How To Ship Wine in 5 Easy Steps: An Ecommerce Guide
by Jaidyn Farar
For online shoppers, wine is in high demand—and buying wine online will only become more popular with time. By 2029, the ecommerce revenue of the U.S. wine market is forecast to reach $3.7 billion.
While this is a lucrative industry to be in, shipping wine comes with several challenges, including finding a carrier that will transport it, complying with state regulations, and packaging bottles properly to avoid damage.
This guide will walk through everything you need to know to overcome the challenges and make sure every package you send gets safely delivered.
Can you mail wine?
Individual consumers aren’t allowed to mail wine, but licensed alcohol sellers can ship it as long as they follow carrier guidelines and state laws.
If you’re a business: Keep reading this article to learn how to deliver wine to customers.
If you’re a consumer: Wondering how to ship wine as a gift? Your best bet is to order from a licensed winery or retailer, which can ship the wine on your behalf (to states that allow alcohol shipments).
Which carriers ship wine?
USPS doesn’t allow anyone—consumer or business—to ship alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits. As an online merchant, you’re better off using UPS or FedEx, both of which allow licensed businesses to ship wine. Each carrier has specific rules for packaging and labeling, which we’ll cover in more detail below.
What states allow wine shipping?
Alcohol shipping and distribution laws vary by state. To learn why, we need to turn to the history books.
Between 1919 and 1933, the 18th Amendment prohibited “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" in the United States. Once Prohibition was repealed under the 21st Amendment, individual states were given the power to regulate how alcohol is sold and shipped within their borders.
Today, any ecommerce business looking to ship wine—or any other type of alcoholic beverage—to a specific state must verify whether the state permits the sale of alcohol directly to consumers. Your carrier can help you understand which types of shipments aren’t allowed.
Wine shipping guidelines of major carriers
The three largest shipping carriers in the United States—USPS, UPS, and FedEx—each have specific requirements for shipping alcohol, including wine. This section will break down the guidelines so you can ensure your shipments are in compliance.
Shipping wine with USPS
USPS’s stance on alcohol shipping is pretty straightforward: It’s completely prohibited. The carrier may even deny a shipment if its labeling suggests that the contents might be alcoholic. The only exception is FDA-approved products with a very low alcohol content, such as cold syrup, mouthwash, and cooking wine.
Since USPS is off the table, consider using UPS or FedEx for your wine shipments.
Shipping wine with UPS
UPS accepts wine shipments from licensed businesses that have entered into a contract with them for the transportation of wine. To become an Approved Wine Shipper, you’ll need to get in touch with your account manager to review UPS policies and fill out an alcohol shipping agreement.
While we’ll go into more detail about preparing packages later, let’s take a look at some requirements specified by UPS. To ensure your shipments are accepted, you’ll need to comply with the following guidelines:
- Outer packaging. Use a sturdy corrugated cardboard box.
- Inner packaging. Secure bottles in molded Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, folded corrugated trays, molded fiber trays with dividers, or thermoformed plastic trays.
- Signature on delivery. Choose the UPS Delivery Confirmation Adult Signature Required service, which requires that packages are accepted by an adult of at least 21 years old. You can choose to ship to a UPS Access Point location to make delivery more convenient for customers.
- Label. Add an alcoholic beverages shipping label, along with any special labeling required by the origin or destination states.
Shipping wine with FedEx
Like UPS, FedEx does not allow individuals to ship any type of alcohol. However, licensed businesses can ship wine to states that allow it—as long as they enter into a FedEx Alcohol Shipping Agreement. To become an authorized wine shipper with FedEx, you’ll need to create an account, contact your account executive, and review and sign the Alcohol Shipping Agreement.
You can ship wine with FedEx using the following services:
- FedEx Express®
- FedEx Ground®
- FedEx Home Delivery®
FedEx specifies that shippers follow these guidelines when sending alcohol:
- Outer packaging. Use a sturdy corrugated cardboard box.
- Inner packaging. FedEx prefers that shippers use molded polystyrene, but they also accept shipments that use pulp dividers or die-cut corrugated units.
- Signature on delivery. An adult (age 21 or over) must sign for alcohol shipments. FedEx provides flexible delivery options to help make things more convenient for customers.
- Label. You’ll need to attach a FedEx Alcohol Shipping Label to each package; these labels are supplied by FedEx.
Types of wine deliveries with UPS and FedEx
UPS and FedEx divide wine shipments into several categories, which are based on individual state laws. For direct-to-consumer sales, states have different regulations for the following types of wine shipments:
- Winery on-site purchase. Wine can be shipped to consumers from out of state only if the person made the purchase on-site at the winery. Under this rule, wine can’t be purchased from an ecommerce store.
