It is always tough when we have to delay wine shipments to most of the country, due to the harsh winter climates in some areas. Why do we do this? Wine has a very delicate nature and while the actual freezing of the wine may not be harmful to the flavor of the wine, it can cause other unsettling results.
In this (sad) photo, a customer of ours received a shipment of wine just a few days after a cold spell swept through her neighborhood. As much as we try to avoid such wine disasters, we don't always get our timing right and because shipments take 2-7 business days, depending on the destination, the forecast can change drastically from the scheduled shipment date.
Why is the cork popping up out of the bottle? If the wine is exposed to freezing temperatures long enough, the water content in the wine will actually freeze in the bottle, causing expansion and eventually, the extra pressure pushes the cork out of the bottle.
Most often, the wine inside is still fine once it thaws out, but we do appreciate the heads up from our customers so that we can monitor the weather more closely and resolve any spoilage.
So when is the best time to ship wine? We recommend shipping when the temperatures are above freezing throughout the entire route (we ship from Oregon). In the warmer months, we are looking for temperatures below 80 degrees fahrenheit. Not only do freezing temperatures have effects on wine; heat can also cause unfavorable deliveries.
Don't let this stop you from enjoying your favorite wines! There are a few options to get your wines in the winter time. We offer temperature-controlled shipments in most areas, however, we are still looking for the delivery area to be above freezing during the day time. And, of course, the option to upgrade to air is available when your wine needs are time sensitive. Our website offers UPS ground, 2day and 3day delivery, so be sure to plan accordingly and pick the best rate for your area. Otherwise, we will be happy to monitor the weather and hold onto your order until we can ship safely.
