Wine shipments at high temperatures

[ehelle]

Dear all,
how do online wineshops in Australia, like Gavin's, deal with high temperatures when distributing their wines? I cannot imagine that temperature-controlled trucks and temporary storage is affordable. Is there any peak temperature above which shipments are held back?

The reason I am asking is that I recently moved to Hawaii where it is pretty much 25 degrees C all year. It seems that some serious wine sellers on the mainland rather not send out their wines over here, because they may be cooked in transit. Even if they sit at 30 degrees for a while, I wouldn't expect much harm. And this is harmless compared to the climatic conditions you have to deal with... I can imagine that it matters for wines one would like to store for 30 years before opening.

Any opinions on this?

Eric

[Red Bigot]

Eric, which "mainland" are you referring to?

Most good independents (with online wine shops) and many wineries will hold deliveries until the weather forecast is suitable for source and destination (and hopefully in between). I've had wine held for several months at a WA winery waiting for autumn.

I've had one delivery this year where the top layer of bottles in a 6-pack had got hot enough to leak (cork seals). Since the 6-pack was packed in a dozen outer case with extra padding the wine almost certainly got hot on the way to the retailer. I tried two bottles, one a leaker and one not and the difference was substantial enough to send the leakers back for replacement, which occurred without hassle.

Certainly 25C ambient is Ok for shipping, but if the container/truck/wine sit in the sun for a while they will get a lot hotter than ambient temp, that's when the damage is done.

One insidious problem with screwcaps is that they probably won't leak even if they get quite hot, so the tell-tale red stain on the cardboard won't be there to suggest heat damage.

[davidg]

Eric, which "mainland" are you referring to?

In Hawaii they refer to the continental US as "the mainland".

[markg]

I keep all the auction wines in temperature/humidity controlled storage.

I have one shipment a week (on a monday, thus preventing wine being stuck in transit over a weekend).

I use http://www.bom.gov.au/ to get the low down on the predicted forecast to my destinations.

I emargo destinations where the temperature is predicted to be above 30c for extended periods (rule of thumb).

I use Australia Post wine service who have air-conditioned depots here in Adelaide (obviously I don't arrange a pickup when the temp is 30+).

AustPost ship interstate overnight. I have been told that the wine service destinations in capitals is also ACondit.

In theory, they leave the depot and get delivered straight to your door.