- Winery direct shipment. Wine can be shipped to consumers from out of state regardless of how the purchase is made, meaning that ecommerce purchases are acceptable. However, the wine must be purchased directly from the winery, not a retailer.
- Retailer direct shipment. With this option, out-of-state retailers are allowed to ship wine to consumers.
- Intrastate retailer. Some states don’t allow wine shipments from out-of-state retailers, but they do allow consumers to purchase from in-state retailers as long as the shipper holds the proper license.
Learn more by viewing the following documents:
How to ship wine: 5 simple steps
Fortunately, understanding carrier restrictions and state laws is the hardest part of shipping wine. Once you’ve got those down, the next steps are a breeze! Read on to learn what you need to do to ensure your shipments arrive safely.
1. Monitor weather conditions
The best time to ship wine is when the weather isn’t too hot or too cold—think spring or fall versus summer or winter. In general, it’s best to keep wine between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Outside of that temperature range, the wine’s quality could be affected.
If you’re sending shipments during the summer or winter, make sure to use an insulated container to keep bottles within the optimal temperature range.
2. Choose the right packaging
Proper packaging is the key to keeping wine bottles safe in transit. Each of the following steps will protect your shipments from rough handling:
- Wrap each bottle. Start by wrapping each bottle in several layers of tissue paper to protect against movement and minor impacts. If the bottle has a cork, make sure it's tightly secured to prevent leaks.
- Use molded inserts. For maximum protection, use molded inserts designed specifically for wine bottles. These inserts, typically made of polystyrene foam, molded pulp, or corrugated cardboard, hold each bottle securely in place, preventing movement and absorbing shock during transit.
- Add filler material. To prevent breakage, bottles shouldn’t touch each other or the sides of the box. Use filler material to keep everything securely in place, but choose wisely—materials like packing peanuts can shift and compress over time, decreasing their effectiveness.
- Choose a sturdy, right-sized box. Once your bottles are wrapped, choose a strong, well-fitted box. Measure carefully so that everything fits snugly without too much empty space.
- Use insulation. If you’re shipping during hot or cold weather, add insulation to your package (along with gel cool packs if necessary) to keep temperatures under control.
- Tape the seams. Finally, tape all seams securely—both on top and underneath—to keep the package intact throughout its journey.
3. Label the package correctly
Proper labeling increases the likelihood that your wine shipment is handled with care. Start by clearly marking the package as "Fragile" to encourage careful handling. If temperature control is a concern, you can add labels indicating storage or refrigeration needs.
You'll also need to include a label identifying the package’s contents as an alcoholic beverage. Each carrier has its own requirements, so double-check their guidelines to stay compliant. For now, here’s a quick overview of what UPS and FedEx have to say:
- UPS: “All packages containing wine must be labeled by the shipper with a special alcoholic beverages shipping label in addition to any other labeling that may be required by the origin or destination state.”
- FedEx: “Every alcohol shipment in the U.S. or originating in the U.S. is required to have a label identifying it as such. FedEx supplies these alcohol shipping labels.”
4. Choose a shipping carrier
As mentioned above, not all carriers allow wine shipments, so it’s important to choose one that does. While USPS doesn’t ship alcohol, UPS and FedEx do, as long as you’re a licensed alcohol shipper and comply with their packaging and labeling requirements. Depending on the location of your fulfillment centers and customers, a regional carrier might also be a great option.
Whichever carrier you use, shipping software like EasyPost makes it simple to generate shipping labels.
Once you’ve gotten started with the EasyPost Shipping API, you can quickly integrate with over 100 carriers and automatically purchase the most affordable label for every package. Plus, you’ll save even more with built-in carrier discounts.
5. Require an adult signature
When shipping wine, you’re responsible for making sure it’s delivered to someone of legal drinking age. Both UPS and FedEx require an adult signature (21+) upon delivery, so be sure to select this option when purchasing your shipping label.
If a customer isn’t aware of the signature requirement, they might miss their delivery. To avoid this, let them know that an adult will need to be available to accept the package. This will allow them to plan ahead and avoid delays.
Keep wine shipments safe with EasyPost
And there you have it—five simple steps to ship wine to your customers. Before wrapping up, we wanted to share a final piece of advice. Since wine is both fragile and valuable, adding shipping insurance is a smart move. Even with careful packaging, accidents can happen, and insurance helps protect you from financial loss if bottles break in transit.
While most carriers offer liability coverage, you’ll usually get cheaper premiums and more comprehensive coverage with a third-party insurance provider like EasyPost.