They stressed the importance of selecting a shipper who uses refrigerated trucks, so that the wines stay at the proper temperature from one destination to another.
There are several companies that transport
wine, but as it happens, both Ritchie and Zacharia recommended Western
Carriers. The cost of the job will obviously depend on the distance involved, and whether you pack your own wine or have
the mover do it all for you at both ends.
You should also make sure that the mover is licensed in every state that the truck is driving through.
from Wine Spectator Dec. 31, 2004