The Auswine Forum

Hi,

I am heading home to Melbourne after a number of years away in the UK, partly spent accumulating some interesting yet not overly expensive wines.

I am in a quandary, as I would very much like to bring back with me 3 or 4 mixed cases in my shipping container yet expect the temperature variations (and extremes) to cause havoc with the wine, particularly as it greets the southern hemisphere summer.

Does anyone know of any particularly good insulating material for wine transportation or indeed a company offering airfreight at reasonable rates? I am already going to be hit with the WET and GST, so would prefer to keep costs down. Perhaps its a 'no brainer' and there is a reason why a google search doesn't throw up any options? Fingers crossed.

If not, it's going to be one hell of a farewell bbq in Cambridge next weekend. Cheers

am

Andrew,

No matter how you pack your wine, you really don't know where the container is going to be stored on the ship. If it is in the middle of the hold, then it is possible that it would not get too hot to affect the wine in the short to medium term, but if it were on the outside then you would be transporting your wine in a very large oven.

If it's any consolation, I'm suffering the same problem but from the other direction. I'm actually seriously thinking about doing a cellar swap, so if that appeals then send me a PM (oh, and I happen to be in Cambridge visiting friends at the weekend!)

Cheers,

Nayan

you must be very attached to the collection to be willing to pay the WET and GST to get it back. If you decide it is all too difficult, I know a place in London where it will have a good home and will be appreciated

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions, Nayan. I am not in town this weekend (last minute family visits) unfortunately.

I guess some of it can be stored at my in-laws relatively safely, certainly the 2005 Bordeaux and 2007 Rhone, but the rest of the collection is around the £10 to £15 mark which I can probably sell to work colleagues.

Julio, thanks for the 'generous offer', but there's a number of equally generous souls who have made similar offers that are ahead of you in the queue.

Cheers

am