Can someone explain shipping wine?

[katerkat]

DH's squadron is being sponsered by a local winery, so I'd like to buy our parents each a bottle of the wine with his squadron patch on it. However, our family is on the East Coast and I'm mailing all presents. Can I just mail wine? I tried looking up the restrictions, but it's just very confusing! I don't know if it applies to everyone, or people just looking to sell their wine out of state.

I will be flying to my parents - alone, since DH is deployed - so technically I could take the wine in my suitcase. But then have to make sure I see my SIL to get the bottles to my MIL and SMIL. Plus, I'll be six months pregnant and I don't want to make my suitcase very heavy! (Couldn't you just see the pregnant lady being stopped by security because of three bottles of wine in her carry-on? )

ETA: The wine is coming FROM Washington state, going TO Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. If that makes any difference.

 

[caitycaity]

Can I just mail wine?

to my knowledge, you are not supposed to mail alcohol.

 

[monkeyboy]

to my knowledge, you are not supposed to mail alcohol.

or liquids

 

[tkyes]

I think UPS and Fedex have different policies, don't they?

 

[RadioNate]

You can ship wine. Regulations vary from state to state. Wine can only be shipped to Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Hawaii, Ioaw, Idaho, Illinois, Lousiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wisconson, West Virgina and Wyoming.

Sorry you'll have to carry it on or check it.

 

[Rowena]

So far, I have found you can have the winery ship to NJ "Up to a gallon, clearly marked as adult signature required for shipment"but OH and PA are prohibited. It was dated Nov 2002, but I'm still looking. You may try contacting UPS to see if they have any regulations.

 

[Rowena]

It might be easier if you asked the winery if you could purchase the labels only. Don't know if they will do it, but certainly worth asking and if they do, snag an extra one for a scrapbook for your DH.

 

[Rowena]

Wow, you weren't kidding about confusing! Forget my first post, though labels only may be the absolute easiest if you can do it. Have you tried asking the winery itself if they can ship the bottles for you? If they can ship one or two of the bottles for you and you need to carry on the last one, I would think that better.
Please take care, travel safely and don't stress over this. If nothing else, buy the bottles and deliver them at a later date.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

You can ship wine. Regulations vary from state to state. Wine can only be shipped to Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Hawaii, Ioaw, Idaho, Illinois, Lousiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wisconson, West Virgina and Wyoming.

Sorry you'll have to carry it on or check it.

When I ordered a wine gift basket for my Dad for Christmas they had the same shipping restrictions as above. They can only ship to those states.

 

[Bob Slydell]

http://www.wineinstitute.org/shipwine/shipping_carriers/who_ships_where.htm

 

[katerkat]

OK, according to the chart from Bob (thanks!), I can't ship the wine to any of the states. Then, is it illegal for me to transport it on the plane to Jersey? I brought wine coolers back into the US when I was 20, but that was in the days that I was more daring. (And also before 9/11/01.)

I would just get the labels, but it's good wine and if I don't buy actual bottles, I have to think of another Christmas present idea for my ILs!

 

[Bob Slydell]

I don't think it's illegal to carry it with you, since the wine's not leaving your possession. I think the legal problems come into play when you're shipping wine through the mail (and the recipient's age cannot be verified).

 

[Maleficent13]

My parents have bought wine at WDW and carried it with them on the plane. They live in Ohio. I don't think there is any problem with carrying it. Except the problem of you having to actually carry it, that is.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Not illegal to carry it, but can get heavy! As others have posted, shipping gets tricky because regulations vary from state to state. I used to belong to a wine of the month club, but I had to cancel my membership recently because while they could ship to Louisiana, Arizona's regulations prohibit the shipments!