What You Need To Know About Moving Your Wine Collection Long-Distance
Moving a wine collection across town is easy enough, but relocating a collection to another state is a whole other ball game. If you don't take the proper precautions, your sweet tasty wine may turn into a sour vinegary mess by the time you get to your new home. Here are two things you can do to protect your wine collection when moving it long-distance.
Temperature Control Is Key
The biggest challenge you'll face when moving your wine collection from one place to another is regulating the temperature. Wine is temperamental and needs to be kept cool to maintain its flavor and integrity. While it's okay to leave wine out for short periods of time when serving it, letting it sit in a hot car or truck for several days can cause the wine to spoil. However, wine can also be irreversibly damaged if it gets too cold as well.
The optimal temperature for storing wine is between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a large collection, the best way to transport it is in a temperature-controlled moving van or truck. These vehicles have refrigerated areas that remain at set temperatures regardless of whether the vehicle is on or off. You can get these vehicles in a variety of sizes, but you may need multiple vehicles—one for the wines and one for other possessions—if you're moving other sensitive items such as electronics.
If your collection is fairly small (e.g. one or two dozen bottles), then you could get away with transporting them in portable coolers. The ideal cooler will be an electric one that you can plug into the power port in your vehicle that is compact and light enough to carry into your hotel room whenever you stop for an overnight stay.
A less ideal option but one that also works is a well-insulated cooler that uses ice packs to keep the contents cold. Since ice packs melt after a few hours, you'll need to carry along resealable bags to fill with ice from convenience stores to switch out with the melted ice packs until you can refreeze the regular ice packs again.
It may also be a good idea to place a thermometer in the cooler so you can see at a glance whether the temperature inside is at an optimal level.
Packing Wine Must Be Done Right
Another challenge with moving a wine collection is making sure it's packed right. Wine has to be stored on its side to prevent the cork from drying out, shrinking, and potentially letting in air that could prematurely age your wine. This may not be a problem if you're only going to be on the road for a day or two. If it's going to take a week or more for you to reach your final destination, then you need to take care that bottles are packed on their sides in the cooler or refrigerated truck.
To stabilize the bottles and prevent them from moving around too much, pack them in specially designed wine boxes if you're using a refrigerated truck. Be sure to store the boxes on their sides to keep the corks wet. If you're using a cooler, you can purchase Styrofoam bottle shippers that will securely hold the wine during the trip.
When you get to your final destination, it may be tempting to open a bottle to celebrate your arrival. However, the movement from the vehicle can unsettle the wine. It's best to let the wine rest for a few days to a week before popping the cork. Older, unfiltered, or unrefined wines may need a little more time to settle before they're good to drink.
For more information about moving a wine collection or to hire professionals to do it for you, contact a moving company. Follow this hyperlink to learn about moving services in your area.