For The Love Of Port

Roy Hersh wrote:New News:
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2017/12 ... e-shipping

So in 10 years we might have something?

Roy Hersh wrote:Packaging stores that contract with Fed/UPS never ask the question or pressure customers when they ship wine privately. For now, (and in recent years) they are the new easy.

They are now. More specifically, they know the box type for alcohol and when they get them at the Hubs they open them and either send back or "destroy" it. I'm sure some non-wine employee gets some great wine that they won't appreciate. I know that as where I work we have a regional UPS Hub and I've spoken a number of times to their head of security and other upper level managers about shipping alcohol. If you ship privately outside of California, don't put it in anything that resembles a wine shipper.

I am very tempted to ship some bottled water (possibly even in wine bottles) in a wine shipper somewhere to see what happens.

Eric Menchen wrote:I am very tempted to ship some bottled water (possibly even in wine bottles) in a wine shipper somewhere to see what happens.

Now that would a cool experiment. Like anything, I'm sure it would depend on where the sender is and where it's going to. And of course some other factors. I'd wager this time of year it's more likely to make it through without issues as there is so much being shipped they don't have the time nor the experienced personnel (Temp employees) to catch as much. But I can tell you UPS is far more aggressive in intercepting illegal alcohol shipments now than in the past.

9 for 9 success in the past month (and 7 for 7 since Dec. 1st) one of which was incoming and the other 8 were outgoing. So I do not agree with:

They are now. More specifically, they know the box type for alcohol and when they get them at the Hubs they open them and either send back or "destroy" it.

Maybe it is just in LA.

I have not altered from using a styro box (I've only done 1 and 3 bottle versions) inside a cardboard holder that was sent to me by wine retailers. Lucky? No, I know not.

Roy Hersh wrote:9 for 9 success in the past month (and 7 for 7 since Dec. 1st) one of which was incoming and the other 8 were outgoing.

I must have just hit the exact wrong person at FedEx on a bad day or something.

Ah well, I'll still manage to get Eric's Port to him somehow!

I never ship from FedEx or UPS, just a couple of packaging shops on the plateau. One of which you could walk to Glenn.

Roy Hersh wrote:I never ship from FedEx or UPS, just a couple of packaging shops on the plateau. One of which you could walk to Glenn.

Ya know, I'd never thought of using that shop for shipping! But yeah, I bet that would work every time. They're not going to care a bit about what's in the box.

Glenn, if worst comes to worst, I can pay to bring a case of Eric's wine on the plane with me during my next trip to Denver. I go to Denver twice a year (usually December and June). You guys should let me know if I can help out.

-Lindsay

I've been shipping wine to my mom in KY for the past several years. I try to use the 4 bottle and 6 bottle shippers as they tend to look more like a common size package. I also cut the styrofoam to allow me to invert half of the bottles so the box doesn't end up so bottom heavy. (If you've lifted enough cases of wine, that bottom heavy weight distribution is pretty obvious.) Going forward though, I'll try Andy's tip about putting those boxes in a larger, square shaped box. I'll also use Mike's suggestion of putting some macaroni in the box as a noise maker!